The author, Ole Carlson, has an honest and heartfelt style to his writing. I felt as though I spent several hours listening to a close friend share his journey. I learned new tools and gained additional insight and proof that we each have the power to create the life of our dreams.  At 182 pages, it’s the perfect afternoon read. I highly recommend Aspire, and I thank Ole for his inspiring contribution to my library!

Here is a poem, written by poet Linda Ellis, that Ole shares in his book, Aspire. I found myself reading it over several times, so I thought you would enjoy reading it as well:

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak, at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone, from beginning — to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth, and spoke of the following date with tears. Bet he said what mattered most of all, was the dash between those years.

For the dash represents all the time, that she spent alive on earth… And now only those who loved her, know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own: the cars… the house… the cash. What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard… are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left (you could be at “dash mid-range.”)

If we could just slow down enough, to consider what’s true and real. And always try to understand, the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more. And love the people in our lives, like we never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile… Remembering that this special dash, might only last a little while.

so when your eulogy’s being read, with your life actions to rehash… would you be proud of the things they say, about how you spent your dash?

Have a Wonderful day!

Lisa Espich, author of Soaring Above Co-Addiction

http://www.soaringabovecoaddiction.com

I discovered, that by making my own improvements, and by focusing on my own goals, I created the best environment for my husband to accept help. He has now been clean for over six years, and I have no doubt that my own positive thinking lead the way. While you can not take the addiction away from your loved one, you can start to change your own thinking and mindset. Amazingly, this can have a miraculous effect on the healing of your entire family — I’ve witnessed this in my own life!

I came across this great article by Paige Mercer. It’s a nice introduction into the power of affirmations and the power of the mind:

A cliche that you usually hear from a movie or television show is, “It’s all in the mind.” When you hear this statement, it is being suggested that all the things that happen in your life, every little thing that you experience is brought about by your thinking. Yes, your mind is a powerful source of eventful situations. This is not unknown to many, especially to the people who have successfully made history in the world.

Positive affirmations are a facet of a law that governs the universe. This law has been here since the world began and it is connected to the minds of every human being. The law of attraction is the universal law that governs you and every other individual on earth. This law states that anything you conceive in your mind can easily be achieved. The law of attraction exempts no one; each person is under the power of this law.

What does this law have to do with positive affirmations? How does this bring about the mishaps in your life? Imagine that your mind is a magnet that attracts every small thing that it thinks of. Visualize yourself thinking about your troubles all throughout the day. What does your mind do? It attracts negative things so they happen to you. When you think about problems more than positive affirmations, more problems come to you. When you put yourself on the negative side of things, they crop up more and more. That is how the law of attraction works.

Now, how are you going to make the law work in your favor? The answer lies in positive thinking. The solution is in prioritizing favorable thoughts more than negative ones. Envision yourself having paid your home mortgage or having been promoted at work. See yourself successful and feel like success is already in your hands. Repeat these thoughts over and over until you vibrate them to the universe. Soon, the universe is going to give you what you attract. Soon, all your positive affirmations will be transformed into reality. That is exactly how you can let the law work in your favor.

The power of positive thinking has been proven for years. Many successful entrepreneurs and journalists have made their money using only these positive thoughts. The law does not work like magic; it is a law that works enigmatically.

If you want a rational explanation of these things, here it is:

When you focus yourself on positive affirmations, you do not only attract them to come to you; you also begin to act to get these things done. When you put your concentration on these things, they become part of you and you become them. This is the ultimate reason why you should think of things as though you already have them, so that they become part of you and you achieve them.

The same thing works for negative thoughts, but since these are detrimental for you, they should be thrown out of the window. If you let positive thoughts govern your life, there is nothing that you cannot have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3841647

For more insight on this topic here is a list of my favorite books that teach these principles:

• Creative Visualization, Shakti Gawain
• Manifest Your Destiny, Wayne Dyer
• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepok Chopra

And, my own book, Soaring Above Co-Addiction, has several chapters dedicated to the teachings of affirmations and visualization. I wish you all the best and I am available if you need somebody to talk to. Keep Soaring!