Drewsletter!

The Drewsletter is the monthly newsletter from Drew Rozell, Ph.D.

December 19, 2008

The Drewsletter :: December 2008 :: Do You Believe?

"DO YOU BELIEVE?"

DECEMBER 2008

Drew Rozell, Ph.D. partners with a select number of dynamic individuals, groups, and progressive companies who understand the value of raising their level of awareness to deliberately create the coolest version of their lives and businesses.

"This stuff works!"

Frozen apple from the recent ice storm. More cool photos here.

DECEMBER 2008

Welcome, my friend…

'Tis the season!

I just finished wrestling a 9-foot, hundred pound tree to stand at attention in my living room. Hours before I headed out to a local tree farm, chainsaw in hand, to collect my holiday bounty. Within one minute of leaving the truck, I found myself with my heels momentarily parallel to the earth before landing flat on my back, another victim of the recent storm.

Fortunately the saw was still in the "off" position and I was able to continue my hunt with all limbs and digits in their rightful places. This being the country and all, I was the only person present at the tree farm — there was no one to even take my money. Expiring at a Christmas tree farm from a self-inflicted wound would have created a rather embarrassing legacy. So always bring a friend, folks! Or better yet, find a nice artificial pine…

My tree, a blue spruce with needles as sharp as, um, needles, did not go passively. After a few bad words, countless tiny punture wounds to my face, chest, arms, and legs, my quarry found its way to the top of my truck, and with a few more bad words, my living room.

So as another year comes to a close, it's time to kick back with a beverage in front of the fire and watch the white lights twinkle for a bit. Santa should stopping by any time now.

I hope you enjoy this month's holiday-inspired feature about the power of believing. In recent weeks I have am come into a new level of belief in my life and I've developed some conscious practices to reflect this. As a result, I notice that things keep getting better and better and better.

As a result of this new awareness, I am leading a new community in the new year. The Very Cool Life Network 2009 begins in early January (pretty soon!). If you are ready to fully regain control of yor own destiny, I invite you to join us. More on this below.

Another year ends, another begins. They go fast. Make them count. Live deliberately.

Have a peaceful holiday…

Thanks for your support and thanks for reading this.

Really.

P.S. If you like this, please share it with someone. Or leave a comment. Same is true if you don't like it… Thanks!

DO YOU BELIEVE?

As the holiday approaches, I found myself reminiscing about my fondest Christmas memory. I was probably 7 years old or so, and by this age I had adopted the pre-holiday ritual of poring over the huge Sears catalog for weeks, amazed at all the wonderful stuff that was available. I can still smell the ink on the pages. This particular year my expectations were set to receive one big gift and I had my desires narrowed down to a Big Trac (a sort of programmable tank) or a remote controlled car. Unable to establish a clear preference, I decided to allow Santa to exercise his judgment.

When Christmas Eve finally arrived, I ricocheted off the walls with excitement. Because joy is amplified when shared, I remember deciding to sleep on the spare mattress in my older sister Nora's room where we could whisper in the dark about what was yet to come. I can still see the bright starlight streaming through the windows as I lay there listening for Rudolph's hooves to land upon the roof. And I remember how thrilled I was to hear them touch down in the middle of the night. My whole body vibrated with anticipation; morning could not come soon enough.

I woke before dawn, the house quiet and dark. I slipped out of bed and like a cat, silently prowled around to the other bedrooms. No one else was stirring, and so I proceeded to make my way to the stairs. As I descended, I turned the corner and the entire living room where our Christmas tree stood came into view.

Just hours before there were only a few gifts from relatives and family friends scattered about. Now brightly wrapped presents exploded from under the tree — gifts seemed to cover the entire floor. It was the most beautiful, the most magical sight I had ever seen in my life.

How wonderful! How fantastic! How thrilling!

I could hear my own heart beating in my chest and I scurried back upstairs to share my discovery with my four older brothers and sisters.

After repeated efforts to cajole everyone from their slumber (what was wrong with these people, anyway?), soon the smell of my mom's once-a-year cinnamon rolls filled the house and the sound of paper tearing filled the room. Sorting through the packages with my name on it, I identified the one with just the right size and shape. I peeled back the wrapping to see the picture on the box that sent electricity through me.

Big Trac! Big Trac! Ecstacy! Ecstacy!

Still buzzing with this miracle of manifestation, I continued to open more presents, these from my parents. Batteries. Underwear. Socks. My parents tried, but Santa was a tough act to follow. After this temporary lull in the action, I had trouble believing what happened next. My brother handed me another gift from Santa, one I had missed in my frenzied state. Unwrapping slowly (I like to make the surprise last), my first pass revealed a black rubber tire. And then there was another.

Could it be?

Yes. It most certainly was… The yellow remote controlled sports car from the Sears catalog! My brain almost short-circuited from the wonderfulness of it all. In this moment, the world was the most abundant place where everything I ever wanted came to me - beyond my wildest expectations! I spent the rest of the day playing with my siblings and taking my fantastic new toys to our family friends' homes. There were smiles everywhere we went.

Just writing this, I feel the exhilaration of that day as fully as I did when it unfolded. In recalling this memory, I can still touch those magnificent feelings of anticipation, magic, and joy. Everything I want just shows up! Everyone around me is so happy! Life is such a wonderful experience! In a flash, I can call all these feelings up and bask in the glow, making it all just as real as it was over three decades ago.

Perhaps you have a Christmas memory like mine. Perhaps not. But somewhere in your life, I would bet that you can call up a time where the feeling of pure joy pulsed through every dendrite in your body. As wonderful as that feeling is, as we grow older, often we allow ourselves to be seduced into leaving those feelings of unbridled joy, anticipation, and magic behind with our childhoods.

