Written and published by Rachel Green.
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In this edition:
- Don't wait for it to be perfect.
- Latest news: Lots of new free tips on the website.
- Top tips on: How to achieve your goals in life.
- A very special 200th birthday offer.
- Laugh your socks off.
1. Don't wait for it to be perfect.
For the second time, in less than twelve months, I have been to the funeral of a friend who has died from breast cancer. What can I do? I am resolved to grow and learn from such sad events in my life. But how?
It was easy the first time. After her death I changed my eating habits to eat more organic food because my friend believed that what she ate contributed to her death. I am better for it.
This second friend is different. I knew she had terminal cancer and I had already been blessed to learn from her. When I saw her one day she said, "The specialist told me I only had a short time to live but I can't remember how long it was," she laughed, "so I'm just living in the present moment." She changed my life in that moment. I had never been with someone so peaceful with her own death.
Yet, when the e-mail came through to say she had died, I was filled with remorse. Why?
Because I had failed to see her in the weeks and even months before she died. Oh yes! I had wondered often about how she was doing, and I'd thought often about visiting her, but somehow the time never seemed quite right. I could come up with many reasons, all of them valid on the surface. She had plenty of closer friends visiting, she would be tired, her partner would be weary from constant visitors and want some peace with her, our joint friend was overseas and we usually went together, I was trying to get a CD finished, I didn't know her family, and so on and so forth. Yes, I could give many reasons, all of them valid at some level. But, what I now realise, was that somehow I was waiting for the perfect moment, or the perfect conditions, or the perfect time. There is no such thing. When we wait for everything to be perfect we fail to do what we need to do.
She has taught me two things. Firstly, that I need to be a better friend to my friends. Secondly, to stop waiting for "it", (whatever "it" is) to be perfect before doing something. This has made a huge difference to me. I use my time quite differently now, thanks to her.
Like to know more? Read on to the tips section to find out how you can be inspired to do what you need to do now, without needing a death to kick you into action.
2. Latest news: Lots of new free tips on the website.
This is our 200th edition of Rachel's Reflections. Thanks to all of you who read it and pass it along to friends and colleagues. Some of you have been readers for a very long time - thanks so much for your ongoing support and input. To celebrate our 200th birthday - we have a very special offer this fortnight - you can save $100 by buying all our CDs and book products in one hit. There has never been an offer like this before. Order now!
I continue to place more free tips on the website. Here are some of the latest for you:
If you would like to be kept up-to-date with all the new products we now have a special products, "Keep me up to date e-mail list." If you’d like to add your name to the list please send an e-mail to: We only send you one e-mail per product so you are not bombarded.
3. How to achieve your goals in life
Tip 1: The time for creativity is already here.
I love writing and I want to write. However, I have never written as much as I would like to, somehow the time just hasn't been there, or so I thought, until now. Then I read of an interview with the author Joseph Campbell. Apparently a woman was lavishing praise on him about how many books and articles he had written. He was reported as simply replying, "Madam, I have been writing for 40 years, if you had written for 40 years you would have written a lot too." That really struck home. In order to write - you have to write. It is no good waiting to write, just write. I decided that whatever happened every day I would write - something. After all, I don't put off eating until I have the perfect meal, I don't put off getting out of bed to go to work because it is dark, therefore I shouldn't put off writing. Now I write something virtually every day, and it is good, very good! There is no such thing as the perfect time. We can make the time.
Tip 2: The time is perfect to look after your health.
You know all the things you need to do to look after yourself, don't you? Why don't you do them? Because it isn't the right time, yet. Let's look at how this plays out in real life. You come home from work and know you need to exercise. You feel the temperature and say "No, it's too cold," so you stay indoors. What do you want - the perfect conditions? Well put a big woolly hat on and a thick jumper and go for a walk. What? You haven't got a big woolly hat? Well wrap a jumper around your head then! What? You haven't got a jumper? Well take a blanket off the bed and wrap it around yourself. You can make it perfect. It has nothing to do with "it", it is all to do with you. Do you ever hear yourself saying, "I'll diet tomorrow". What are you waiting for?
Tip 3: You are not too old.
How often do people use the excuse that they are too old to do something, e.g. to learn the internet, to get a computer, to take up a new hobby, to study, and so on. I hear it so often from people, and not just people in their 70s but people in their 40s and 50s. This is just an excuse. If you don't believe me go and look at "The Zimmers." They are a British rock band of 40 people and most of them are old, for example, the lead singer Alf is 90, and one of the other members is 100. "The Zimmers" have recorded an extraordinary version of The Who's "My Generation". Hearing Alf singing "I hope I die before I get old" is something else. The band, being supported by documentary film-maker Tim Samuels, challenges our preconceptions about the elderly. Are "The Zimmers" successful - yes! The band is touring the USA. What I loved was the member of the band who said, when asked about going to the USA, "Oh I haven't been on an aeroplane since 1927!" If you haven't seen their video it is available on YouTube. I can't put the link in the newsletter because your spam filter may not let the newsletter through, but if you just put "The Zimmers" into a Google search it should come up as the first item. Go on watch it - it will really make you think about what you are doing at your age.
