St. Louis – Here Comes the TEAM

I just returned from St. Louis were the TEAM put on a leadership conference. The TEAM is a leadership development service provider which teaches through seminars, books, audio and personal mentoring powerful principles for life.
On Thursday morning I had the most awful feeling of gloom and negativity. It came on when I listened to some coworkers about the weather and some general complaining. Around midmorning I was still struggling, when a customer approached me. His whole demeanor was negative and accusing. I tried very hard to help him and absorb some of this negativity. Even when I went home that evening, I wasn’t in the best mood yet.
Then a Toastmaster’s meeting was canceled because of weather conditions.
Friday morning came and we were to leave for the conference in St. Louis. It had snowed during the night and then sleeted and rained on top. The road conditions were not so good according to the weather channel. Then I discovered that the actual announcement weren’t always focusing on the same area and what we were hearing wasn’t really happening in St. Louis or our area but somewhere else in the country.
We finally left Cincinnati at noon, going the southern route through Louisville, Kentucky; Jasper, Indiana; Mount Vernon, Illinois and to St. Louis. It took us a little longer since we encountered some rain in the beginning. We got to St. Louis 7 ½ hours later.
The excitement and the warm welcome of the TEAM were overwhelming. We heard stories of cancelled flights, lost luggage and so many different ways members had traveled to St. Louis. Everyone had their own amazing story how they got there because they were determined to get there for this important meeting. The conference didn’t disappoint us. The information was powerful, entertaining and uplifting. For more information about the TEAM, please go to the website: http://the-team.biz/. To learn more about the featured speaker Dr. Robert Rohm and his Positive Personality Profiles, see: http://www.personalityinsights.com/

St. Louis was ready for the TEAM. During our stay I could experience such wonderful hospitality from the city. They had just experience adverse weather conditions but were showing us the warmest welcome. The Metro system in the city was closed for repair over the weekend. Instead they had not only free shuttles from all the different hotels to the convention center but had personnel at every street corner. Everyone was friendly and giving clear directions.
Our hotel staff was also most hospitable. My husband and I went on Sunday morning to have breakfast at the hotel. We were inquiring about the price of the breakfast which was quite high but it was a buffet. As it turned out the server gave us a discount by charging us for only one breakfast.
The same happened when we paid for our bill at the front desk. We stayed for two nights and thought they would charge us for two days parking but the charge was for only one day. We were wondering why and just accepted it as a special blessing.
I believe the TEAM left a good impression when we were there last year. The positive impact the education of the TEAM system has on its members resounded in the ways we were treated in St. Louis. This really shows that if you treat people well they will not only respond but treat you well, too.
Regarding the feeling of gloom I felt Thursday morning I am glad I didn’t give into it. The sun will always come out again – sometimes we just have to push though everything and find the good and disregard our personal feelings.

The Buck Stops Here

Does this mean that the deer stops here?
Does this mean that we run out of money?
Does this mean that the Bucks lost the National championship?

U.S. president Harry S. Truman had a sign with this inscription on his desk:
The Buck Stops Here. As the president he set a good example of leadership and responsibility. This is a phrase of integrity and true character.

Recently, I was reading a book called “The Question Behind The Question.”
John Miller addresses ways to eliminate blame, complaining and procrastination. In his book he explains how to practice personal accountability at work and in life.
I started my talk with questions. Let’s take a look at different questions.

“Why” questions make us victims of other people or of our circumstances.
For example:
Why is this happening to me?
Why isn’t anybody helping me?
Why doesn’t anybody do anything?
It’s ok for a frightened child to ask these kind of questions. Children are not yet aware of solutions and aren’t able to take responsibility.

“When” questions lead to procrastination.
For example:
When will the customer call me back?
When can I get the book?
When will they take care of the problem?
It seems that we have to wait. There is no other choice than doing it another time. Tomorrow sounds good.

“Who” questions put out blame and complain.
For example:
Who’s done it?
Who made the mistake?
Who forgot to put the papers back?

Our society is full of complaints. Everybody blames somebody. Anybody can sue anybody over anything at anytime. It seams that we are operating under a new “Golden Rule where we sue unto others before they have a chance to sue us.”

Remember the infamous lawsuit of the lady who spilled hot coffee on herself? She ordered coffee at the drive-though-window, put it in between her legs and drove off being in a hurry. Then she found a lawyer who talked her into suing McDonalds, because she got burns on her groins. I think they made about $2,000,000 on it. Obviously, they gave her a thin paper cup and the coffee was too hot. Didn’t she have any responsibility to treat the hot cup of coffee with care?
Or the many complains against drug companies and medical professionals?

Have you ever wondered why we get frustrated? “Why can’t I do this? Why is nobody doing anything?” By asking the wrong kind of question we set ourselves a trap of being a victim. By focusing on negative things, thoughts, emotions, and actions, we get frustrated.
The solution is to asked better questions.

Let’s look at some empowering questions:
How can I help? How can I make a difference?
What can I do to change the situation?
Empowering questions contain solutions. They focus on a positive outcome. They contain an “I” and an action.