We give up believing in magic in favor of cold, hard reality. We allow our sense of wonder and anticipation be replaced by fear and doubt. We shut ourselves off from a true feeling of abundance, opting instead to put our attention on scarcity and lack.

The greater truth is that the world is no less a magical place than it was when you were a child. The manner in which the universe operates has not changed. Rather, it's likely that, with time, your beliefs, your focus, and your expectations have shifted.

What's the secret to regaining that childlike wonder?

You must believe.

You must believe in goodness. You must believe in limitless abundance. You must believe in serenity. You must believe in a universe of infinite possibilities. You must believe in the power of the unseen to create fantastic outcomes, better than your anything your logical mind could ever design. You must believe that you — and you alone — hold the power to create your reality. And from these beliefs, you must choose and practice being joyful.

When you believe and practice connecting to those wonderful feelings, you come into alignment with your desires. When you align, your desires manifest in your life. That's how it works.

Believing is beyond imagining, beyond wishing or dreaming. Believing is not fickle, sporadic, or convienient. Belief requires vigilance and commitment. Believing is a conscious choice, a disciplined way of thinking. Many people profess to beleive. Many fewer practice believing.

By choosing to believe in the inherent goodness of life and by entering into a practice of nuturing this faith, you reclaim the most thrilling way to live your life — a life that allows gifts to magically appear each day.

(Final note: If you want a personal, cool example of the magic of believing, take a moment to check out this post)

When I write these promo sections, I've learned that I'm writing to a very small percentage of my readership. I'd estimate that 90+% of the people who read and enjoy my stuff never buy anything I have to offer, so right now I'll do my best to make my case for the other 10% of you.

If you want to live like no one else, then you must begin to live like no one else.

I'll start with a few questions for you to consider…

Was 2008 your best ever?
Is your life always getting better?
Is your income increasing each year (despite the what the headlines say about the economy)?
Is your relationship better than ever? (Are you even in a relationship?)
Do you feel a greater sense of freedom, ease, and connection in your life than ever before?

I hope that you can answer YES to all those questions. But I certainly would not be shocked if you could not.

If you've not done much to invest in yourself and upgrade your personal awareness, I'd expect that this past year was much like the year before. And the year before.

Sure, you WANT things to change. Deep down, you believe things can change. But somehow, things seem to play out the same way… and that's rather frustrating. You may have even considered joining this community in the previous weeks. Part of you really wants to… but then part of you stops short, wondering if it'll be worth the cost.

Clearly, only you can answer whether you're ready, willing, and able to really live like no one else and upgrade your life. But keep in mind that the consequences of doing nothing. If you do not do anything significantly different in the upcoming year, my crystal ball tells me what your life will look like in December 2009. And it looks a lot like it does right now. And that might be fine…

But does it feel like it's a very cool life? Are you in that club?

If I've got your blood pumping a bit, then take a moment to check out what I'm offering with my community of like-minded people who wish to consciously practice the awesome power of attraction.

So far, we're 16 people strong from around the world.

Are you one of us?

The time is now…

Explore more and register here.

>>> BOOKS <<<

Money and the Law of Attraction by Jerry and Esther Hicks. So good, I'm reading it again. Will be the text for VCLN 2009.
Alaska Tracks by Ned Rozell (my brother with another great book! Get it for the adventurer in you!)

get it here!

Okay… One more photo…

ice, ice, baby! more shots here.

Check this page for updates throughout the month…

Subscription Information :: To subscribe, just enter your information in the box to the right side of the page. To unsubscribe, just follow the link on ANY mailing to you.

Archived Issues :: Find 'em here.

Contact Drew :: To comment on this issue, just leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. e-mail <drew at drewrozell.com> phone (518) 642-3111

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November 21, 2008

The Drewsletter :: November 2008 :: Another Brick

"ANOTHER BRICK"

NOVEMBER 2008

"This stuff works!"

The contrast. The light and the dark. Choose where you wish to be. Then move there.

NOVEMBER 2008

Hello, my friend…

Last month I started off by writing about change being in the air.

Today those feelings of change, evolution, and possibility are all around us. All the doors are open, and now it's our responsibility to step inside.

I know what the headlines are (though I've tuned out quite a bit since the election), but personally, I've never felt better about my life, my business, or my future. I hope you're riding the same wave, moving into the light instead of standing in the darkness.

In honor of reaching this tipping point in our collective consciousness, I'm thrilled to introduce you to a new community I'm forming. Things officially start in January, but now's a great time to get on board. You can read more about the Very Cool Life Network 2009 below.

Finally, a special thanks to all of you who sent a note or card about my friend Jezebel the cat last month. She's missed, but everything's cool.

As always, thanks for your support and thanks for reading this.

Really.

P.S. If you like this, please share it with someone. Or leave a comment. Same is true if you don't like it… Thanks!

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL

A couple months back I wrote about some problems I was having with a contractor I hired to build a retaining wall on my property. I shared my belief that the experience was teaching me the power of taking responsibility for everything that shows up in my life, not just the stuff that pleases me or works out in my favor.

While I believe that taking personal responsibility is an essential factor in being a deliberate creator, as more time passed it became apparent that I was still missing some part of the lesson. I knew this because nothing improved with my situation. My money was still gone, my wall remained unfinished, and my contractor failed to return my phone calls.

Reminding myself to take responsibility for the situation allowed me to take my focus away from blaming the contractor for just long enough for me to ask myself a better question.

How did I get here?

