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In 2005 I wrote a book called What’s Your Expiry Date? Embrace Your Mortality – Live With Vitality.  In it, I introduced a concept I call The Power of Mortality™.  I have been speaking about this topic since 2003 and done many radio and television interviews, including an hour long interview with Dr. Oz on Oprah & Friends.  In 2009 I was featured in a documentary movie.  But first and foremost the accomplishment that means the most to me is the incredible feedback that I get from people who have been impacted by my message.

People have changed their attitudes.  People have changed their behaviors. People have changed their careers.  People have changed their relationships. People have changed their lives! What more can you ask than to be able to do life-changing work?

In December of 2008 I got a message from my friend Sherry.  We’ve never had the pleasure of meeting but have connected through Facebook.  She and her family are fans of my book.  They even have my Mortality Manifesto printed out and displayed on their fridge!  Here’s what Sherry had to say:

I don’t know how you and your family talk about death, dying, living (I know your kids are younger) but my 12 year old daughter just brought it up to me.  We were in the car and she just very quietly said, I love you Mom.  We say it a lot in our house so I didn’t make much of it.  Then also quietly she said, “i’m afraid to die”.  Of course, i turned off the radio and really listened (which is what i should have been doing anyway).  I’m not sure what brought it on but I think i remember having thoughts about mortality at about her age.
I really took it as an amazing opportunity to talk about mortality with her.  I mentioned your name and your message (along with a bit of my own thoughts) and she knew who you were because I talk about you a lot in our home.

My point is, we continued the conversation at home in bed in the dark (where all the best intimate conversations happen).  And we will continue the conversations as they come up.  I`m pleased to say that she understands about mortality as something that is inevitable.  And she has agreed to open her mind to facing it without fear.  She also knows that there is every reason to believe that she and her family will live long lives but that each day is a gift.

So… thanks! You gave some powerful parenting tools.

Within a few weeks I had created an outline of a book that would be aimed at children, to help them to understand the idea of mortality and to approach it from a place of power, rather than fear.

And then… my life got crazy so I shelved that project.

Now, I’m proud to say that it’s back in full swing!

My question to you is:

What age do kids start to ask questions about mortality?

I’d love to hear your insights and anecdotes on the topic.

(Hey, did we ever decide what we we’re calling that last decade? We had the 80’s, then the 90’s but what is the name for the decade we just finished? And what are we in now? The “teens”?)

Well, it’s a new year and the beginning of a new decade!  Why not take this opportunity to create a new life for yourself?

As I mentioned on December 1st, there are some big changes coming for me in 2010.

I have been writing and speaking about the Power of Mortality™ for six years now. As you are probably aware, my message is closely tied to my life story, and since life continues to grow and evolve, my message has evolved as well.

If the Power of Mortality™ was about waking people up to the importance of their lives, then my next step involves helping people get into action when it comes to creating their dream lives.

I am thrilled to invite you to join me at ChooseTheLifeYouWant.com as I discuss a three-step process to help people live the lives of their dreams. Lives of significance. Lives that are fearless, focused and free from regret.

Choose The Life You Want (CTLYW) simply builds on the discussion that was started with The Power of Mortality. Naturally, the concept of embracing your own mortality is one of the cornerstones of the CTLYW approach. If you haven’t already read and signed the Mortality Manifesto Pledge – do it now!

I am replacing my Mindful Moment newsletter and podcast with a weekly email newsletter called “Fearless, Focused Fridays“. The idea is to give yourself a few moments on Friday to reflect on your dreams and head into the weekend and following week with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity.

You can subscribe to receive Fearless, Focused Fridays, as well as CTLYW blog updates via email or RSS feed. And you can subscribe to get updates on other news such as the upcoming book, public workshops and weekend retreats.

As I begin this new chapter, I want to sincerely thank you for being part of my journey so far. I would be honored in you would continue with me as we both begin to choose (and live) the lives we want!

ENJOY NOW!

You can get a look at my heart at the same time as you are checking out my new website called Choose The Life You Want.  The site doesn’t “officially” launch until January 1, 2010, but you can have a sneek-peek right now!

Here’s the link!  While you’re over there, you might as well subscribe!  Then come back here and tell me what you think!

2009 has been a year of challenges for me.  Actually, the last two years have been challenging for me.  This is why I haven’t been very active in blogging or podcasting. To those of you who used to look forward to my regular messages – I’m sorry that I’ve been sporadic in my communications.   The good news is that I’ve learned a lot of lessons during these times.  Lessons about myself and lessons about life.  And beginning January 1st (just one month from today) I’m going to start sharing those lessons with you.