For the longest time at my work I felt disgusted when I walked in the bathroom and there was paper all over the floor. Our bathrooms are used by workers as well as customers. Rather than getting frustrated and indignant, I now think, I am glad I came in here and can pick this up to make the bathroom look presentable again.
When I first started this job, I made effort to serve my coworkers by going out of my way to help others or just take out the trash. Even though I didn’t always like doing it, it made me feel good doing something extra.
Then I got sick. I had a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I couldn’t lift so well and was often depressed because I couldn’t give my 100%. After I got better I still tried to hold back because I had a good excuse. But I didn’t like myself for it. By being conscious of my environment and serving others whenever I can, I feel empowered and good about myself.

In conclusion, I have given you “The Question Behind the Question.”
Ask “what” and “how” with I and an action.

Actions bring learning and growth.
Actions lead to solutions.
Actions focus on a positive outcome.
Actions require courage.
Actions build confidence.
Actions allow positive expectation and get results.

We have choices in every situation. Even if we make a wrong choice, it will be a learning experience. Learning is about translating knowing what to do into doing that what we know.

It’s about growing and changing.

Oil-pulling

During the fall and winter I usually experience a lot of sinus drainage. I went looking for a natural solution to combat this problem. I came across “Oil Pulling” as an old healing therapy from India. Because it sounded so easy I bought some Sesame Oil and started doing it in the morning, before brushing my teeth or eating and drinking anything.
I put one tablespoon in my mouth and swish it around for 15-20 minutes. During that time a lot of mucous is coming from my throat and sinus’.
I have been doing it now for more than three months. I notice that my teeth feel cleaner and my gums don’t bleed as easily when I am flossing. I used to have a thick layer of plague during the day, but now my teeth feel fresh all day long (I brush right after the oil-pulling in the morning and at night before going to bed).
I haven’t had a cold this winter.
I must be definitely detoxifying as I am breaking out in my face especially around the nose. I pretty much established a routine in the morning. I am swishing the oil while I am taking a shower. This gives me a good excuse to shower longer. Ha, ha.


Here is how it works: The oil pulls all mucous, bacteria and toxins from your body through your saliva. According to Ayurvedic medicine, mucous is a poison that must be removed.
Note #1: Keeping the chin tilted up makes sure the oil gets to the back molars.
Note #2: The old school says that only sesame and sunflower oils produce favorable results. However, our readers report success using other oils too.
Note #3: If after meals, wait at least 4 hours before you Oil Pull. After drinking, wait 1 hour.
Note #4: A worsening of symptoms is an excellent indication that the disease/ailment is being cured.
Note #5: Do not stop Oil Pulling if you feel aggravated symptoms or heightened side effects after a day or two. Your body is healing.
Note #6: Will your dental fillings fall out? It's possible but highly unlikely unless there is pre-existing damage or loose fillings.


The oil will start to thin out after a few minutes because saliva is constantly being mixed in and swished about. Spit the liquid in the toilet. Do not swallow!!! All the toxins and bacteria can be seen under a microscope.
Excellent Oil-pulling links for more information:
http://www.oilpulling.com/opuniversalremedy.pdf
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/oil_pulling.html
I hope it will work for you, too.

Meditation

Recently, I started a condition, where I do my meditation on the rebounder.
Deep breathing and the up and down motion balances the brain, synchronizing the left and right brains. My meditation is adopted from the QiGong meditation of Master Chunyi Lin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVhZ0dteLU4
I focus by saying: I am in the universe. The universe is in my body. The universe and I are ONE.
I am in the universe (breathe in deeply – open arms widely), the universe is in my body (half breathe out – bringing hands closer), the universe and I are one (breathe out completely – bringing hands to about six inches close as if you hold an invisible ball). Repeat.
I do this for about 6 minutes or so and I feel energized and alive.

After a while I can feel warmth when my hands get closer; it forms a living electromagnetic field and circuit. Electromagnetic energy is constantly being produced in the body through biochemical reactions in food, water and air assimilation, and circulated by electromotive forces within the body. These forces help to realign the body and promote healing.
In his book "The Body Electric" by Dr. Robert O. Becker, he reports that it is presently believed that food and water are the fuels, which generate the electricity in the body through biochemical reactions. This electricity which is circulated throughout the body by means of electrically conductive tissue and is one of the main energy sources which keep the cells of the physical body alive.
Whenever you are injured or sick, your bioelectric circulation is affected. If that circulation stops, you die. Bioelectric energy not only sustains life, but is responsible for repairing physical damage. Richard Levitan, author of "Healing With Nature's Energy", reports that every cell of the human body is able to store electric charges. The blood, the organs, and the individual cells work as small electric batteries. This shows that the body is essentially a big battery, which is assembled from millions of smaller batteries. All these batteries work together to form the human electromagnetic field.
Dr. C. Samuel West, DN, ND, (http://www.speedhealing.com/) Chemist and Lymphologist, discovered that the Electric Gentle Bounce for Health can be used for healing.