I held that question in my consciousness for a while and soon after, the answer came to me. I was reading a few pages of Esther and Jerry Hicks' Money, and the Law of Attraction in the morning when one sentence stopped me cold. Even though the message was a familiar one, this time it was as if the sentence were written in neon.

"The most valuable skill that you could ever develop is the skill of directing your thoughts toward what you want…"

I just read the words over and over. The elegant simplicity of the message held such power, such freedom.

Of course, the foundational principle of the Law of Attraction is that your thoughts create your reality. Our emotions serve as our internal GPS systems, providing guidance as to the proper course for us to take in life. When we choose thoughts that feel good, we create more of that which feels good. Likewise, when we choose thoughts that do not feel good, we create unwanted outcomes in our life.

As I basked in the resonance I felt from the message, I started to think about my earliest thoughts about my construction project, long before any work crew ever arrived.

The wall sits at the base of my driveway, so I'd see it nearly every day. For the past two years, every time I passed the wall, I noticed more deterioration. I focused on the little chunks of earth making their way through the seams and I'd think to myself, "How much longer can this last?" and "How am I going to pay for this?"

Out of unconscious reflex, my thoughts went directly to focusing on that which I did not want. I did not want to hire the wrong person. I did not want this project to become a financial drain. I did not want a new wall built so poorly that it would fall down in another few years.

As a result of activating so many fearful thoughts, I created the precise conditions I did not want. In fact, the only Law I seemed to be applying with any success was Murphy's.

Again, having studied these principles and practiced living my life in harmony with them, I knew better than to act this way. But I still did. Why?

Because in this situation, I allowed myself to fall back into default mode and operate out of my conditioning. I fell back into my old neural pathways of worry, doubt, and fear. Not because I wanted to, but rather because I thought I had to. Deep down, there were still parts of me that believed that worrying about things is a necessary (maybe even helpful?) way of being.

I'll bet that you have this going on too. In fact, we seem to have a form of Stockholm Syndrome going on with our conditioned thoughts. They have kept us imprisoned for so long that we begin to empathize with our captors. For example, I have heard many people argue for why it's better for them to hold on to their "reasonable concerns," their "rational fears" and their "healthy anxieties."

We've lived so closely to our conditioning that it very often slides under our radar, even when we're looking for it. None of my fearful thoughts about my retaining wall reflected how I really wanted things to be, I carried them out of habit. I chose these thoughts so many times that they became my beliefs. In turn, my beliefs created my reality.

It's important to acknowledge that while directing one's thoughts is a simple concept, it's not always easy to do. But here's what makes it worthwhile: The outcomes you get from directing your thoughts are exponentially more powerful that the outcomes you get from your labor or your attempts to "figure it out" or trying to "make things happen."

If this way of being resonates with you, you need to practice choosing thoughts that feel good to you. Again, this is simple, but it requires your awareness and your commitment to a new way of being.

I recommend that you start your day by taking 10 to 15 minutes each morning sitting someplace quiet. Think about what you'd like to create in your life and allow yourself tap into the feelings of your desires. (An effective way to do this is to ask yourself WHY you want what you want).

Think about money flowing to you. Think about living in perfect health. Think about feeling inspired and connected in your work. Think about being in a relationship that amplifies the joy in your life. Put your awareness on that which feels good. Practice. And then watch what happens.

Change your thoughts and you change your life. The power is yours.

If you resonate with the message in this month's feature, then I encourage you to explore the new community I am forming, The Very Cool Life Network, 2009.

I will spare you the hype and hyperbole and just say that I believe that this will be the most powerful community of progressive thinkers and conscious creators in the history of humankind. If Abraham Lincoln, John Lennon, and Gandhi were alive today, clearly, they would all be charter members of this collective brain-trust.

The good news is that while they cannot join us, there's room for you!

If you wish to really change what you create in your life, you will need to do something different than you are doing now. This starts with becoming aware of your thoughts and entering the practice of choosing something better.

I will be leading a community of like-minded people who wish to develop the most valuable skill there is: The ability to direct our thoughts toward what we desire.

It's all possible. And it all starts and end with you.

I've had several deep breakthroughs in my own awareness recently. I've never been more excited about my life and I sincerely wish to share this with people who are ready to completely upgrade their lives.

I am happy to say that the group is filling briskly already, and I invite you to read more about what I am offering by following the link below.

And please do not hesitate to contact me. This is my passion.

I hope you take me up on this opportunity to connect!

>>> BOOKS <<<

Money and the Law of Attraction by Jerry and Esther Hicks (get it. read it. live it).
The Whore's Child by Richard Russo (short stories)

>>> RANDOM NEURAL FIRINGS <<<

The greatest website ever created is here.
I joined Facebook. Find me there if you, um, wanna like be BFF or something…

Check this page for updates throughout the month…

Subscription Information :: To subscribe, just enter your information in the box to the right side of the page. To unsubscribe, just follow the link on ANY mailing to you.

Archived Issues :: Find 'em here.

Contact Drew :: To comment on this issue, just leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. e-mail <drew at drewrozell.com> phone (518) 642-3111

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October 24, 2008

The Drewsletter :: October 2008 :: JEZEBEL

"JEZEBEL"

OCTOBER 2008

"This stuff works!"

Maples in the morning. On the shores of Lake George, NY. Photo by Joan.

OCTOBER 2008

Welcome, my friend…

I bet you can feel it too. Change. In the air.

Sure, the weather is changing — as I type this there are snowflakes! — yes, snowflakes falling from the sky. But the changes I am referring to go far beyond the weather. So while things are cooling down here in the northern hemisphere, the intensity of life seems to heating up!

