Inauguration Countdown Day 8 — Profiles in Courage

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When I was growing up and there was any situation that felt overwhelming, my mother’s advice was always to “rise above it.” I value that advice more now than I did in my younger years when I didn’t really understand what she meant or what the process entailed.

 

Looking back, I realize I thought she meant I was supposed to pretend nothing bad was happening, that I was to be cool and unruffled. I got really good at insisting I was “fine” when I was anything but that.  Growing up, I learned to be passive, compliant, easy-going, but also an easy target for abusers seeking their next pliable victim. I was someone you could count on to never show anger, to always offer words of peace. I was the harmonizer, the peace-keeper, the one who smoothed things over in one relationship after another in my effort to avoid conflict, which I viewed as very scary indeed.

 

But about twenty years ago, I realized nothing was going to change on the outside of my life if I didn’t do something about the inside. As I steadily changed my thought habits, my actions changed too, and I moved beyond my auto-pilot behavior of being a doormat in toxic relationships with narcissistic men. I have a different point of view now, and with it comes the gift of being able to cast a kind glance over my past behavior and love that girl who hurt so much inside she didn’t know how to speak up for herself.

 

I spent too many years of my life in thrall to angry men, and now that I no longer feel I have to do that to get along in life, I’m speaking up at this time of Donald Trump’s election to the position of President of the United States. And I’m saying: we won’t back down to bullies. Won’t. Back. Down. To. Bullies.

 

Yes, it takes strength of your convictions to speak up, to step out of the familiar comfort zone of our daily lives where all of us are so busy with work, families, projects, that never-ending To Do list that dominates our schedules. But if we don’t speak up now, if we don’t act in favor of creating change, then we miss out on an incredible opportunity for personal growth as well as all the good we can bring to others through our service.

 

What would you like to do about Mr. Trump and the destruction he has envisioned for our health care, environment, education, labor, the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, women’s rights, human rights , foreign policy, immigration, and other issues near and dear to the hearts of progressives?

 

Go ahead and think for a moment about what you would like to do. Perhaps it is to start a blog, or host a Blog Talk Radio program where you interview people involved in the issues you care about the most. Maybe you feel inspired to volunteer with different groups whose funds are at risk from budget cuts, such as programs supporting the elderly or homebound.  

 

When we allow ourselves to daydream and just think about what we’d like to do to help, ideas will bubble up inside you in response to your interest and your request for inspiration. When you find yourself drawn toward an idea, you’ll feel a sense of joy and light-heartedness.  Don’t let yourself immediately leap into “How would I do that!” limiting questions that kill our dreams.

 

When you feel happy about a new idea, it means it’s got your name on it, no matter how many others might be doing something similar. You’ll bring your own personality and experience to any idea you have. And don’t worry that it is too big and you aren’t capable of doing it. You wouldn’t feel exhilarated by the idea if it wasn’t something you can carry out.

 

As Ralph Waldo Emerson pointed out, “Once you make a decision, the Universe conspires to make it happen.” That was his observation as he delved into studying the metaphysical teachings of Jesus Christ, wanting to understand the mental techniques that were hidden in the parables and stories of the New Testament.

 

When I thought of writing this countdown blog, and the book whose launch it was leading up to, I knew it would be a lot of work in a condensed period of time—but I felt such joy in the ideas I couldn’t possibly say no.  As I opened myself to allow inspiration free rein, the ideas just kept coming. I let them flow through me and on out into the world, to help others relieve their stress over the election results, and to begin planning what our next steps can and should be.

 

Now, what about the amount of courage you think you’ll need for that great idea you just had? A whole lot more than you’ve got right now? Guess what—you don’t need courage at all. Courage is a label we put on other people’s activities after the fact, as a way of praising what they have accomplished and recognizing that it took bravery to go against the odds or speak up despite scary opposition.

 

In 1955, when John F. Kennedy as a junior senator from Massachusetts, he wrote a book that became an instant classic, called,  “Profiles in Courage.” If you haven’t read it, I urge you to do so, as it makes great inspirational reading  especially in this challenging time of Trump’s election to POTUS.

 

A few years later, when he was President, Kennedy dealt diplomatically with the Cuban Missile Crisis, and averted nuclear war with Russia. In a speech after the crisis, President Kennedy said: “Let us not be blind to our differences—but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.”

 

Those words are clearly applicable to the state of our emotionally divided country today.  President Obama has given an indelible message to Democrats and Progressives: “Stand with me. Let’s finish what we started.”

 

We have created a lot of good in this country. Of course it’s not perfect, it’s evolving. Let’s prevent Trump from going the other direction to the white bread, white pasteurized milk fantasy land his supporters angrily demand.

 

Below is the official transcript from the White House of President Obama’s farewell speech to the nation on January 10, 2017. I feel it is the perfect call to action for all of us to allow courage to flow in our veins and keep on working together despite the challenges we face after Trump’s election.

 

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THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Chicago! (Applause.) It’s good to be home! (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.) All right, everybody sit down. (Applause.) We’re on live TV here. I’ve got to move. (Applause.) You can tell that I’m a lame duck because nobody is following instructions. (Laughter.) Everybody have a seat. (Applause.)

 

My fellow Americans — (applause) — Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well wishes that we’ve received over the past few weeks. But tonight, it’s my turn to say thanks. (Applause.)

 

Whether we have seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people, in living rooms and in schools, at farms, on factory floors, at diners and on distant military outposts — those conversations are what have kept me honest, and kept me inspired, and kept me going. And every day, I have learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. (Applause.)

 

So I first came to Chicago when I was in my early 20s. And I was still trying to figure out who I was, still searching for a purpose in my life. And it was a neighborhood not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.

 

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

 

THE PRESIDENT: I can’t do that.

 

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

 

THE PRESIDENT: This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved and they get engaged, and they come together to demand it.

 

After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it’s not just my belief. It’s the beating heart of our American idea — our bold experiment in self-government. It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.

 

What a radical idea. A great gift that our Founders gave to us: The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat and toil and imagination, and the imperative to strive together, as well, to achieve a common good, a greater good.

 

For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande. (Applause.) It’s what pushed women to reach for the ballot. It’s what powered workers to organize. It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima, Iraq and Afghanistan. And why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs, as well. (Applause.)

 

So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional — not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard. It’s always been contentious. Sometimes it’s been bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all and not just some. (Applause.)

 

If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history — (applause) — if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9/11 — (applause) — if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens — (applause) — if I had told you all that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did. (Applause.) That’s what you did.

 

You were the change. You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started. (Applause.)

In 10 days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy.

 

AUDIENCE: Nooo —

 

THE PRESIDENT: No, no, no, no, no — the peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected President to the next. (Applause.) I committed to President-elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. (Applause.) Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.