• If you found value in The Power of Mortality™, then I’m sure you’re going to love what’s next!
• If you enjoyed my first book “What’s Your Expiry Date?”, then I know you’re going to love my next book!

A new blog, a new website, a new podcast, a new book … all coming in the new year!

What’s next is the evolution of the message that started with The Power of Mortality™.  That evolution is the journey that I’ve been on for the past 24+ months.  And let me tell you… it’s quite a ride and the journey is just beginning!

I can’t wait to share it with you!  Are you up for it?

“I was stuck in this job, feeling like I was just on a treadmill of having to earn enough money so that I could afford to buy the house that was near enough to my job. It was just like this crazy cycle. On Sunday nights, me and my husband would be just grumpy and unhappy about having to go back to work. And I’d think, you know, we don’t have to do this. … I felt like I wasn’t being true to myself.”

Could that quote be from you?

It’s actually from a woman named Roz Savage who decided that she’d had enough of the “perfect life” – husband, corporate career, big house, little red sports car.  She decided to give it all up and row solo across the Atlantic.

While I don’t share her vision of rowing single-handedly across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in a 23-foot carbon-hulled rowboat – I absolutely LOVE her resolve in deciding to choose the life she wanted.

And how did she come to this life-changing conclusion?  She wrote two obituaries for herself. (A woman after my own heart!)  The first obituary was based on a life that continued along the path of the “perfect life”.  The second was based on a life of following her dreams.

While I haven’t read her book yet – I encourage you to read this interview that Roz did with the Globe & Mail newspaper: “Goodbye husband and career, hello high seas”

This article came to my attention via a Twitter post from my friend Bill Star. Bill is the CEO of My Life List™ which is a fantastic, free online community dedicated to helping each of us to design a “life list” that really matters.

So,  back to my original question: “Could the quote at the top be from you?”  Do you feel like you aren’t being true to yourself? Here’s how to get started on choosing the life you want:

1. Download and sign my free Mortality Manifesto Pledge.

2. Like Roz, write your own obituaries. One for the life that continues with the status quo and one for the life you would love to be living.

3. Sign up with My Life List™ and start creating and designing your new life step by step. There’s a wonderful community there to support you so you won’t feel like you’re alone on the Atlantic. (Unless that’s what you want to do!  In that case – talk to Roz!)

4. Come back here and share what amazing things you’re up to!

CONNECTING

Roz Savage – Twitter: @rozsavage Blog: http://rozsavage.com/blog/

Bill Star – Twitter: @mylifelist Blog: http://mylifelistceo.blogspot.com/

And I need your help!

- Please pass this video on to family and friends!

- Post it on your Facebook or MySpace pages!

- Share it via your own blogs!

- Spread the news through Twitter!

- Vote for it on StumbleUpon, Digg, and any other social bookmarking utility!

Let’s see how many people we can get to Take The Pledge!

Thanks!

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I just read a funny blog post written yesterday (Dec 30th at 11:32pm) by an acquaintance of mine named Chip.  It was titled “Eeek!” and the first paragraph says:

How has this happened? I had big plans to implement before the end of the year. I mean, I still have 24.5 hours but I plan on sleeping for at least 5 of those.

Do you find yourself in the same boat? I think that’s one of the reasons that people like to celebrate the new year – it allows us to turn the page on things that may not have worked out as we’d hoped and start fresh with a new set of goals, dreams and resolutions!

But unless you make some different choices in 2009 than you made in 2008, I guarantee that you will find yourself on Dec 30, 2009 saying: “Eeek!”

It really is that simple.  Whether or not we achieve our goals, has less to do with the actual goals, dreams and resolutions and more, much more, to do with the choices we make and the actions we take.

My resolution, my goal, my choice for 2009 is to help as many people as possible to begin to live the lives they really want, rather than the lives they’ve been getting by default.  I am working on three new books (a children’s story about the Power of Mortality™, a book of rituals that I’m working on with a co-author, and a follow-up to What’s Your Expiry Date?) and I’m going to have a powerful weekend seminar/retreat ready for the fall.  All of these exciting projects have the same objective: empower people to choose the life they want!

I want to make sure that from now on, at the end of December we aren’t saying:

“Eeek! How did this happen? Oh well, I’ll try again next year”

Instead, I want everyone to be left with the amazing feeling that you get when the roller-coaster pulls into the station and you say:

“YEAH!! That was a blast, let’s go again!”

So, who’s coming with me?

Happy YOU Year to everyone!!

If you find that my message offers a useful point of view, please take a moment to share it with anyone who might also benefit from hearing / reading it.

Also, please share your thoughts in the comments section!