I don't need to rehash the news, you've seen it all too — the future is all in flux. Depending on who you talk to, I notice there's either a deep sense of fear or a growing sense of optimism.

I bet you can guess where I land with things. I see the old way of doing things falling away in obsolescence and I find that tremendously exciting.

In light of this, I am forming a new community of people who wish to live on purpose and free of fear. I am still looking for your input, so check out the section called Live Like No One Else below!

In other news, earlier this month I hosted my Very Cool Life Network meetup in beautiful Lake George, NY. You can check out some photos and a fun video in the post below.

Finally, I hope you find some value in this month's feature. It was written from my heart.

Thanks for your support and thanks for reading this.

Really.

P.S. If you like this, please share it with someone. Or leave a comment. Same is true if you don't like it… Thanks!

JEZEBEL

As I drove over the mountain, the orange, reds, and yellows of fall exploded all around me. I’d spent the weekend leading a group that I’d worked with for the past year. The weather had been sketchy all week, but from the moment people arrived on Friday until we departed on Sunday, the gods smiled upon us, delivering as beautiful a weekend as I could remember.

We enjoyed a wonderful sense of connection and community; everyone got what they came for. During my ride home, I felt filled with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. As I drew closer to my driveway, I felt another wave of anticipation. My in-laws would be meeting us at the house to take us out for Karin’s birthday. I looked forward to a lovely meal together and celebrating.

Just as I was about to turn left into my driveway, I saw something on the right side of the road. Little white paws. Lifeless.

I saw nothing more than the paws, extending from tall grass. But I knew.

I never stopped the car. Instead, I raced up the hill to where Karin and her mother were standing in the yard. Oh no. Oh no. NO! NO! NO! This can’t be.

I flung the car door open and yelled, “Have you seen Jezzie?” The urgency of my question startled them.

“She’s in the house,” Karin’s mom replied.

I exhaled an internal “thank God” and was about to explain my erratic behavior. Before I could say anything, though, Karin’s mom clarified that she had seen our orange cat in the house.

But Jezzie is gray. With white paws.

And I knew my little cat was dead.

As we ran down to the road, I felt as though I’d had my front teeth knocked out. The physical pain throbbed through me, but in the midst of it, there was also that jarring awareness that something in my life would never be quite the same again.

Still in shock at how quickly my day turned, I took my little friend’s cold, stiff body up the hill. I said goodbye and proceeded to fight the earth, the rocks, and my tears to bury her.

I tell my story not because my pain is unique. To the contrary, I tell it because I believe that kind of pain is a universal human experience. Jezebel brought me a lot of joy in our short time together, and her death brought up some powerful feelings for me. To me, ignoring those feelings would be a missed opportunity.

Remember, every one of our desires is born out of contrast (it’s only from the state of feeling what we do not want that we begin to clarify and focus on that which we do want). And for me, the pain of this experience led me to want comfort. In my search to feel better, I remembered a recording from my favorite spiritual teacher (Abraham) that specifically addressed cats and the issue of death. I listened to it, and indeed, I felt much better.

On the recording (see below to listen), Abraham said many things that resonated with me deeply. First, she said that cats are not at all worried about death. Unlike humans, they know they are eternal beings. (In my experience, while many humans profess this belief, many fewer live their lives in harmony with this belief.)

Abraham also mentioned that animals often choose to run out in front of cars as they are ready for another experience. Oddly, I found comfort in this statement.

“Haven’t you ever wondered about the timing of that?” Abraham asked.

In fact, I did wonder about it. In the three years Jezzie was with us, she never went down by the road. Even if she did, there’s so little traffic passing by. Logically, it did not make any sense to me.

Abraham continued to share what a cat would say to us if it could speak. I share a couple lines here, believing the wisdom extends far beyond the relationship between humans and felines.

“You cannot control my behavior. Please do not ask me to change the condition of my life so that you can feel better.”

If you’ve ever had a cat, you can testify to the veracity of the first sentence. The second statement struck me even more deeply and as I reflected on it, I remembered how I began to learn this lesson during Jezzie’s life.

She came home one day with a small scratch on her head, not far from her eye. Before the wound could heal, she would start to scratch at it, infecting and expanding the surface area of the wound. Karin and I were determined to fix the situation (i.e., to ease our worry) and heal our cat.

At one point, I found myself on eBay buying little pink shoes that I hoped would keep her nails from tearing her skin. The only thing more amusing than watching me try to shod her with the booties was watching how fast she would shake out of them. For many weeks, we had her wear an Elizabethan collar around her neck. She hated being trapped in an inverted lampshade, but we had convinced ourselves that we were doing the right thing. We knew best, right?

After weeks of healing, one night she gave the collar the slip. In a flash, she tore at the new skin and we were back at square one. Having seen the futility of our worry-filled efforts, we finally gave up. Jezzie was going to do what Jezzie was going to do. And over time, things healed up. Every once in a while, she’d inflict a wound on herself again, but our reaction was different. We could see that was her choice and we were powerless to change her behavior. She was okay with the situation. Shouldn’t we be?

Please do not ask me to change the condition of my life so that you can feel better.

I could see how these words applied to my cat, but the depth of these words resonated beyond my pet. After all, this is what we do to each other all the time, yes? Instead of minding our own vibration, there is a strong tendency to look outside ourselves and lay our responsibilities at the feet of the people around us.

If effect, we often treat the people closest to us with a kind of conditional affection that says “If you would just behave the way I want you to, then I would feel good. If you would just change the condition of your life, then I would feel good. But you cannot create a happy, connected life using this recipe. If you try, peace of mind will always exist just outside your grasp, and the result will be a life filled with frustration, not joy. Love is unconditional or it is not love at all. And love, not fear, is the correct response to any question.