 

We have what we need to do so. We have everything we need to meet those challenges. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth, our drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention means that the future should be ours. But that potential will only be realized if our democracy works. Only if our politics better reflects the decency of our people. (Applause.) Only if all of us, regardless of party affiliation or particular interests, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.

 

That’s what I want to focus on tonight: The state of our democracy. Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders argued. They quarreled. Eventually they compromised. They expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity — the idea that for all our outward differences, we’re all in this together; that we rise or fall as one. (Applause.)

 

There have been moments throughout our history that threatens that solidarity. And the beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism — these forces haven’t just tested our security and our prosperity, but are testing our democracy, as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland. In other words, it will determine our future.

 

To begin with, our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. And the good news is that today the economy is growing again. Wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are all rising again. Poverty is falling again. (Applause.)

 

The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a 10-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. (Applause.) Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in 50 years. And I’ve said and I mean it — if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system and that covers as many people at less cost, I will publicly support it. (Applause.)

 

Because that, after all, is why we serve. Not to score points or take credit, but to make people’s lives better. (Applause.)

 

But for all the real progress that we’ve made, we know it’s not enough. Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class and ladders for folks who want to get into the middle class. (Applause.) That’s the economic argument. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic ideal. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and in rural counties, have been left behind — the laid-off factory worker; the waitress or health care worker who’s just barely getting by and struggling to pay the bills — convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful — that’s a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.

 

But there are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree, our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocations won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good, middle-class jobs obsolete.

And so we’re going to have to forge a new social compact to guarantee all our kids the education they need — (applause) — to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now, and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from this new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their very success possible. (Applause.)

We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.

 

There’s a second threat to our democracy — and this one is as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. And such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. Now, I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10, or 20, or 30 years ago, no matter what some folks say. (Applause.) You can see it not just in statistics, you see it in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum.

 

But we’re not where we need to be. And all of us have more work to do. (Applause.) If every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and an undeserving minority, then workers of all shades are going to be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. (Applause.) If we’re unwilling to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we will diminish the prospects of our own children — because those brown kids will represent a larger and larger share of America’s workforce. (Applause.) And we have shown that our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.

So if we’re going to be serious about race going forward, we need to uphold laws against discrimination — in hiring, and in housing, and in education, and in the criminal justice system. (Applause.) That is what our Constitution and our highest ideals require. (Applause.)

 

But laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change. It won’t change overnight. Social attitudes oftentimes take generations to change. But if our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, then each one of us need to try to heed the advice of a great character in American fiction — Atticus Finch — (applause) — who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

 

For blacks and other minority groups, it means tying our own very real struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face — not only the refugee, or the immigrant, or the rural poor, or the transgender American, but also the middle-aged white guy who, from the outside, may seem like he’s got advantages, but has seen his world upended by economic and cultural and technological change. We have to pay attention, and listen. (Applause.)

 

For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ’60s — (applause) — that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness. When they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment but the equal treatment that our Founders promised. (Applause.)

 

For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, and Italians, and Poles — who it was said we’re going to destroy the fundamental character of America. And as it turned out, America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; these newcomers embraced this nation’s creed, and this nation was strengthened. (Applause.)

 

So regardless of the station that we occupy, we all have to try harder. We all have to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family just like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own. (Applause.)

 

And that’s not easy to do. For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or on college campuses, or places of worship, or especially our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, and increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste — all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information, whether it’s true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there. (Applause.)

 

And this trend represents a third threat to our democracy. But politics is a battle of ideas. That’s how our democracy was designed. In the course of a healthy debate, we prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts, without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent might be making a fair point, and that science and reason matter — (applause) — then we’re going to keep talking past each other, and we’ll make common ground and compromise impossible. (Applause.)

 

And isn’t that part of what so often makes politics dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? (Applause.) How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating. Because, as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you. (Applause.)

 

Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil; we’ve doubled our renewable energy; we’ve led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. (Applause.) But without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change. They’ll be busy dealing with its effects: more environmental disasters, more economic disruptions, waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.

 

Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to solve the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations, it betrays the essential spirit of this country — the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders. (Applause.)

 

It is that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse — the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

 

It’s that spirit — a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might — that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression; that allowed us to build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but built on principles — the rule of law, human rights, freedom of religion, and speech, and assembly, and an independent press. (Applause.)

 

That order is now being challenged — first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets and open democracies and and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or the propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right.

 

Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, because of our intelligence officers, and law enforcement, and diplomats who support our troops — (applause) — no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years. (Applause.) And although Boston and Orlando and San Bernardino and Fort Hood remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We have taken out tens of thousands of terrorists — including bin Laden. (Applause.) The global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. (Applause.)

 

And to all who serve or have served, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief. And we all owe you a deep debt of gratitude. (Applause.)

 

But protecting our way of life, that’s not just the job of our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So, just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. (Applause.)

And that’s why, for the past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firmer legal footing. That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, reformed our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. (Applause.) That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans, who are just as patriotic as we are. (Applause.)

 

That’s why we cannot withdraw from big global fights — to expand democracy, and human rights, and women’s rights, and LGBT rights. No matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem, that’s part of defending America. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism and chauvinism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.

 

So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. (Applause.) ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. (Applause.) Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world — unless we give up what we stand for — (applause) — and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.

 

Which brings me to my final point: Our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. (Applause.) All of us, regardless of party, should be throwing ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. (Applause.) When voting rates in America are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should be making it easier, not harder, to vote. (Applause.) When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. (Applause.) When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our congressional districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes. (Applause.)

 

But remember, none of this happens on its own. All of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power happens to be swinging.

 

Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it’s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power. (Applause.) We, the people, give it meaning. With our participation, and with the choices that we make, and the alliances that we forge. (Applause.) Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. That’s up to us. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.

 

In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken…to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth.” And so we have to preserve this truth with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one. (Applause.)

 

America, we weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character aren’t even willing to enter into public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are seen not just as misguided but as malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and when we sit back and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. (Applause.)

 

It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we, in fact, all share the same proud title, the most important office in a democracy: Citizen. (Applause.) Citizen.

 

So, you see, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try talking with one of them in real life. (Applause.) If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. (Applause.) If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. (Applause.) Show up. Dive in. Stay at it.

 

Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in other people, that can be a risk, and there will be times when the process will disappoint you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, and to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America — and in Americans — will be confirmed. (Applause.)

 

Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I have mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in a Charleston church. I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch. I’ve seen wounded warriors who at points were given up for dead walk again. I’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us through their actions and through their generosity of our obligations to care for refugees, or work for peace, and, above all, to look out for each other. (Applause.)