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(By the way… if you have only listened to the audio version and are wondering what is so special about April 15, 1994. Wonder no longer!)

Well, I just came across a very simple and visually appealing version of that idea. Bonus: This version doesn’t mention that unfortunate “death” part.

Converse (the shoe company) has a very simple illustration of how powerful the present moment can be.  I’m quite ambivalent about their shoes, but I LOVE this message!  What are you waiting for? Go check it out!

WARNING:  If you see a link at the bottom for something called KISSINGWITHROSS.COM – don’t click it!  You’ve been warned and I cannot be held responsible for any mental anguish that results from ignoring my warning.

Last week I had my annual check-up with the cardiology team.  These are not your standard cardiologists – these doctors are specially trained in dealing with adults with congenital heart conditions. (Public Service Announcement: If you, or someone you love, was born with any sort of heart defect [as 1 in 100 babies are], then you need to be sure that you are being followed by a congenital heart specialist – not just a regular cardiologist.  For more information contact the CCHA in Canada or the ACHA in the US)

I have been having annual checkups since I was born (except for the seven or eight years after receiving my ‘expiry date’ – you may have read about those years in my book).  One of the diagnostic tests that they almost always use during these checkups is called an echocardiogram.  It’s the same technology that they use on pregnant women to check the progress of the baby and it gives you a fascinating look inside the human body.

So I have had the privilege of being able to watch my own heart as it does its thing.  I’m guessing that I’ve probably seen this “live and in person” about 31 times. And I have a powerful video clip of my own heart that I keep on my BlackBerry (Ask me to see it the next time you meet me).  For me, watching my heart is like visiting with a wise old friend.

Now my heart bears little resemblance to yours.  (If you haven’t already listened to my heart – you can do that here.) All my life I have had cardiologists tell me that if someone were to intentionally build a heart the way mine is built – it would never function.  But mine does!  I know that I am a walking miracle!

And that humbling fact was brought home to me once again last week as I lay on my side watching my heart beating away – doing things that it’s not supposed to do.

As I reflected on this miracle in action, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and drive sweep over me.  “I’ve been given a tremendous gift here!  Who am I to squander it by living an ‘ordinary’ life?”

Isn’t that a powerful realization?

But you don’t have to have a freakish heart to tap into that same feeling. Your own body, whether young or old, healthy or not, is a miracle of nature!  You have the ability to turn food and drink into muscles and bones.  You pull oxygen out of the air and turn it into thoughts and dreams.  And all without any effort on your part!

You’re a miracle in action too!  So please tell me you’re not planning on living an ordinary life!  No matter what sort of live you’ve been living up to this point – it can all change now!  With the very next beat of your heart, you can decide to live your life on purpose.  And if you ever get discouraged or doubtful… put two fingers on your wrist, feel the driving rhythm of your pulse and tap into that motivation from within!

ENJOY NOW!

This morning I was looking at some amazing photos that Jose’ has on Facebook.  As soon as I saw them, I realized that I had to write a blog post about them, so I dropped him a note to ask if I could use them. He wrote back and told me that I was welcome to use the photos.  He also told me that there was a story behind them – and what a story it is!  So today, I will bring you Jose’s story.  Then, in my next blog entry,  I will give you the post that I was originally inspired to write when I saw these fantastic photos.

Here are the photos (Jose’ is the one in the white t-shirt) – Click on each one to see the larger photo):

And here’s the story behind them, as told by Jose’:

I was scared of heights. A couple of years ago the German girlfriend I had at the time took me sight seeing on top of Cologne cathedral. Going up the never ending stairs did not make me realize how high we were going as we had no windows around us. When we got to the top and realized the height, I simply froze, got hold of the wall behind me and was shaking with panic. Well it took her and some other tourist around 45 minutes to get me down. I went down the steps facing the wall and my girlfriend talking me about silly stuff to deviate my frightening thoughts.

Last year I started working on myself and getting my life in shape. One of the things I had to work on was the fear of heights. I was going to be in Hawaii for a conference regarding personal development and I decided to take action to defeat this fear of heights. I booked a skydive 5 weeks before the jump and from that day I created a mind movie where I saw myself boarding the plane with a smile and no fear and also watched myself jump off the aircraft with a big smile and screaming with joy having the time of my life. I went through this mind movie at least once a day till the jump and while doing so I said aloud to myself “I am going to skydive and am going to have fun”. Well, I jumped and it was a live performance of my mind movie and did not feel any fear for not even a fraction of a second. Now I know that with the right mind-set I can achieve what I want.

Do I have some powerful friends, or what?