I still miss my cat. Normally she’d be somewhere in my office as I write this. I have no insight as to why she chose to leave this experience, but I believe she did leave by choice. What’s more, I believe she left with no fear, no regrets, and no guilt. She simply followed what felt best for her, minding her own vibration.

A lesson for us all, perhaps?

My former co-worker and me in the morning light. Photo by Ned.

* Notes: If you're not aware of Abraham, you can find out more here. As far as spiritual teachers go, I recommend them higher than any other. You can even check them out with a search on YouTube. Many thanks to loyal supporter and friend Brian for introducing me to them many years ago. My life is better because of it.

Here's the full audio of the Abraham teaching that helped me so much. I'm guessing that posting it is a copyright violation, but my desire to share this won the day. The full recording is 17 minutes, so perhaps allow yourself some quiet time to bask in the words and notice how listening makes you feel.

Evolution Coaching Services

Most everyone wants something to be better in their lives.

Smart people invest in their personal development.

The rest wonder why nothing much seems to change.

Do the smart thing.

For yourself.

More here.

Schedule a session here.

Call Drew 518.642.3111

I'm starting a new community.

Still working through the details.

But I can see the big picture.

And the big picture is about leading a tribe of people who are interested in living like no one else. What does living like no one else mean?

It means living a life full of freedom, ease, and connection. It means living a life that is free of fear. It means stepping outside of your old, conditioned ways of being. It means living life on purpose, on your own terms.

I will be hosting an R and D call on my vision for this group soon.

If the idea of joining a community of sharp, like-minded people stirs you, I invite you to read more here or just get on the list by sending a blank e-mail to:

drewrozell-376575@autocontactor.com

After all, you may say I'm a dreamer… but I'm not the only one

>>> BOOKS <<<

all these reads are solid…

Tribes by Seth Godin
Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman
Money and the Law of Attraction by Jerry and Esther Hicks
Strength for Life by Shawn Phillips

>>> RANDOM NEURAL FIRINGS <<<

>>> This is my favorite video over the last month. I love me some musicianship… the purity of it. Wonder if non-metal fans can appreciate it? Remember seeing this tour in college.

>>> In this election, I think the coolest candidate will win. Don't you? Perhaps it could be argued that this is always the case? Cool attracts. Cool wins.

>>> Okay, was just sent a link to this video. Be warned, more politics. But my childhood hero is the co-star and I think it's damn funny too. Check it out. Thanks to Monty for sending it to me.

>>> Oh, and I love the new Google Chrome browser. Better than Firefox or IE.

Check this page for updates throughout the month…

Subscription Information :: To subscribe, just enter your information in the box to the right side of the page. To unsubscribe, just follow the link on ANY mailing to you.

Archived Issues :: Find 'em here.

Contact Drew :: To comment on this issue, just leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. e-mail <drew at drewrozell.com> phone (518) 642-3111

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September 19, 2008

September 2008 :: THE WALL

"THE WALL"

SEPTEMBER 2008

"This stuff works!"

This September morning. In sepia. From the porch. Mist included, no extra charge.

SEPTEMBER 2008

Welcome, my friend…

Ah, lovely September. There's still a couple weeks left of my favorite month. We had our first frost last night, but the days have been warm and filled with sunshine. In the mornings, as the legions of geese go honking by, I see a plume of white smoke coming from my neighbor's chimney. Haven't fired up the woodstove yet, but the wood is stacked in the shed and it won't be long now.

The trees began turning in early August this year and probably will not peak for another month. A walk around the property smells like blackberrys, hay, and apples (looks like a good crop this year). Monarch butterflies dance across the fields with deceptive speed. Each day, another field of corn gets harvested.

Did I mention this is my favorite time of year? True, I would be even more excited had the Yankees made the playoffs, but I suspect I'll find a team to root for.

In any case, I hope you enjoy this month's feature on the concept of taking full responsibility. Quite simply, I believe that if you do not look within when dealing with any problem, you are looking in the wrong place and limiting your capacity for a truly cool life.

Finally, last month I hosted a free community call on the Foundations for Living A Very Cool Life. Over 140 people registered for the call (you can access the recording here), so I think I've struck a chord. I am hosting a free follow-up call later this month called The Common Barriers to Very Cool Living.

Details below and I hope you'll join me.

Enough of my yakkin'… let's boogie!

Thanks for your support and thanks for reading this.

Really.

P.S. If you like this, please share it with someone. Or leave a comment. Same is true if you don't like it… Thanks!

THE WALL

I live on a hillside. A large retaining wall stands at the mouth of my driveway. Constructed more than 30 years ago from old railroad ties, the wall is six feet high and ninety feet long. The wall bids me farewell when I leave and welcomes me home upon my return.

For the past two years, I've eyed the wall carefully, inspecting it with each pass. I could see that the relentless forces of gravity, water, and time were closing in on another victory. I knew the day was coming when the wall would surrender to the elements and the earth would fall into my driveway.

I also knew that replacing the wall would be a major undertaking. I'd recently invested in several home improvements and I did not have much left in the kitty for a landscaping project. However, in sudden and unexpected fashion, I attracted the funds for the project just days before a heavy rain caused the wall to give way. The timing of everything felt perfect. I hired a contractor to complete the job.

He and I agreed that work and payment would take place in stages. I wrote a check, and the next morning his crew arrived and got to work. Making good progress, a week later the second stage of the project was ready to launch. I wrote a second check. That was six weeks ago. No one has returned to work at my home since.