 

So that faith that I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change — that faith has been rewarded in ways I could not have possibly imagined. And I hope your faith has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home, you were there with us in 2004, in 2008, 2012 — (applause) — maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off. Let me tell you, you’re not the only ones. (Laughter.)

 

Michelle — (applause) — Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side — (applause) — for the past 25 years, you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. (Applause.) You took on a role you didn’t ask for and you made it your own, with grace and with grit and with style and good humor. (Applause.) You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. (Applause.) And the new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. (Applause.) So you have made me proud. And you have made the country proud. (Applause.)

 

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women. You are smart and you are beautiful, but more importantly, you are kind and you are thoughtful and you are full of passion. (Applause.) You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I am most proud to be your dad. (Applause.)

 

To Joe Biden — (applause) — the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son — you were the first decision I made as a nominee, and it was the best. (Applause.) Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. And we love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our lives. (Applause.)

 

To my remarkable staff: For eight years — and for some of you, a whole lot more — I have drawn from your energy, and every day I tried to reflect back what you displayed — heart, and character, and idealism. I’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. You guarded against cynicism. And the only thing that makes me prouder than all the good that we’ve done is the thought of all the amazing things that you’re going to achieve from here. (Applause.)

 

And to all of you out there — every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town, every kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change — you are the best supporters and organizers anybody could ever hope for, and I will be forever grateful. (Applause.) Because you did change the world. (Applause.) You did.

 

And that’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans, it has inspired so many Americans — especially so many young people out there — to believe that you can make a difference — (applause) — to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves.

 

Let me tell you, this generation coming up — unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic — I’ve seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, and just, and inclusive America. (Applause.) You know that constant change has been America’s hallmark; that it’s not something to fear but something to embrace. You are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You’ll soon outnumber all of us, and I believe as a result the future is in good hands. (Applause.)

 

My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. (Applause.) I won’t stop. In fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my remaining days. But for now, whether you are young or whether you’re young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President — the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I’m asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change — but in yours.

 

I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes, we can. (Applause.)

 

Yes, we did. Yes, we can. (Applause.)

 

Thank you. God bless you. May God continue to bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

###

 

 

Thank you, Mr. President, for your years of service and inspiration. My response to his farewell speech:  Together, we can continue to make a beautiful difference in our country, even with Mr. Trump in the White House.

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

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Inauguration Countdown Day 9 — Magnetize Gratitude

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We have much to be thankful for. Turn your thoughts away from thinking about Donald Trump and all his ranting and raving, and the bigots and racists he’s nominating for positions of great power in our country. Do what you can to make your voice heard to your people in Congress, sign petitions, let your opinion be known.

 

But…don’t get so focused on pushing against Trump and his cronies that you stir up a resonance within yourself that is so fear-based you are putting yourself at risk for dis-ease and all the curses of the world that come in response to deeply negative thinking. You don’t want to be on Trump’s wavelength for more than a couple of seconds! Less, if possible.

 

Focus on all the things you intend to do to help our country progress, with liberty and justice for all.

 

The feeling to evoke in ourselves is one of appreciation for all the good that we already have. Look around your life and notice how much you have to be grateful for, starting with the basic material things like food, clothing and shelter, and going on to your relationships, your ability to learn and grow and make choices about your lifestyle that many people in the world don’t have access to.

 

Think about things that make you feel happy no matter what, such as a garden in bloom, a cup of tea on a chilly day, playing with your pet, children or grandchildren, reading a good book. That welling up of gratitude for the small gifts of life is the feeling of appreciation. When we nurture appreciation, the universe sends us – all of us—more experiences to be grateful for. Gratitude in advance of the results we want actually brings us those results faster.

 

Dr. Joseph Murphy recounts the story of one of his clients, a young engineer who was upset about the religious beliefs he’d been raised with. Murphy explained to him that “irritation causes oysters to give birth to pearls.”

 

You may have had a similar experience at least once in your life, and more likely a dozen or more times, when a person or situation was so annoying or troublesome that you ended up using your feelings to propel you into action to change things. Perhaps you got fed up with your boss, and ended up striking out on a new career that brings much more satisfaction than you could ever have achieved at the safe old job.

 

 

Murphy reports that the engineer began studying the world’s religions and discovered the inner meaning of parables and fables, going on to find success by applying the techniques he learned. Dr. Murphy sums up the anecdote by pointing out to us, “If you are supremely happy along religious, political and social lines, you don’t seek truth. It is because certain things went wrong that you sought a greater answer and a way out. Then your subjective self opened a new door for you, and a new light or spiritual awareness was born. When you look back upon the irritation or the problem, you should be grateful and thankful for the challenge, and praise and bless the experience.”

 

Donald Trump’s irritation factor is off the charts. But let’s think about all those “pearls” we can create in spite of Trump, spurred on by that very irritation so that we bring forth wondrous things in the world that are as precious as pearls.

 

Instead of viewing Trump through the lens of fear and anger, let’s look at him in a more detached way—remove all that emotion he manipulated and stirred up in the hearts of countless millions—and see him as a catalyst. 

 

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines catalyst in this way:

1. a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible;
2. an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

 

In chemistry, a catalyst is a substance that sparks an energy change, but by itself is nothing.

 

That’s Trump to a “T”—nothing.

 

It’s what we do with this catalyst (Trump’s election) that is going to count.

 

Let’s not waste this opportunity to create huge, wonderful change across our country, and by the ripple effect, around the world.

 

When we magnetize gratitude to ourselves, it means we find something good everywhere we look, and when necessary we “turn the other cheek” so we are looking in the opposite direction from a sight that was bringing up feelings of fear and uneasiness.

 

Every good thought you think, every good word you speak, every good emotion you feel, and every act of kindness you perform, is lifting the frequency of your being to new heights. And as you begin to raise your frequency, a new life and a new world will reveal themselves to you. You will emit positive forces of energy across planet Earth that will reach every single living thing on it.

 

You will lift yourself, and as you lift yourself, you lift the entire world.

           

When you magnetize gratitude to yourself, it’s like creating a magic carpet that rolls out in front of you every day, bringing joyful experiences, happy relationships, prosperity, and great health.

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

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Inauguration Countdown Day 10 — Deliver Us from Evil

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Have you ever walked into a room and sensed evil? Have you picked up on the fact a friend is upset even though they tell you earnestly that they are perfectly fine and nothing is the matter? Have you had a bad feeling about something, gone ahead anyway, and regretted not following your initial hunch?

 

Our early training has drilled us in the habits of logic, but our intuition persists in picking up vibrational clues about the world around us and the people we interact with or come in to contact with through our amazing communication system of broadcasts and telephones and internet videos and social media.

 

We sense when someone is lying. But then what? If you’ve been taught to disregard your own inner dialogue, you dismiss that feeling and believe the words the person is saying instead.