Now I want you to consider doing three simple things:

1. Use the comments section below to tell us how you’ve overcome fears.

2. Forward this to any of your friends who are having difficulty facing their fears.

3. Join Jose’ and I on Facebook!

ENJOY NOW!

Many people dread Monday because it means that the weekend is over and they have to go back to work.

After you look at this photo, ask yourself… is your Monday morning really as bad as this guy’s?  How much must he dread going to bed on Sunday night?

So…Is your job really all that bad?

Image from Flickr © All rights reserved. PC Virus

Everyone also understands that this is much easier said than done. Millions of people tuned in to see Oprah and Eckhart Tolle discuss the concepts of living a life that is focused in the moment. So are we to assume that those millions of people have now discovered their life’s purpose and are living in the moment? Not likely.

Life gets in the way. Sometimes it feels as though we are trying to swim upstream against the powerful currents of time.

In past posts, I’ve offered numerous tricks for staying anchored against the currents of time. Often they are inspired by “normal” yet unusual things such as a zen roadmap for your life that I saw in Japan.

Today I received another piece of wisdom from the Universe.  Musicians David Byrne and Brian Eno released a preview MP3 from a new album that they are doing together. The title of the album?

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.

Think about that one for a while and you’ll find that it really helps anchor you in the moment!

ENJOY NOW!

I’m actively working on Phase II of my life’s mission. This involves a new book, a new series of keynotes and some web-based programs and audio programs. But the part I’m most excited about is an intensive weekend retreat/seminar that I’m developing which has grown out of my current workshops.

If you would like a sneak-peek and would be interested in providing feedback – please let me know and I’ll put you on the list of “insiders”.  Just send me an e-mail with “Fearless Focus” in the subject line.  My address is patrick {at} mathieu {dot} com.

ENJOY NOW!

If you haven’t already seen this video from Matt Harding, you owe it to yourself to watch it.

Here’s the YouTube link just in case the embedded video isn’t working properly.It’s an amazing accomplishment and I dare you not to be moved by some of the scenes. The concept is so simple, and yet the result is so profound! What’s even more amazing is the story of what pushed Matt to begin this globe-trotting, silly dancing odyssey. I won’t tell you what his career was before doing this video or why he decided to turn his back on that world, (I’ll let you read that for yourself on his Wikipedia entry) but I will say this:

The world needs more people who are willing to put principles first,
fearlessly dance their own dance
and who are willing to choose the life they want!

I just happened across a web page called “The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the Twenty-First Century”. On the “ABOUT” page I found this:

Back in high school, after reading Space-Time and Beyond for the umpteenth time and drinking one too many zombies with my friend Henry, we came up with a theory:

In the infinite set of universes, there had to exist a particular universe in which the events in our lives were being watched as a TV show.

We then made a solemn vow to live the kind of life that got high ratings.

This is the continuation of that story.

What a fantastic way to look at life! I love it!

So… here are my questions to you:
1. If your life were a TV show, what real TV show would it resemble? (Or would it be unlike anything on TV today?)

2. If you had to have a famous actor playing the role of you – who would it be?

and here’s the big one…

3. In a universe of infinite TV programs to choose from – would you choose to watch a show about the life you are currently living? (If not, maybe it’s time to choose the life you want.)

Let’s hear your answers in the comments section.

I encourage you to watch this fantastic, throught-provoking presentation (it’s only 18 minutes and 44 seconds long). If the embedded video below isn’t behaving properly, then you can find it at this link.

Then I encourage you to read (and listen to the podcast) about my own experience and the lessons I learned from my stroke in 2006.

If all of that leaves you feeling left out (hehe!) you should read my post titled: How to have a STROKE. It gives you all of the insight and none of the hospital food! How’s that for a deal?

As soon as everything has been finalized I will make an announcement.

Thanks for your patience!

I recently got a message from one of my subscribers.  She was concerned about the silence and asked if I was still OK.  The answer is “Yes, I’m OK – thanks for asking!“.  There have been some big changes underway with me lately.

I’ll share these changes with everyone on April 15th.  Why April 15th?  Because it is a very significant day.  Do you know why? Give me your guesses in the “comments” section.  The first person to give the correct answer will receive a free copy of my 365 Personal Expiry Dates. (Hint: it has nothing to do with taxes)

If you want to find out how/what I’m doing/thinking in-between blog entries, you can follow me on Twitter.  My latest “tweet” (as they’re called) appears on the right side of my blog under the heading The Latest From Patrick…  If you use Twitter, you can follow me here.

So… what is the significance of April 15th?

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As most of you know, I developed the Power of Mortality™ in 1994. For a number of years it was simply my own personal philosophy. It was how I lived my life and it worked wonderfully!