Tip 4: Inexperience is only ever overcome by experience - not by sitting around waiting to improve.
There is only one way to get enough experience and that is by doing whatever it is that you say you haven't enough experience in. Yes, it is quite a paradox, isn't it? For example, if you have never driven a car before and you say you don't have the experience, how do you get it - by driving a car!
Let me give you another example. Recently, I went to see the Dalai Lama speak in Perth, at the "Spirituality and Sustainability" forum. It was hosted by the Australian Conservation Foundation and featured three other speakers. One was a high flying business man in his 40s. Another was a University Professor in his fifties. And the other? She was only 23. Yes, the third speaker was Anna Rose, founder of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and at the age of 23 she spoke in front of a large crowd, in a massive auditorium that seats 17,000, with the Dalai Lama sitting right next to her, and with television cameras rolling and media cameras flashing. She could never have done it before and yet, she was SO GOOD. Yes absolutely, she had a very clear message and she delivered it beautifully. She did it at 23. How come therefore some of you at 30, 40 or 50 won't even try standing in front of your peers and speaking out at a meeting? What conditions are you waiting for? Your time is now. If you have something to say, say it. It has certainly made me think about speeches that I say are too hard - surely not. I just need to do them to get the experience, don't I?
4. SPECIAL 200th BIRTHDAY OFFER.
We have never had an offer like this before.
Special offer - If you buy all five CD sets and the "Midlife and Happiness" book in one go, no later than Monday 25th June 2007, through the specials page on the website, then you will save $100.
You will receive:
 | Be a winner at dinner: How to chat and network with confidence and skill, (3 CDs and a booklet); worth $75.
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| Becoming A Skilled Communicator; (3 CDs); worth $60.
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| Happy not hassled: Using meditation to manage your emotions and find contentment. (2 CDs); worth $45.
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| How not to take things personally: Dealing positively with negativity, (2 CDs); worth $45.
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| Energy for living - How to have abundant energy and feel fully alive: For busy women who feel tired, run-down or depleted", (2 CDs), worth $39.
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| Plus Midlife and Happiness, a printed book; worth $34.95.
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A total value of $298.95. All this can be yours for only $198.95 Australian.
For details of any of these products click here.
If you already have some of these products - your friends will want them and you've done your Christmas shopping early.
And, there is no charge for postage or packing - we will post them to you no matter where you are in the world.
Accept this HUGE 200th BIRTHDAY bonus offer and it means that you save $100
Hurry though, this is a limited offer and must be bought no later than Monday 25th June 2007.
This offer is only available to Rachel's Reflections Readers.
Order now!
5. Laugh your socks off.
Thanks to one of our Rachel's Reflections readers, Tony Lobo, for this fortnight’s joke.
This is called misfortune by itself ...
One morning at a doctor's surgery a patient arrives complaining of serious back-pain. The doctor examines him and asks him, "What happened to your back?"
The patient replies, "You know that I work for a local night club? This morning I got home to my apartment early and heard a noise in my bedroom. On entering I knew someone had been with my wife and the balcony door was open. I rushed out the balcony door and did not find
anyone. As I looked down from the balcony I saw a man running out and he was dressing himself. I grabbed the fridge and threw it at him. That's how I strained my back."
The 2nd patient arrives looking as if he has been in a car wreck. The doctor said, "My previous patient looked bad, but you look terrible. What on earth happened to you?"
He replied, "You know I have been unemployed for a while now. Today was the first day at my new job. I forgot to set my alarm and was running late. I was running out of the building, getting dressed at the same time, and you
won't believe it but I was hit by a fridge."
The 3rd patient arrives; he looks even worse than the other two. The doctor is shocked. She again asks, "What on earth happened to you?"
"Well I was sitting in a fridge and someone threw it from the 3rd floor."
If you have some clean jokes we can use, please send your contributions to
May you do what is important in your life, today.
Until next fortnight,
With kindness,
Rachel.
Further information for you
If you'd like me to speak at your function or seminar on happiness, emotional intelligence, confidence, presentation skills, staying calm with negative people, emotionally intelligent customer service, or a similar topic; or MC your event; or provide you with 1-1 coaching; e-mail or call +61 8 9390 1188.
Learn in your own time.
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Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is of a general nature and may not suit everyone or every situation. While every care has been taken to ensure it is useful and appropriate, no responsibility can be taken for the results gained from its implementation.
Please seek individual professional guidance for any difficulties you may have with your goal setting, communication, time management, presentation skills, inter-personal relationships or psychological well-being. Thank you.
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