| Breakdowns can create breakthroughs. Things fall | | | | Of course they do! I won't argue that, but for |
| apart so things can fall together. | | | | me, it was quite a challenge to just jump in and |
| I was out of my comfort zone. | | | | do something that I wasn't accustomed to doing, |
| Walking along the sidewalk, weaving through the | | | | especially if it meant approaching strangers on the |
| throng of pedestrians, brown paper bag under my | | | | street. Then, this morning as I was reflecting on |
| arm, I ambled along trying to put a flyer in | | | | the whole experience, I found clarity and I found |
| everyone's hands, as they stamped feet and | | | | truth. The truth came in the form of the line that |
| blew into frozen hands waiting for the Christmas | | | | I had used, "How would you like a free fortune?" |
| parade to begin. It must have been the look on | | | | One man answered, "It doesn't matter how big |
| my face, but as I'd stop to talk with people or | | | | the fortune, I'd still be in debt, but I'll take it |
| try to catch their attention, they'd very quickly | | | | anyway". |
| look away. After many failed attempts to | | | | That stuck with me. |
| connect, I stopped to evaluate what was going | | | | Many people feel trapped in their current |
| on, and why I couldn't hand out the flyers like I | | | | circumstances and tell themselves that this is |
| was supposed to. | | | | where they will stay. They feel beaten and |
| The flyer that I was handing out was simply a | | | | imprisoned in their self imposed averageness. |
| takeout menu from my friends at Kwan's Chinese | | | | They accept to accept what they have and who |
| restaurant with a fortune cookie stapled to each | | | | they are and they don't really do anything to |
| one. It was a great idea with a great message. I | | | | improve their circumstances. Then they make |
| was actually uncomfortable with what I was | | | | excuses as to why it is the way it is and why it |
| doing, but I had volunteered, so here I was, | | | | can't change. |
| standing in the freezing cold, over dressed for the | | | | So, who would like a free fortune? |
| temperature, looking like a frightened puppy. | | | | The thing is all of our fortunes are free: free for |
| My heart was in my throat, I didn't feel the cold, I | | | | the creating and free for the achieving, and all we |
| just stood there, right in the middle of the | | | | have to do to start getting our fortunes is to |
| sidewalk and closed my eyes and summoned my | | | | name it and claim it. Name it by speaking it out |
| courage to manifest itself. I searched for a mental | | | | loud to yourself first and then to someone else |
| image to connect with that would empower | | | | who you trust and who will keep your toes in the |
| myself, locked on to it and slowly I felt it settle | | | | fire, (thanks Dan) and claim it by focusing in on |
| into my consciousness and into my body. | | | | what you want and taking the actions necessary |
| "This is totally ridiculous" I said to myself. "All I | | | | to make it happen. |
| want to do is hand out flyers for my friend's | | | | You see, we are what we think we are, and |
| restaurant. Why am I so nervous? This is not me, | | | | what we think, we are. So, what will you be? |
| I love talking to people." | | | | What will you create in your life that isn't there |
| "I am not nervous, I am in control" I said to | | | | right now? Who must you become to be the |
| myself. | | | | person who completes the goals and takes the |
| "I am not fearful, I am courageous." | | | | actions? Which barriers have to be demolished |
| "I am confident, competent and focused and I | | | | that may have been stopping you from your |
| love what I am doing!" I said. | | | | next step? |
| Then I did something that I often do when faced | | | | If you set your goals big enough, you cannot |
| with feelings of doubt or nervousness, I acted as | | | | remain as the person you are today to achieve |
| if I was the most confident, competent and | | | | the goals that you will have tomorrow... it's |
| enthusiastic person amongst everyone standing | | | | impossible. If you stay the way you are today, |
| alongside the parade route. I breathed in | | | | you will never have a future, because you are |
| confidence, stood straighter and thought taller. I | | | | living it today. To achieve a bigger future (fortune) |
| found my smile, and with it came my courage | | | | you must think bigger than you are today, and |
| and a new tactic. | | | | believe it is possible, for it is in believing that both |
| "How would you like a free fortune?" I asked the | | | | faith and success are created. |
| couple standing beside me. | | | | Even the simple act of getting the little slip of |
| "Sure" they echoed, and I was off to the races. I | | | | paper inside of a fortune cookie takes an |
| handed out 50 flyers in the next 10 minutes and | | | | important step: you must break the shell that it is |
| ran back to the restaurant to get more. By the | | | | encased in before you can read it. Life is like that |
| time the night was over, I must have handed out | | | | as well. To get at the fortune that waits within |
| at least a hundred or more. Now you may be | | | | you, you must break out of your comfort zone |
| thinking, "What a ridiculous story" people do this | | | | before it can be released. |
| kind of thing all the time. | | | | Make this the week that you break through! |