Then in 2003 I realized that my story and my philosophy can help others with their own personal life challenges. I decided to use my considerable talents as a communicator to help people implement the Power of Mortality™ to live a life that is fearless, focused and free from regrets.

• I began giving keynote speeches.
• I started an e-mail newsletter that now reaches people in 30 countries around the globe.
• I began conducting workshops.
• I wrote a book.
• I began doing television and radio interviews, including Oprah & Friends.
• I was featured in newspapers and magazines.
• I started a podcast.
• I started a blog.
• … and I have many other plans in the works!

It has been a very rewarding five years and I have met many fantastic people who have shared with me how they have applied the Power of Mortality™ in their own lives. Their stories have always touched me deeply.

You will notice though, that all of my efforts so far have been on the level of one-to-many. Countless people over the years have asked me if I can work directly with them. They wanted to supercharge their experience with the Power of Mortality™ by having a one-to-one relationship with me. So far, I have not offered that type of service because I felt that I lacked the proper tools and framework for dealing with someone on a one-on-one basis.

However, I am thrilled to announce that I have just finished my training with the Certified Coaches Federation and I’m now a Certified Coach Practitioner! This training has given me the skills and techniques that I wanted to have in place before I started working with people on a one-on-one basis.

So for those of you who’ve read my book, attended one of my presentations or simply just been following my blog or podcast – I want you to take a moment to consider the following: Possibly something about the Power of Mortality™, or a certain aspect of my personal story, has touched something deep inside of you. You might have noticed that it has awakened long forgotten dreams and goals. Or perhaps you are now experiencing something in your life with which you would like help. If you want to achieve a certain goal or overcome a limitation I would be honored to offer my services. Together we can use the Power of Mortality™ to create a life for you that is fearless, focused and free from regrets!

You may want to consider booking a free 30-minute initial session with me. After we’ve had an opportunity to complete that call, you will have a solid understanding of the possibilities that are available to once you hire me as your coach. Here is how to reach me:

Phone: +1-519-763-6245
E-mail: patrick@mathieu.com
SkypeID: barcodeguy

This is the next level in the evolution of my mission to use the Power of Mortality™ to help transform the world! I invite you to come and play with me on this delicious journey called life!

ENJOY NOW!

But don’t worry, on February 15th, we can all go back to normal!

I wouldn’t call myself jaded, but I’m always perplexed by our society’s need to set aside a special day to honor things that we should be constantly honoring.

• Do you only express your love on February 14th?
• Do you only cherish your marriage on your anniversary?
• Do you only celebrate someone’s life on their birthday?
• Do you only honor your mother on Mother’s Day? Your father on Father’s Day?

When we set aside these days, it can lead us to take things for granted the other 364 days of the year. This sort of thinking is exactly why so many people end up a funerals saying: “If only I had told them how much they meant to me.”

Years ago I wrote an article where I suggested that we replace the cliché “Carpe Diem” (Seize the day) with “Celebre Diem” or Celebrate the Day!

So go ahead and buy the chocolates and flowers tomorrow. But if you really want to show them how much they mean to you… do it next week too!

ENJOY NOW!

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I have a question for you.

I want you to be really honest with yourself when you answer this question:

How much of your life is dedicated to “being right”?

I’m currently taking a seminar series and one of the things that has come out of that seminar is the idea that we waste an awful lot of time and energy focusing on the idea of being “right”.

If you honestly reflect on this, you’ll see that I’m right! (ha!)

But the real issue isn’t about being right or wrong. The real issue is about how long you hold onto that feeling of righteousness. It’s also about the cost of that sort of mindset.

Let me give you an example: Two friends are driving somewhere new for the first time. They are old friends and haven’t seen each other in a while so they have a lot to discuss. They are having a fantastic conversation when the road comes to an end and they can only turn left or right. There are no signs to indicate which way they should go and the directions they were given didn’t include this information either. One friend, we’ll call him Mr. Left, says “I think we should go left.” The other friend, Mr. Right, says: “No, I’m positive that we should go right.” But Mr. Left is behind the steering wheel and decides to go with his instinct, so they turn left.

Now I want you to consider two scenarios that unfold from this point.