In short, my contractor–and my dollars–vanished. With each passing day, the situation occupied more and more of my thoughts. Accompanying those thoughts were some powerful emotions. Fear, resentment, frustration, and anger have all colored the spectrum of my reactions to the situation.

As the days grew into weeks, the intensity of these emotions built to a crescendo. Thoughts of my contractor filled my head as I lay in bed. Waves of anger washed over me as I entertained visions of visiting him at his home, Tony Soprano-style, letting him know that he'd messed with the wrong man. Often, I'd wake the next morning and begin my day by leaving him a stern warning of my intentions on his voice mail.

In my mind, he was dishonest, incompetent, clueless, and pathetic. And I could prove it — after all, I had the terms of the agreement written in black and white on the contract we'd both signed. Yet as the storm of emotions swirled within me day after day, there was an inescapable truth. All of my outrage had not added a single stone to the wall. Not only was my approach unproductive, but I was poisoning myself with my toxic thoughts. Something needed to change.

The foundation for a very cool life begins by taking full responsibility for your life. Now this probably sounds familiar, and in my experience, most people are willing to accept this idea. However, when it comes to living into this principle, somewhere we hit our personal wall — the threshold where it's no longer my fault, it's your fault. We hit a threshold of our willingness to accept responsibility and we look outside ourselves to find a cause for our unhappiness.

I've found that most people are willing to be somewhat responsible, or maybe even mostly responsible. But taking 100%, absolutely-no-exceptions responsibility? This is where things get tricky. We struggle with taking full responsibility for our lives because we're conditioned to blame, complain, and make excuses. However, I believe that the willingness to be fully responsible for everything in your life is the single greatest factor that separates an ordinary life from an extraordinary one.

In order to live the coolest version of your life, you must begin to see everything that touches your life as a perfect reflection of the thoughts, feelings, and energy you are sending out to the universe. Trying to argue whether this is statement is 100% true or engaging in debates regarding exceptions to the rule are distraction of the ego that only keep you distant from your true power. The point here is not to attempt to control or understand every event that shows up in your life, but rather to accept responsibility for how you respond to the events of your life.

For example, I failed to take full responsibility in my situation with the contractor. In my mind, I had met my end of the bargain. Clearly he was at fault. Clearly, he was to blame. By approaching the event with this mindset, unconsciously I was taking on the role of the victim. I was the innocent fly who got snagged on a strand of the spider's web. In that critical moment of choice, instead of coolly choosing to free myself from the single strand, I allowed the rush of my emotions to seduce me into thinking that fighting the spider was a better idea. However, by thrashing about in fits of fear and anger, I quickly found myself completely entangled and exhausted. Easy prey indeed.

When we live in a world where things happen to us, we live as victims of our circumstances. In this place, we become the puppets that allow the people, forces, and events around us to pull the strings of our lives. In my case, I gave a complete stranger and an inanimate pile of stones a great deal of power over my life. As ridiculous as this sounds, I'd wager heavily that somewhere in your life, you're operating in the same manner.

If you want to know where your personal wall to taking full responsibility for your life lies, notice where you feel a charge or a reaction to someone or something (e.g., money, a family member, the fool who cut you off in traffic, etc.). As you notice the feelings that come up, notice the thoughts that accompany those feelings. Now notice that those thoughts are directed outward, at something or someone else. Finally, notice that those thoughts do not feel good. Understand this is what you are choosing for yourself. In turn, understand that this is what you are creating for yourself. Not cool.

If you're waiting on a person, situation, or the world to change before you can allow yourself to feel better, best of luck to you. The smarter move is to put your focus on the one thing that's truly in your control — how you feel. By changing how you feel, you immediately align yourself with your desires and eliminate the resistance that keeps those desires from manifesting.

My retaining wall still isn't built. But since flipping this switch, I've been able to talk to my contractor and converse with him from a place of compassion instead of anger. I can see that he's just a guy doing his very best, just like me. And by choosing to respond to the situation from a more peaceful place, I live in the knowing that somehow, someway, someday, the wall will stand, tall and solid as a bunch of mortared rocks.

UPDATE: My contractor magically returned to work yesterday. He hit a rough patch in his life. In our conversation, I found it unusual/interesting when he made the remark that I was his only customer who ended up taking a hit.

Evolution Coaching Services

Consciously creating a very cool life requires your attention and awareness.

Okay life?

Very cool life?

You choose.

More here.

Schedule a session here.

Call Drew 518.642.3111

If you want to live a very cool life, you'll need to know thine enemy…

In this free one hour call, I'll share what I've learned in the past 13 years of study.

So I invite you to join me on Thursday, September 25th at 11AM EST for a tele-forum discussing the most common barriers to creating a very cool life. I'd like to share my thoughts with you, hear your thoughts, and most of all, connect!

If you'd like to be a part of this free community call, simply send a blank e-mail here.

drewrozell-365066@autocontactor.com

You should receive a confirmation e-mail very soon after registering (check your spam folder if you do not or contact me).

I'll tape the call if you cannot make it live…

Just like the lighting on this one. P-Nut to boot.

Attractionville.com = Practical Attraction.com = Now Live

Several years ago, when The Secret was still a secret, I created a community website full of resources on how to live into the Law of Attraction. After creating many, many hours of content and information and dealing with too many technical issues, I let the site go fallow. However, I always intended to upgrade the infrastructure, as I believe the materials are excellent.

Inspiration took hold last month and the Attractionville site is now reborn as Practical Attraction.com, all running on the Wordpress platform now.

Check it out if you're interested in that sort of thing.

(And if you're a previous member of Attractionville, the new password for the member's area is simply the old login.)