 

In thinking about Mr. Trump, I keep coming back to the command to God, “deliver us from evil” that is in The Lord’s Prayer beloved by many millions of people. It is sometimes called the perfect prayer, and metaphysically speaking that is true, regardless of what your religion or lack of religious beliefs.

 

The prayer is a series of demands and praise, in the perfect balance. It establishes our relationship with the Law (Lord) of the Universe, and invokes the blessings we desire to lead a happier and healthier life.

 

When we say “deliver us from evil”—there’s an implication that we are being sent elsewhere, away from it. Right?  Think about ordering a delivery from your favorite restaurant.  You mull over what to get, place the order, and sooner or later it arrives. You got a delivery from… and it was delivered to…

 

In asking to be delivered from evil, where are we asking to be delivered to? I think it is a matter of looking at opposites and realizing if we want to move away from evil or sin, which is the lack of love, then we must logically intend to move towards more love.

 

Evil and sin are both the absence of love. There is no such entity as the devil or evil, no matter what we’ve been taught by churches and temples with a goal of frightening us into behaving.

 

If there really was a force of nature called evil, then there could be no love, because the two would cancel each other out.

 

Toxic behavior is rampant in our culture, promoted by rudeness on popular TV shows, biting sarcasm that gets applause and a laugh track, and the growing prevalence in social media to say whatever one feels like saying in the moment and then tap “send” or “post” without filtering for common courtesy. It’s as if someone shouted “no holds barred” and the melee began. People who don’t have a photo on their profile seem to really go wild, but maybe that’s just my perception that they feel the safety of anonymity means they can lambast anyone and everyone.

 

Our words truly are boomerangs—when someone transmits messages of hate, then acts of hate come hurling right back to land at our feet. Anything that is on the same vibrational frequency as hate will return as a “reply to sender.” That means poor health, sudden problems at work, unexpected car or house repairs, a financial gut clench, a relationship disaster seemingly out of the blue. But it is never out of the blue, it is always something we have attracted into our experience by virtue of our emotional thoughts and hidden beliefs. 

 

Trump’s supporters, primarily in the “Red States” seem to be operating under mass hypnosis, believing in his promises to make America “great again”—meaning, get rid of anyone who is not a white Christian.

 

They want to bring back the homogenized white milk days, and disallow any chocolate.

 

They want to bring back the so-called good old days when people of color were barred from restaurants, restrooms and public transportation (other than special seating in the back) and many other rights granted to whites. There is ample information online about the days of segregation that you can read about if desired.

 

I was a child in segregated Texas way back when, and somehow I managed to grow up and out of that mindset and supported Civil Rights when all that came along while I was still young. My mother enjoyed records from Broadway musicals, and I learned all the words to many different songs. One that I feel applies in a deep sense to what our country is going through right now is this one, from the musical South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

 

 “You’ve Got to Be Taught”

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught
You’ve got to be taught
To be afraid
Of people whose eyes
Are oddly made
And people whose skin
Is a different shade
You’ve got to be carefully taught
You’ve got to be taught
Before it’s too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people
Your relatives hate
You’ve got to be carefully taught

 

Whatever we have been taught, we can make a decision to change our belief to something of a higher nature. But first we must become aware of what those beliefs are! When we have hidden beliefs, we walk around on auto-pilot, not questioning our opinion of others.

 

One thing that Trump’s election is good for is that it has brought greater awareness to the issues of human rights in our own country. Progressive thinkers—meaning all people who want to grow and enjoy life, regardless of political party—are speaking up and demanding to be heard.

 

People who probably thought everything was going along fine in our country, maybe not perfect, but better than elsewhere, got a rude awakening and are now responding to demonstrate what they want.

 

I think what we consider “evil” are people who have no principles, no moral compass, and yet who brag and scream that they are the ones who have been saved and the rest of us are damned for all eternity. From my perspective, it’s sad to see that we cannot free them from their narrow perceptions and lack of awareness, because they don’t see they are trapped in a small way of thinking. People who lead small lives often are not interested in growing: it’s too scary to break out of their generational rut and risk offending family and friends.

 

But the rest of us, the progressives, the people who are eager to create more joy and love in the world, we can sing out and say:  Deliver us from evil—let us turn our attention and vibrational force of love toward expansion and a better life for all Americans.

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 11 — Fifty Shades of Dread

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Imagine you’ve just been handed an assignment to write down fifty things you dread about Donald Trump’s presidency. At first you might be taken aback. Fifty? That’s a lot of different things. But once you started the list, your fingers would be flying over the keyboard or pad of paper, as your mind brought to the forefront of your memory words he has spoken, bigoted threats he has made, derogatory and misogynist comments, remarks about bombing other countries, deporting people whose skin color and religion he doesn’t like, and the list goes on.

 

It would be bad enough if Trump “merely” had a nasty temper, but his agenda truly is horrific the more you read and learn about it. I’ll leave it up to you how much you want to be informed.  I feel we must strike a healthy balance between learning what Trump and his administration intend to do–particularly those things they try to sneak in and get approval for by hiding it within other more benign issues—and overloading ourselves with fear and stress by being news junkies.

 

Worry never accomplishes anything good, and dread just keeps us in a helpless state (right where he wants us).

 

There are sites that provide email updates along with petitions to sign and share, and  fact-checkable summaries of what a given issue is and the qualifications of the people involved.

 

For example, CredoAction.com  (a network of 4 million activists) makes it very easy to find out the background of people Trump puts forth for approval. It’s eye-opening to read their CVs and see the kind of people they are and what their business history and prior association with Trump has been.

 

How people treat their employees is very revealing of how they intend to treat the rest of the country.

 

Not surprisingly, Trump’s nominees have something in common: they are more interested in feathering their own nests and enjoying power over other people than in creating progress and improving the quality of life for everyone in America.

 

The law of attraction tells us that what we focus on will increase. So I’d like you to take that “Fifty shades of dread” list and delete or tear it up. Otherwise, the more we pay attention to the things we dread and want to run from, the more powerful they become, and the more prevalent in our experience.

 

A sense of dread can be an important manifestation tool because it brings our attention to an issue or situation we would like to change. And then, once we have our focus, we can release the energy from the “dread state” and use it to empower ourselves for progressive action.

 

I think you’ll enjoy the following true story about a woman who confronted a situation she had been in dread of for years, due to a superstition no doubt taught to her by a well-meaning or unaware parent when she was a small girl.

 

From The Game of Life by Florence Scovel Shinn:

 

“I have a friend who said nothing could induce her to walk under a ladder. I said, ‘If you are afraid, you are giving in to a belief in two powers, Good and Evil, instead of one. As God is absolute, there can be no opposing power, unless man makes the false of evil for himself. To show you believe in only One Power, God, and that there is no power or reality in evil, walk under the next ladder you see.’