Scenario 1
Mr. Right is very vocal about his opposition to the decision to go left. “You’re wrong. This is the wrong way. Turn around and go back,” he tells his friend. But they continue driving. Mr. Right, convinced that they are going the wrong way, cannot sit still. He keeps fidgeting in his seat and steaming over the fact that his friend didn’t listen to him. For his part, Mr. Left can sense his friend’s displeasure and is now getting worried about whether or not he made the correct decision. Twenty minutes later, it is very clear that they made the wrong choice at the intersection, so they turn around. Mr. Left feels very bad about this. “See, I TOLD YOU SO.” says Mr. Right. Clearly he was correct. The facts have supported his position. But then why doesn’t he feel any better? As they drive back, his mind has escalated beyond being upset that his friend didn’t listen to him and has now started thinking about all the other times his friend didn’t listen to him. And about all of the other people in his life who might have dismissed his ideas or opinions. ANOTHER twenty minutes and they are back at the same intersection, only this time they proceed in the correct direction. “We’re now forty minutes later than we would have been if only you had listened to me!” yells Mr. Right. Ten minutes later they arrive at the destination. They are both very stressed out and neither of them is speaking to one another.

Scenario 2
In this scenario, Mr. Left still decides to go left and Mr. Right still thinks that this is the wrong decision. However in this scenario Mr. Right has let go of the need to be right. The two men continue their conversations and appreciate the new scenery. After twenty minutes, it is very clear that they made the wrong choice at the intersection so they turn around. “Told ya so!” jokes Mr. Right. Twenty minutes later they pass the intersection without comment because they are too busy with their engaging conversation. Ten minutes after that they arrive at their destination, having had an extra forty minutes of fantastic discussion.

So, how important is it to you to be right?

Oftentimes we are given a choice between being right and having peace. Peace of mind and peace in our relationships. I’m certainly not advocating that you let people walk all over you in the name of “keeping the peace”. You should still stand up for what you believe is right. My advice is to let go of the need to be right as soon as the decision is made, because if you cling to it beyond that point, you are living in the past. And living in the past can only lead to suffering. Living in the past breeds regrets and resentments. And you and I are above that. We’re after lives that are FEARLESS, FOCUSED and FREE FROM REGRETS, aren’t we?

(You know I’m right!)

ENJOY NOW!

Today, Tim wrote a serious blog post on the topic of depression and suicide. (You need to read it!)

Tim isn’t a doctor. He’s not a psychologist. But he has a blog with a very large audience and he has decided to step outside of his usual subject matter to make a very important comment on a very important topic. He says:

Statistically, out of the millions of people who visit this blog, a fair number will consider or attempt suicide. I want to know that I at least made an effort to prevent such terrible loss.

Tim’s post has reminded me of two important things:

• We all have a duty to watch out for one another
• You don’t need to be an expert to offer assistance – especially if that assistance is to help someone find an expert.

It would have been so easy for Tim to simply continue using his blog to regale us with his globe-trotting, time-saving tales of his fantastic life and how we too can have that life. But today, Tim decided to step out of that comfort zone and give something back to the community.

Thanks for the lesson Tim!

ENJOY NOW!

In South Korea, a company called Korea Life Consulting will let you attend your own funeral!

That’s right – you read your last will and testament then climb into a casket.  The good folks from Korea Life Consulting then nail the lid shut, sprinkle dirt on the lid and play funeral music!  After 15 minutes, they pry open the lid and you emerge – reborn!

One of the participants had to say this:

“I felt really, really scared inside the coffin and also thought a lot about my mom,” said Lee Hye-jung, a 23-year-old woman studying engineering. “I’ll live differently from now on so as not to have any regrets about my life.”

POWERFUL STUFF!

So what do you think?  Should I incorporate some caskets into my next workshop or weekend seminar?

Read the story for yourself.

Something like:

• Whitewater rafting
• Hiking in the Himalayas
• Driving a race car
• Shooting under 100 for a round of golf

Or maybe it’s something like making pottery or working with stained-glass.

You see what they are doing and you say to yourself: “Man! I’d love to try that one day!” But of course one day isn’t a day on the calendar – so you never get around to trying it.

I recently met a very interesting young man named Frank who is involved in parkour. If you don’t know what parkour is (or even if you do) you need to watch this amazing three minute video clip. (Warning: your heart will be beating faster by the time you finish it and you if your boss catches you watching it at work, you will have the urge to vault over your cubicle wall to escape.)

I’ve always wanted to try parkour, but I’m wise enough to know that you need some basic training before you start (not to mention a level of physical conditioning that I just don’t have at the moment). Now that I know Frank, I can live vicariously thorough him and that might be just the motivation I need to start getting in shape to try out some of these moves.What about you? What things would you love to try? Are they things that you can jump right into, or do you need to work up to them? If you can jump right in – what’s stopping you? If you need to work up to them – what are you doing to start the process? A good place to start would be to become acquainted with someone who is already doing what you’d like to do.

For 2008, why not vow to surround yourself with “successful” people? And by that, I mean people who are doing what you’d like to do.

Now I just need to ask Frank if he’s ever done THIS – because MAN-O-MAN would I ever love to fly like that!