>>> BOOKS <<<

too many books, too many magazines

>>> MOVIES <<<

The Business of Being Born - Read into our movie choice what you will, but this was a fascinating look into the choices we make regarding how children enter the world. Worth a look, for sure.

The Wire (Season 4) - Still loving this series. Put it in your queue. Karin is hooked as well, so it ain't just for dudes.

The Dark Knight - Actually made it to the theater to catch the blockbuster. Liked it. Can't say I loved it.

>>> RANDOM NEURAL FIRINGS <<<

Waaay more shaved head/bald guys out there nowadays. Noticed this in the airport on recent Denver trip. Shaved my head 12 years ago. Stood out. Now, not so much. Just sayin'

New Rule: If someone (like me), prefers not to be on the dancefloor at a wedding, please don't keep waving us on, encouraging us to "join the party." We're fine just where we are, thank you.

I want one of these to park on my property.

Rented a VW Rabbit when in Denver. Smallest car I've ever driven. While I found none of the German-made controls to be intuitive to my brain, I liked the ride.

I just turned 39. This is my last year to get my act together and be nominated by a local Chamber of Commerce for one of those "40 under 40" awards. But seriously, it does go fast, doesn't it? Seems like just yesterday I was the young buck in the field… No more.

Okay… One more photo…

Took this shot in Boulder, Colorado a few days ago. Don't know these kids. They were just playing in the water, trying to guess where it was going to shoot up next. They caught my attention because they knew how to have a good time.

Check this page for updates throughout the month…

Subscription Information :: To subscribe, just enter your information in the box to the right side of the page. To unsubscribe, just follow the link on ANY mailing to you.

Archived Issues :: Find 'em here.

Contact Drew :: To comment on this issue, just leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. e-mail <drew at drewrozell.com> phone (518) 642-3111

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July 25, 2008

The Drewsletter :: JULY 2008 :: The Good News

"THE GOOD NEWS"

JULY 2008

"This stuff works!"

The Good News x2.

Molly and Lilly (I have trouble telling them apart) say Hi… My brother's dogs. We've been dogsitting while his family takes their vacation.

JULY 2008

Welcome, my friend…

Mid-summer greetings (at least to those in the northern hemisphere), and welcome to the July issue of The Drewsletter.

On the whole it's been a lovely season. Sure, I can do without the humidity and deerflies, but the good far outweighs the bad…

Hey, that's this month's theme! Goodness is all around us… so easy to forget sometimes. I invite you to read on and tap into some more GOOD NEWS.

A quick note: While this month's feature is written from the perspective of an American, I am conscious (and very grateful) of the fact that many readers of this newsletter hail from other countries. I believe the greater message still applies and I'd be interested in hearing those perspectives.

Also, please take note of the free community call I'll be doing August 5th on the Foundations for Living A Very Cool Life. You're invited…

Okay, then. Off we go… It's time to load the kayak on the truck and head to a nice lake in Vermont for some sunshine, paddling, and a swim. See you on the water.

Thanks for your support and thanks for reading this.

Really.

P.S. If you like this, please share it with someone. Or leave a comment. Same is true if you don't like it… Thanks!

THE GOOD NEWS!

Catch the news lately?

Doesn't matter the medium - TV, radio, newspapers, blogs…

Doesn't matter the subject. The news ain't good: Gas prices, war, mortgages, job losses, bankruptcies, salmonella, government-sponsored torture, climate change…

It's heavy. It's bleak. It's crisis.

In America today, many people will tell you that the sky is falling. No really, this time they mean it. They point to numbers, cite statistics, and offer lessons from history as evidence that things are going to hell in a hand basket.

I understand their point. But it's not in my nature to accept it. Yes, I am an optimist (I've never seen the advantage of being a pessimist). Yes, I believe everything moves in cycles, and yes, I believe that I have the ability to create my reality no matter the circumstances around me. Whether or not you share my worldview, with all the heaviness permeating the ether, I feel compelled to inject a dose of good news.

For argument's sake, let's agree that America is in a state of crisis. Certainly, crisis is not an ideal place to be, but as I promised you, there is some good news.

In fact, in many areas of life, we spend a good portion of our energy neglecting or band-aiding growing problems. For example, when a dam needs attention, at first it will show some cracks and a few drops of water will make their way through. The crack most likely revealed that the integrity of the dam was compromised. In other words, unless deeper changes are made to the infrastructure, the problem will return. Water, gravity, and the path of least resistance are relentless forces in exposing weakness.

While change is the nature of life, part of human nature is to resist change. In the face of a problem, the two most common responses are to 1) neglect the situation, and 2) patch the leak and hope to get by a little longer. We tend to cling to the beliefs that it's easier, safer, and cheaper to maintain the status quo. But the nature of life moves with the power of the universe behind it - it's impossible to stop. With time, the crack will open up again, the drip will become a stream. And now, as you face the prospect of the entire dam breaking down, you have a crisis on your hands.

Ah, but I said that there was good news, yes? Here it is: Crisis awakens.

Humans are remarkably adaptable creatures; we can get used to just about anything. Earlier this summer I had to do some work on my septic tank. I spent the first few hours gagging, but by the end of the day, I worked with little regard for the smell. While our ability to adapt serves us well in many ways, it also desensitizes us to making changes in a pre-emptive manner.

You can drive with brakes that squeak a little bit every time you come to a stop. However, when the grating sounds of metal on metal fill your car as you strain your calf muscle depressing the pedal further into the floorboard — and you still glide through the stop sign - there's no getting around it any longer. It's time to get your brakes fixed.