 

“Soon after, she went to her bank. She wished to open her box in the safe-deposit vault, and there stood a ladder on her pathway. It was impossible to reach the box without passing under the ladder. She quailed with fear and turned back. She could not face the lion on her pathway. However, when she reached the street, my words rang in her ears and she decided to return and walk under it. It was a big moment in her life, for ladders had held her in bondage for years. She retraced her steps to the vault, and the ladder was no longer there! This so often happens! If one is willing to do a thing he is afraid to do, he does not have to.

 

“It is the law of nonresistance, which is so little understood.

 

“Someone has said that courage contains genius and magic. Face a situation fearlessly, and there is no situation to face; it falls away of its own weight.

 

“The explanation is that fear attracted the ladder on the woman’s pathway, and fearlessness removed it.”

 

By the way, The Game of Life ebook is one of the gifts I’m making available for readers of America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters –the link is in my book.

 

We can all learn from the story about the ladder, and it is a helpful image to keep in mind when you realize you are feeling in dread of a situation ahead of you. Assuming the situation that scares you or evokes fear is something that will empower you in the confronting of it, think of ways you can walk up to a “ladder” and then walk boldly under it—to find freedom on the other side.

 

Affirm: I will walk up to that situation and do the thing that terrifies me.

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 12 — Narcissism Unmasked

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It’s ironic that so many millions of Americans voted for a man who has made it clear he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Do they really believe he will make their lives better? I grew up in a family where one parent was a Democrat and the other was a Republican, but I can tell you that neither would have ever considered voting for an extreme narcissist like Trump. 

 

I believe it is important to understand the mental processes of narcissism, because this personality “type” evokes either adulation or revulsion, and sometimes both in the same person. I know, because I spent many years of my life tied up in knots trying to please the whims and demands of narcissistic men in my relationships.

 

You may share the assumption I once had, long ago, before daily experience shattered my illusion, that a narcissist is simply a guy who is a bit vain, kind of conceited, what you might call a clothes horse. He loves to dress up, and be admired. He thrives on being the center of attention. In a child, we call it being a show-off, but by the time a full-blown narcissist is swaggering around the business world, he’s got his act down pat.  He knows how to push buttons, and senses when he needs to back off, smooth things over with flattery or claim that he was only kidding (Hey, can’t you take a joke?).

 

At its heart, the behavior of a narcissist means controlling and manipulating others to get his way all the time. And when he feels thwarted, to erupt in rage and thus ease his inner turmoil.

 

A few traits common to the classic narcissist are: erratic behavior, shrewd, unreliable, predatory, disdainful, cunning, bigoted, offensive, and a formidable foe.

 

You can find many narcissists in the bloodied pages of history, stomping their way across nations and demanding fealty and gold.

 

However, in order to get what he wants, the most adept narcissists learn they have to play by our rules at least part of the time. This means showering people with compliments, particularly in public or in front of others whose esteem he is cultivating.

 

An example would be at a dinner party where the narcissist wants to impress his guests with the façade of a happy marriage. He’ll glowingly praise his wife—then, after the guests have gone and are safely out of earshot, he’ll lambast her for embarrassing him, being cold to the guests or not serving the food the way he told her to, or any number of invented reasons for blowing up at her. Why? It is his habitual, practiced way of releasing the tension which was building up inside all evening as he fretted that the guests might judge him unfavorably and thus withhold their esteem of him.

 

In order to get the love and friendships he craves, the narcissist is fully capable of being Mr. Dream Man, Mr. Nice Guy, Mr. Fantastic Boss…at least while it is necessary to do so. Then, once you’ve taken the bait, it does indeed turn out to be a bait-and-switch swindle.

 

The term bait-and-switch popularly describes an offer too good to be true, where the advertisement promises a fabulous item for sale, but when you get there, the skilled salesperson switches the offer and pushes you to buy a higher priced item, claiming they are sold out of the advertised merchandise.

 

In the narcissist’s game, bait-and-switch is a bit different. He lures you in with friendliness, with being such a great guy you can hardly believe your luck in meeting him. Perhaps the relationship is for business instead of a romantic relationship. That’s okay, the narcissist readily adapts like a chameleon when he scents admiration in the air.

 

Praise and attention are catnip to the narcissist: he can’t get enough, and panics when adoration is in short supply. In those moments, you can count on the narcissist to agree to trips you want to take, to authorize that new piece of office equipment, or even give you a raise. 

 

The “switch” comes about when the narcissist has tested you enough by jabs of sarcasm which you overlooked or readily forgave. After all, if you are basically an amiable person who wants everyone to get along, it didn’t seem bad enough to speak up and say “Please don’t talk to me that way.” You didn’t want to make a big deal over his being out of sorts, you didn’t want to rock the boat, you know he’s under a lot of stress so it’s easier to go along with his denial and reminder yourself it’s no big deal to excuse his behavior.  

 

You pass his frequent tests when you avoid confronting him or setting limits. When you go along with his program, and begin your part of the game which is to carefully watch him and try to head off his anger before he erupts in a full-blown rage.

 

Now he feels a great sense of joy inside: he can count on you to stay! He doesn’t have to be nice unless others are around, or unless he wants something. It takes a lot of energy for the narcissist to be generous with genuine affection, so he doesn’t bother unless he sees the advantage to be gained.

 

So here’s the switch: that sting of cruelty, the pain of physical, emotional and verbal abuse, the bruises from being someone’s verbal punching bag.

 

And yet, millions of people manage to cope with a narcissist in their life and keep on hoping for change, or taking any little sign of niceness that he has seen the error of his ways and is on the way toward treating you better. That “honeymoon” phase in the narcissist’s cycle is when he is feeling a release of his tension and is more relaxed. But the tension quickly builds because the narcissist takes everything (literally everything) personally, and so the cycle continues, endlessly. He has no motivation for personal growth or development, because he is the center of his world and it is running smoothly.

 

Inconsistencies of thought are rampant in the minds of a narcissist. He likes to believe the image of himself as a nice guy, someone admired and even loved by many. When he rages, it feels good to get rid of that inner tension, and yet since that kind of behavior is not consistent with Mr. Nice Guy, he has to simply pretend it didn’t happen.

 

When you get adept at watching a narcissist’s behavior and noticing the signs of building tension, you can learn to back away and spare yourself the explosion fallout as much as possible, and you can also figure out when to approach to have a more rational conversation with him. When would that be? I’m sure you can guess that it is when he is playing his favorite role, that of benevolent and beloved king.

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 13 — Hot Stress Relief

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Stress kills. If we could bottle up all the stress that erupted on 11/9/16 with the announcement about Trump’s electoral vote win, we’d need such massive vats to hold it that we’d be in manufacturing for years to come.