Too often in the Western world, negotiation is seen as the domain of union officials, real estate agents and used car dealers. We expect a certain amount of negotiating when making some purchases but we fail to see how much more we could be getting out of life simply by asking! I don’t think I’ll be using all of the hardcore tips from Tim’s article, but it did a great job of reminding me that we need to look at life from time to time and say “Is that the best you can do for me?”

Don’t settle for what’s being offered just because you’re afraid to ask some questions that may seem uncomfortable at first! You’re life is worth more than that – isn’t it?

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- Are you one of those people that needs to ALWAYS have things planned out?

- Are you someone who needs to have a contingency plan for every possible outcome?

- Do you usually hold off on making a decision until you have ‘all the facts’, but never seem to get around to taking action because there may be something else you aren’t considering?

If this sounds like you, I want to give you some advice that might just be very liberating for you. Either that, or it will be completely terrifying for you!

Life is meant to be LIVED, not planned!

So many people today use ‘planning’ as a delay tactic to hide their fear.

• Fear that they will be wrong
• Fear that things won’t ‘work out’
• Fear that they will look foolish

And since fear is such a pervasive part of our modern society, we completely justify this obsession with planning as a ‘responsible’ or ‘rational’ thing to do.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not advocating that you make snap decisions or rush into action. I’m saying that life is a full-contact game and if your strategy is to mentally play out every move to its logical conclusion before you start moving, you won’t actually be living – you’ll be staring at a clipboard on the sidelines until the game is over.

Now I’ll bet that 20% of you are saying: “Thanks Patrick, but I already spend more time in action than in planning”.

20% of you are saying: “You know what? I do plan too much and I like the idea of getting into action more quickly. I’m going to give it a try! Thanks for the push Patrick!”

10% of you are saying: “Patrick, are you crazy? Give up the comfort zone that ‘planning’ offers me? Never!!”

But I’ll be there are at least 50% of you who are saying: “You know what Patrick, I think you are on to something here! It sounds like a good idea and it definitely warrants further research. I’ll add that to my ‘to-do list’ and look into it as soon as I get a chance.”

Well, if you’re in the last category I’m not letting you off the hook that easily. I’ve put together a reading list for you.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell

Jump In!: Even If You Don’t Know How to Swim by reality TV mogul Mark Burnett

Screw It, Let’s Do It by Sir Richard Branson

And for those of you that don’t want to wait to start researching, read this fascinating interview that Tim Ferris (author of the Four Hour Work Week) did with invention guru Stephen Key and pay particular attention to question #2.

ENOUGH! Start Living!!

ENJOY NOW!

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Ask any parent what they want for their children’s lives and I’ll bet you get the same answer: “I just want them to be happy.”

Sounds reasonable – right? So then why don’t we wish the same for ourselves?

More and more I’m beginning to believe (not just think, but truly believe) that happiness is a choice. Forget the fact that you’ve probably seen that phrase on a coffee mug or poster with a cutsey kitten photo, the fact remains: you can choose to find the negative or positive in any situation. Don’t believe me? Just ask Viktor Frankl.

So here’s what I’m doing about it. I’ve decided that starting today, happiness is my highest priority! After all – life is too short to not be happy as much as possible. I’ll tell you how I’m going to do it so that you can join me in this experiment.

First – I’m going to try to stay focused on the present moment – every moment. To do this, I’ll need to try to turn off the narrating voice in my head – no small task. I’ll start by re-reading one of my favorite books: The Power of Now

Next – I’m going to look for something in each moment and situation that I can be happy about.

Finally – I’m going to spend some time each day thinking about things as I’d like them to be. I’ll ask myself, “What would be really great? What would make me so happy I’d be giddy?”

Another important key to all of this is gratitude. It’s very difficult to be negative and grateful at the same time. Thankfully, I have LOTS to be grateful for!

Now some may call this “wishful thinking” or accuse me of pushing a Pollyanna attitude. That’s OK. My guess is that these people will not be happier than me!

I don’t expect this experiment to be easy. But I do expect the results to be profound. Check back to see how I’m doing (I’ll provide updates in the comments section of this post.)

Do you have any suggestions on how I can make the most of my experiment? Do you have any experience with this sort of attitude? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

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Have you ever had the realization that you were spending time on something that just wasn’t worth it?

Have you ever looked at a situation and said “Life is too short for this!”

And I don’t mean the time you decided that the lineup at Starbucks was too long to wait. I’m talking about BIG things. Life altering things.