Cleary, it's not ideal to wait until situations reach a point of crisis. As is the case with your car's brakes, usually the longer we ignore a growing problem, the higher the final cost of repairs.

Still, crisis is not without its merit. Crisis holds purpose. Crisis provides contrast. Crisis moves us to clarify what we really want. When we embrace crisis, crisis is often the catalyst to evolution. So individually and collectively, we ignore crisis at our own peril.

In my experience as a coach, change often comes more slowly for those who fall in the "good enough" category. In other words, they know they want to upgrade their lives, but in the current reality, things are good enough (e.g., they have enough money, decent relationships, some free time, etc). In these cases, change comes in baby steps. The prevailing thought seems to be "why risk it?"

On the other hand, give me someone on the other end of the phone who's in the middle of crisis (they hate their job, lost a spouse, etc), and I'll show you someone who's ready to walk through some fire to reach the ocean. These folks have hit the threshold where the risk of doing more of the same is greater than the risk of changing. In other words, they are experiencing a crisis.

Quoting the economist Paul Romer, "a crisis is a terrible thing to waste." While it may sound like a feel-good cliché, it's nonetheless true: Crisis holds opportunity. On a national level, America's energy and identity crises holds the power to slingshot the country back to greatness. On a personal level, while crisis is unpleasant, it holds the potential for lasting transformation.

While the good news is that crisis can serve as the bucket-of-cold-water-to-the-face in the process of awakening, going forward, this is not the preferred mode of operation. Waiting for crisis and choosing to swim in the drama is the less conscious, reactive way of being. Ideally, we want to sensitize ourselves and lower our thresholds of discomfort rather than maintain them. By noticing and adjusting at the earliest whiff of a new problem or a recurring issue, the emotional and physical costs remain low. This awareness, and the willingness to respond, are the differentiating factors between those who live a very cool life and those who do not.

Finally, expect dark news to continue for a while, but do not get too caught up in it. Refrain from being part of the "ain't it awful?" crowd. Remember that evolution is a process, not an event. And know that, in the end, it's all good.

Evolution Coaching Services

Consciously creating a very cool life requires your attention and energy.

It's all waiting for you.

But you have to claim it.

If you're ready for a better life, a very cool life, then let's connect.

More here.

Schedule a session here.

Call Drew 518.642.3111

In my definition, a very cool life is a life full of connection.

Connection to self, connection to others, connection to source.

When I'm coaching, teaching, and relating to like-minded people about the dynamics of conscious living, I am connected. In those moments, I feel totally aligned — like I am doing what I was built to do.

So, I figured, if it feels so good, why not do even more of that? Why not connect, share, and learn?

And just to keep it simple, why not make the party free?

So I invite you to join me on Tuesday, August 5th at noon EST for a tele-forum discussing the foundations of a very cool life. I have a theory that's been evolving for several years, and I'd like to share it with interested folks and hear your thoughts. And most of all, I'd like to connect with you.

If you'd like to be a part of this free community call, simply send a blank e-mail here.

drewrozell-349171@autocontactor.com

(I'll tape the call if you cannot make it live)

Getting my nephew Kelly started on Cape Cod. Photo by my sister, Nora

Learn the step-by-step way to create websites and blogs using Wordpress… In one hour!

If you're inclined to send a bigger signal out to the world, in less than one hour, you can have your website, blog (or your website with a blog, like this drewrozell.com) up and running with Wordpress.

To read more and to get started, just go here.

>>> BOOKS <<<

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. My review in 10 words: Cold. Death. Dark. Starving. Ash. Gray. Cold. Death. So Cold.My friend Chris' review:"A light-hearted whimsical romp through the hopelessness of post-apocalyptic cannabilism.

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. Good summer book. A quick read about an interesting, multi-talented dude.

Continental Drift by Russell Banks. This is my nightstand book, 10-20 pages a night. This is an earlier work Mr. Banks, one of my favorite writers. Every time I read his work, I learn a little more about the art of writing. A true master.

>>> MOVIES <<<

The Savages - Story of siblings coming together to care for their father with dementia. Having lived this film, I must say they nailed it. Not an upper of a film, but it will make you feel. Someday, perhaps, I will explore this period of my life with some writing.

The Wire (Season 3) - Still loving this series. Put it in your queue.

Juno - Very good. As advertised. And those Moldy Peaches write some catchy tunes…

12 Angry Men - When I used to teach social psychology at Syracuse, I'd spend the first two classes showing this classic 1957 film as I believed it captured so many of the dynamics we would study later in the semester. Henry Fonda leads an all-star cast. Still holds up.

Talladega Nights - Caught this on cable. A couple times. i remember when it came out, the movie got mixed reviews, but I found it laugh-out-loud funny. Quotably good.

Me and my nephew, 'lil Drew capture the beat. Photo by my sister Nora.

>>> RANDOM NEURAL FIRINGS <<<

Want to see The Dark Knight and Wall-E. Been months since I've been in a theater.

On a related note, I bought a flat screen TV. Baseball in high definition brings me joy.

I've bought 2 music CDs all year (remember those things?). I still think there's lots of great music out there, but I miss the thrill of getting to know a really great album. Anyway, if you're a fan of the rock genre — dudes who can really play their instruments, lay down a groove, and write some intelligent lyrics, the new King's X album XV delivers the goods. A song of good news is here.

Check this page for updates throughout the month…

Subscription Information :: To subscribe, just enter your information in the box to the right side of the page. To unsubscribe, just follow the link on ANY mailing to you.

Archived Issues :: Find 'em here.

Contact Drew :: To comment on this issue, just leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below. e-mail <drew at drewrozell.com> phone (518) 642-3111

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