 

Consider this hypothetical question: Is it possible our nation (and the world) might be safer because Trump won?

 

When a narcissist is thwarted, all hell breaks loose. If that narcissist operates in a controlled arena such as his job at a factory, he might do some act of sabotage or vandalism or blow off steam in a pub brawl, then go home and abuse his wife and children. But when that narcissist occupies a high level of the public eye, we can only shudder to imagine his reaction and its repercussions. It might be like an atomic bomb test in the ocean, only not so far from civilization. If you think Trump’s behavior during the campaign and in the post-election days leading up to the Inauguration has been scary, what if he was in such a rage at losing that he called for a convention for the “red states” to secede from the Union?

 

I’m not saying we should feel grateful Trump was elected. Just sayin’…  it could’ve been even worse than what we are facing now.

 

Where does all that stress go? It doesn’t vanish. It seeps into every one of your 63 trillion cells. Other estimates of the number of cells in our body are higher, but maybe they make allowance for height and weight. In any case, that’s way more cells than we can count or keep track of. When someone is stressed out, it has a ripple effect and spreads out to family, friends, the workplace and more. You know what it’s like being filled with anxiety, and you know what it’s like to feel relief.

 

So let’s look at how we can invite relief to come on in and relax all that tension before there’s a massive epidemic of high blood pressure and other ills related to chronic stress.

 

In my stress management book, Forget Your Troubles: Enjoy Your Life Today, I explain all the ways being in a state of chronic stress is damaging to health. But more to the point for this article, I give in-depth examples of how to create serenity in your life and let go of all that panic. 

 

In fact, there’s a whole chapter on anxiety attacks called “Breathe, Dammit! – quick ways to stop a panic attack or meltdown.”

 

Here’s an excerpt:

 

Method #1 to stop a panic attack – deep breathing

 

Sometimes, simply noticing that your breath is too fast and shallow is enough to help you take a deep breath and slowly exhale, then relax and breathe normally. This will head off an anxiety attack by giving your brain the proper level of oxygen and nutrients.

           

At other times, you’ll need to mindfully breathe in and out, slowly and deeply.  If you are breathing in a shallow fashion when you are tensed up, you’ll feed an anxiety attack. It’s a vicious cycle. But you are in charge, and that’s the good news. Isn’t it great to know there’s an easy, painless solution and it doesn’t cost anything extra?

 

Here’s how to use breathing and affirmative phrasing as a crucial part of your life-changing, panic-reducing regimen:

 

1. Count slowly and silently as you inhale, and then exhale. Be sure to do the counting and phrasing in your head, instead of wasting oxygen on speaking out loud.
2. As you breathe, add empowering silent phrases: inhale on the silent phrase “I am”… exhale on the word “relaxed,” and repeat for at least several minutes… until you feel calmer.
3. After you’ve mastered the “I am… relaxed” phrasing, add simple variations to your routine with affirmative phrases that involve a key emotion. For example, you could benefit from saying to yourself: “I am… serene,” “I am… confident,” “I am… happy,” “I am… stress-free.”

[end of book excerpt]

 

Related to thinking about Trump and the kind of ideas he comes up with to terrorize an entire population with pictures of what he’ll do next, I’m reminded of the popularity of horror films.

 

I feel that one of the reasons horror movies are so popular is that it is actually such a release of tension to get wound up to the point of sheer terror — and then get to the end of the film, heave a massive sigh of relief, calm your racing heart, and go out for a pizza. In comparison with what happened to the characters in the story, your own life’s ups and downs suddenly appear much more manageable.

 

The key to scaring ourselves silly in order to feel a sense of relief that things aren’t so bad after all, is to not linger on the frightening images long enough to build up worry that maybe they could happen or would happen. Drop that image, move on to something fun and pleasant.

 

I don’t advocate horror movies and books that have a really strong level of thrill that you absorb all that fear, but since people do watch and read these stories by the millions, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that, and offer a warning: keep track of how you are feeling, and if you’re not bouncing back to cheerfulness after these kinds of thrillers, stop watching and reading them. 

 

I used to read a lot of espionage thrillers and action adventure stories but then I realized a few years ago that I was so full of tension while reading, I was undoing the calmness I had so carefully cultivated during meditation. I still enjoy a good mystery, but I choose the cozier variety rather than the more violent ones that can be very disturbing as they stimulate thoughts of anger, fear, and helplessness.

 

Always remember that we think in pictures and we create what we are emotionally imagining. Be careful with your mind power and don’t bring disaster into your life inadvertently by thinking scary thoughts, whether those thoughts are about imagining someone in your family getting into an accident, or worries about the Trump presidency. 

 

Learning to control our thoughts opens up access to truly manifesting what we desire instead of being the hapless victims of an angry narcissist.

 

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 14 — Law of Attraction in Action

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How did Trump win? This question has already been discussed in many circles, and no doubt will continue to be rehashed in the coming years and by future historians long past this century’s end. I would like to offer a different perspective about this. Donald Trump won the 2016 election because the law of attraction was working in his favor.

 

Seriously.

 

The same thing happened with George W. Bush. Twice.  That is one of the reasons behind my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters and the sole reason for this 31-day blog countdown to the inauguration. I want to do everything I possibly can to ensure that Trump is a one-term-only president.

 

Very seriously.

 

We can ill afford him for four years, but re-election in 2020 is a possibility if we don’t take strong steps now to offset that eventuality.

 

I’m not talking about campaign issues and getting the voters out. All of that is of huge importance. But where we need to shift our awareness is in being much more in congruence with what we want (not AGAINST a candidate and his agenda, but FOR what we do want), and then deliberately use the laws of the mind to bring it forth into manifestation.

 

In other words, we progressives need to master the law of attraction, and there’s no time to waste. We think in pictures, and we react with our emotions, and the picture of Trump in office got stronger and stronger and more awful and terrifying and… we who wanted Hillary to win inadvertently poured our powerful manifestation energy into Trump’s campaign as surely as if we gave him our money and lifeblood.

 

“The inner movie that you have seen

with your mind’s eye

shall be made manifest openly.”

— Dr. Joseph Murphy

 

The accountants have finished the final tally of votes and we now see that 65,844,610 Americans voted against Trump – a better way would be to say we voted FOR Hillary.  However, we are so well trained as a society to think in terms of “battle” and “war” and “defeat” that many people are now repeating the summation as being votes against Trump.

 

 

 

We’re all living with unique paradigms that run our lives. The part of our mindset that deals with everyday preferences of ketchup over mustard, sweet pickles versus sour, driving a silver car or a white one, wearing lace-up sneakers or the kind with Velcro fasteners—all those are minor and hardly earth-shaking in nature.