If you’re familiar with my story, it won’t surprise you that I’ve had more than my fair share of “life is too short” revelations over the years. In fact, I use this phrase on a daily basis! You see, when you live your life using the Power of Mortality™, it becomes part of your built-in decision-making process.

Here’s how it works: If something is causing you some degree of stress, frustration, anger, anxiety – or ANY other negative emotion, simply ask yourself: “Is this worth it? If I knew that I only had six months left to live, would I want to spend my time and energy on this?”

I’ll give you one example from my own life.

I was once engaged to a woman who is not my wife. That’s right, I bought the diamond ring… got down on one knee and proposed. And she accepted! We set the wedding date for a year later. But as I drove away from the scene of the proposal, I couldn’t help notice a feeling that wasn’t quite right.

Don’t get me wrong – I was happy. I proposed… she said yes… so of course I was happy. But I wasn’t thrilled. And growing up I always imagined that I’d be thrilled when I got engaged. As the months progressed, I became less and less convinced that I’d made the right decision. Was it just “cold feet”? I couldn’t be sure – after all, I’d never been engaged before.

And here was the really tough part. There was nothing about the situation that was wrong – it was just that I knew that it wasn’t right. If something were clearly wrong, then my decision would have been simple. But given that I couldn’t point to one thing as the source of my unease, I felt trapped in the situation.

It took a few months, but I eventually I managed to quiet down the voice in my head (the one that was telling me to ’suck it up and stick to your decision’) long enough to listen to my heart. And the second I did that, I realized one crystal clear truth:

Life is too short to spend it married to someone that you’re not thrilled about!

So I broke off the engagement (and the relationship) seven months before the wedding! We already had a deposit on a hall, we had already purchased the bonbonnières, and of course both families were gearing up for the nuptials. It was one of the most difficult days of my life and I was deeply sorry for the hurt that it caused my fiancée – but I knew in my heart that I was doing the right thing – life is too short!

(And for the record… my wife was the one who proposed to me! And I was so thrilled that I don’t even remember driving home that day!)

So what about YOU? Have you had any “life is too short…” realizations? Let’s hear about them in the comments!

I’m planning to interview some people who’ve made serious changes to their lives thanks to the realization that “life is too short”, so please come back soon to be inspired by their stories! (Or better yet, subscribe to email updates by entering your email address in the box on the upper right corner of the page or subscribe to my RSS feed.)

Last Friday, I received the following e-mail from a Mindful Moment subscriber (she kindly agreed to let me reprint it here):

Patrick:
Reading your Mindful Moment comments this Thanksgiving brought forward a very important message often overlooked. At first I was puzzled that you chose this for Thanksgiving. Soon it became clear.The following morning at 5:15 a.m. my oldest daughter Jamie was in a severe motor vehicle accident and was transferred to a trauma center in Hamilton with a fractured pelvis and back as well as a small bleed on her brain.

How quickly our normal routine lives can change. A knock at the door and a police officer and the beginning of something you never imagined. As my husband and I drove home from the hospital tonight and did our usual venting of exactly how blessed and grateful we feel, how incredibly lucky Jamie had been, and how wonderfully supportive our family, friends and entire community has been, the importance of your message shines through.

I hope all my daughters have known they are loved unconditionally but there will never be a time that I will hesitate to say it.

God bless you and promise to give your son a HUGE hug from his “friend” Debbie.

-Debbie

Friends, I want each of you to promise me, and promise Debbie, that as soon as the goose bumps on your arms go down, you’ll run to your loved ones, or at the very least pick up the phone and call them to let them know just how much they mean to you! Promise?

Now I want you to imagine that this is the last time you would ever see that person again.

• Imagine how long you would take to say goodbye.
• What would you say?
• What would you make absolutely sure they know?

Our need to say goodbye is tremendously strong. The book Final Gifts by two hospice nurses, Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley, is filled with very touching stories illustrating dying people’s need for closure.

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho recently shared the following story:

During the atrocities that accompanied the Bolshevik revolution, thousands of people were arbitrarily arrested, beaten, stripped and executed with a shot in the back of the head. According to one witness: “at the most tragic moment in our lives we have an absolute need to not feel alone. So most of the victims asked to say goodbye – and since there was nobody nearby, they embraced and said farewell to their executioners.”

Life is full of uncertainties. We never know when we will be saying goodbye for the last time. Now I’m not advocating that you say your final goodbyes each and every time you leave for work or head to the store for milk.

What I am suggesting is that from time to time we need to check in with ourselves to ensure that those whom we love know how much they mean to us.

I will consider my life a success if I can go to my grave knowing that there is no one to whom I didn’t get the chance to say the words “I’m sorry”, “I forgive you”, or “I love you”.

Is there anything you are leaving unsaid?