 

But the assumptions that underlie our beliefs in politics created the result we are faced with today: a misogynist and racist entering the White House on January 20, 2017.

 

I don’t believe all Republicans are “evil” and that they must have agreed with all of Trump’s platform. I imagine that many of the people who voted for Trump were simply operating under the hypnotic influence of their decision to be Republican, probably because all their relatives and neighbors have been Republican since way back in the day when it meant a smaller government.

 

Today’s Republican platform is hardly recognizable from that of years gone by. When we have our mind pre-set to vote a certain platform, we reject ideas and information that try to penetrate the barrier.

 

This is an important skill in many ways, so that we can filter out extraneous information. But in the 2016 election, it meant that all the information flooding the airways and Tweet-ways about Donald Trumps’ corruption did not even enter the air space of the “red states.” If they got wind of something that caused a frown of concern, they no doubt instantly dismissed it:  This does not compute, it is not in congruence with what I want to believe, so it is not real.

 

While some Trump supporters chanted and screamed “Build the wall,” other supporters might not have even heard about the plan, or if they did would say, “Well I guess that’s a good idea, we need safe borders,” and never consider the cost and who would pay for it, let alone the ramifications of walling America off from one of our allies and important part of our culture. Others might have reassured themselves that it would never happen and there are always some extremists when people get hot under the collar in election campaigns.

 

Many millions of Republican voters really liked Trump’s promise to make America great again, whatever that means. To progressives, his plans mean making America a hell-hole. To rural white Christians it turns out to mean a magical fairyland where there aren’t black people in power and anybody who doesn’t go to your church can be run out of town by the local cops.

 

When we look at this election and try to understand how people could rationally choose a man with Trump’s lack of experience and his hair-trigger temper and his extreme narcissism, it seems like we’ve entered “The Twilight Zone” because it is illogical.  That’s the thing about humans: we run by our emotions, and our emotions are driven by the hidden beliefs deep in our subconscious. If you hate women and think life was better when they were barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen, would you even consider the qualifications of Hillary Clinton? Of course not; it would not compute with the program running your life.

 

Where we went wrong is in sliding into reactive mode. Without being aware of how dangerous it was, Hillary’s team began sending out emails with frightening subject lines about Trump outspending, about being scared, about needing to donate more money fast, about “we could lose this” – all of those statements are affirmations. They are requests to the universal law of attraction to bring back to us the matching experiences. So we got more scared, his spending skyrocketed, and we did lose it.

 

We are in a very important transitional time in human history, and you and I are here to help, so that this will be the last time a man like Trump ever gets elected in a free country. Last. Time. Ever.

 

But to do this, we need to start honing our skills in using the law of attraction in our own lives. When we learn to access the power of our thoughts, we truly think into the desired results instead of getting a haphazard mish-mash of sorta good and not so great.

 

My book is crammed and jammed with information on working with the law of attraction so that we can indeed neutralize Trump’s agenda of hate, and instead manifest progress with liberty and justice for all.

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 15 — Epiphany

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Today is Epiphany, the Christian holiday commemorating the visit to the baby Jesus by the Magi. These were three Kings or Wise Men who traveled from other lands, following the Christmas star to Bethlehem to bear witness to the birth of the new spiritual King. It is the “12^th day of Christmas” known by the popular song and not always remembered for what January 6 means in the Christian religion.  The word “epiphany” is Greek in origin and literally means that Jesus was “revealed” to the world in this story of a long ago tradition.

 

What has been revealed to us in the election of Donald Trump? Do you believe he is worthy of the gifts that were given to the baby Jesus to show his importance? The gold symbolized his royal rank as the new King bringing love into the world, frankincense is an essential oil that is still much valued for its healing properties but in church language the gift of frankincense related to his divine birth, and myrrh represented his human mortality (myrrh was a holy incense burned in temples, and was also used to embalm the bodies of Pharaohs).

 

When we have an “epiphany” in modern times, we tend to think of it as a really big ah-ha moment. It’s as if we were in a darkened room and someone opens a door to the sunlight. An epiphany can feel deeply spiritual, such as gaining knowledge about your life purpose after struggling to figure it out. With the experience of an epiphany, we step out of our ordinary existence and, with the benefit of this new insight, we take a giant leap into a fullness of meaning that is far greater than we have experienced before. And in this new understanding of who we are and what we are capable of achieving, we look around and we see where we can be of service by living at a higher level of potential than ever before.

 

I believe that the 65,844,610 Americans who voted against Trump had an epiphany when he won. As a group, we realized that we haven’t come as far as we thought in bringing people on board with a healthier approach to citizen rights than just the right-wing white Christian desire for homogenized life in the so-called good ol’ days of the 1950s.  I grew up in the fifties in segregated Texas, a skinny blonde Catholic girl whose grade school butted up against the beginning of the “colored section” of town. I know that going backwards is never going to help this country. Mr. Trump has declared his intentions of creating mayhem and destruction, and is already gathering around him cabinet nominees who have Putin’s approval, and white supremacist’s blue ribbon as well.

 

What can we do? Are we simply going to have to wait it out and pray that nothing too awful happens, and that however bad it is, we’ll manage to regroup eventually and regain what we’ve lost during his tenure? If we take that attitude, well, in my opinion, we’re defeated right now, because we become inadvertent collaborators.

 

Let us pray for deliverance from Trump’s extremism, and remember that in our prayers and hopes for the next four years, we have the advantage of being people of diversity who can speak up for a new “epiphany” or “revelation” and that will be to reveal more and more progressive action in the coming four years, and not less. We will reveal our determination to protect the progress we’ve made to date and continue moving forward in all the issues of importance to Democrats, Progressive, Independents and others who want the country and the world to keep expanding in love, joy and creativity. 

 

I’m counting on all the people in the personal development and spiritual communities to step up and help lead the way for progress.

 

In his metaphysical books, Dr. Joseph Murphy often reminds us to be careful of our thoughts and to be sure that we are always thinking about what is true and of good report. This means we can’t fill our minds with thoughts of what Trump is up to. Avoid being a news junkie and following all his rants and threats.  Keep your focus on the desired outcome, and allow the powerful law of attraction to make manifest the good pictures in your mind of liberty and justice for all.

 

“Be sure that you think on

whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise,

think on these things.”

Philippians 4:8

 

We can’t back down. There have always been times in history when it would be easier to just run inside and bar the door and  hope that the fighting going on outside passes you by. There is too much at stake to be passive and let Trump and his cronies trample on our liberties.

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 16 — The Shock Heard Round the World

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Students of American History will, of course, understand the intended reference in the title of this article to “The shot heard round the world” which marked the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775 to gain freedom from the tyranny of King George III of England.

 

The phrase comes from the opening lines of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn” written in 1837:

 

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

 

Of course the “shock” I refer to is Donald Trump’s win of the 2016 Presidential Election. This shock was truly felt and heard all around the globe as countless millions of people reeled in stunned dismay over the potential outcome of an avowed misogynist and racist in the White House.

 

In any disaster, we feel overwhelmed and unable to grasp the full scope of the issue because our expectation for good has been turned totally upside down. It takes some time for our heartbeat to return to normal, and longer for our sense of outrage to settle down.

 

However, it is vital for progress that we not stay in a state of shock any longer. It is time to keep moving forward, to proceed with the issues that are dear to the hearts of people who want this world to grow and evolve, not to return to dark ages and dark times.

 

Be a voice for progress. Throughout history, ordinary people have heard the call to action and in spite of the logical reasons to excuse themselves from doing things that were scary or uncomfortable or meant sticking their necks out, they found enough gumption to step up and fight back for what they wanted for themselves, their families, and their country.

 

We can do this too. We can fight back, with the power of positivity.

 

I am calling on all Democrats, Progressives and Moderates, and our friends around the world, to join in the new revolution and be Freedom Fighters to push forward with justice, education, environmental protection, clean energy, fair wages, and so many more issues that are vital to the wellbeing of our nation and of the entire globe.

 

“The Universe is all good; however, in difficult situations we are often not able to see the bigger picture. Even situations we call ‘bad’ actually have good underneath them. Look at any situation with new eyes and look for the good. If you look for it, you will most assuredly begin to find it, and then you will have burst the illusion of difficulty and allowed all the good  to come forth.” – Rhonda Byrne

 

It all comes down to saying yes to what we want to experience—and to stop saying no to what we don’t want. That “no” power we learned as two-year-olds was an important part of personality development of the individual, and we use yes/no throughout each day in even minor decisions about what to wear or eat, whether to go to that store or the one a block further but with better produce. The type of yes/no judgments that help us navigate the complexity of daily life are not the same process as powering up a big fat “NO, I DON’T WANT THAT!” which actually energizes the very thing, person, or situation we are trying to push away. This is why “resistance is futile” is not just a line spoken by alien monsters in a sci fi movie.

 

Resistance truly makes a hate agenda grow stronger and more empowered.  We learned that lesson with Hitler and apparently we must learn it again.

 

We must learn to direct our thoughts and the incredible power of our emotions towards what we want to build together: liberty and justice for all.

 

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief

Inauguration Countdown Day 17 — Not My President

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While strolling Fifth Avenue in New York City to view the holiday window displays at famous department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Lord & Taylor, I couldn’t help noticing all the police and police barriers around 57th Street…the location of the “Trump Tower” where Donald Trump lives.

 

On the opposite side of the street, a man shivered on the sidewalk in the freezing cold of the dark evening, holding up a large hand-made sign that read: “NOT MY PRESIDENT.”  And I thought to myself, Yeah, I understand where you’re coming from, but… actually he IS going to be your President, and mine, too. 

 

This is a democracy. We elect our leaders, and we elect a President every four years. There has never been a year where the election was called off or postponed due to bad weather or a conflict with the NFL schedule. The election is held in an even year, and the polls are always open on the second Tuesday of November, without fail. On the heels of the election, but not so immediate that it’s too swift a change–giving the incumbents time to wrap things up and move out, and the city of Washington, D.C. to prepare for the ceremony, the president-elect is sworn in on January 20th, no matter what day of the week that falls on.  It’s a 3-step process that is predictable: registered voters make their choice, someone wins, and then that person gets inaugurated for a four-year term. 

 

Demonstrating and holding up signs that say “Not my president” is no doubt a way of stating your opinion, but it doesn’t affect the reality of Trump’s upcoming move into the White House. 

 

Trump is our president now. Even though he is not the People’s Choice, he was not the winner of the popular vote, the Electoral College declared him the winner, and we must make the best of a bad situation.

 

Whenever a really scary situation confronts us, we have three basic choices: 

1. Scream and yell and rant. Refuse to accept it. Stay angry and worried and stressed-out. Decide we’ll all have to muddle through somehow for the next four years and hope things magically work out.
2. Turn away. In this case, move out of the country and relinquish your citizenship so you can truly say “Not my president” and try not to wince every time you see Trump on international news.
3. Do something about it. 

 

 

With my new book, “America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters,” I invite you to step up and be part of a new type of Resistance. You probably know about the freedom fighters in World War Two who were fought long and hard under desperate conditions, to help Jews escape Hitler, to speak out for freedom, to risk their lives while gaining intelligence to help the Allies, and to spread the word that they weren’t going to give up their dream of freedom for themselves and their countrymen.

 

We are under attack, from within our country.

 

Let’s not give up. Let’s not let Trump and his cronies stomp all over America with their jackboots. If you voted for Trump or you don’t understand what the big fuss is all about and think Democrats are just being “sore losers,” I urge you to look deeper into what is going on and what kind of man Mr. Trump is.

 

Trump is transparent about being an extremist with a hate agenda, but for dyed-in-the-wool Republicans, they probably never saw those “sound bites” on the TV channels they watch or learned about his actions in the newspapers and radio stations that censored such information. Maybe they even believe he finally turned over his tax returns (he didn’t–narcissists don’t have to follow the rules because they believe in their inherent superiority to the rest of us) and that he’s being hounded for no reason.

 

Lest you think I’m an alarmist, take a look at what’s going on already with Trump’s selections of white supremacists and right-wing extremists to be key players in his inner circle, as well as the smoke-and-mirrors efforts of Republicans to push through secret agendas while the nation is distracted by the holidays.

 

Enough about what we don’t want. You know what’s going on. We’ve got a challenge ahead of us. Together, we can picture progress and growth in America and for the rest of the world, too, and with the powerful energy of the law of attraction, we can manifest those positive mental pictures into reality. Start now, start today. 

 

Affirm: “My goodwill is a strong Tower around me. I now change all enemies into friends. All inharmony into harmony. All injustice into justice.” — Florence Scovel Shinn

 

I’ll get into all of this in greater detail in my new book America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters—coming on Inauguration Day. 

Are you in? Okay, then put aside the panic, breathe mindfully, and realize this is an incredible opportunity for all of us to “fight” for the freedom and justice we desire.  More to come in the rest of this blog countdown to Inauguration 2017, and in my new book which will be released that day:  America’s New Breed of Freedom Fighters: With Liberty and Justice for All

 Pre-order now on Amazon at:  http://bit.ly/NewBreedFreedomFighters

CLICK THE AMERICAN EAGLE  TO SEE OTHER POSTS IN THE BLOG COUNTDOWN:

• Book announcement, Grief Recovery, Law of Attraction, Special Event, Stress relief