Hi ,

We’re writing this from Costa Rica where we’re doing business with a big car dealership. So far, we’ve delivered Super Service to about 2,000 employees in Guatemala, Panama and now in Costa Rica—so being of service is spreading everywhere!

In-between training, we had a couple of days off and went to the hotel store to see if they had any books in English. There were just a couple and the one that popped out was called, ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari,’ so we bought a copy and went poolside to read. It’s the first time in a long time that someone has read to me, but that’s what happened, Jeff put on his reading glasses and began to read…and it was the most wonderful experience, just listening and soaking in the words.

The book is about a Harvard Law graduate who makes it big, until he has a heart attack and has to review his life. He ends up going to India where he meets a guru who tells him the secrets of life. Now, I think by now we all know the secrets to a prosperous, happy and rewarding life, but a lot of time, we get so caught up in the routine of life that we forget. This book was a great reminder! The thing that sticks out most is to not harbor any negative thoughts, not even for a moment.

So as Jeff was reading I heard it as if for the first time, “Worry drains the mind of much of its power and, sooner or later, it injures the soul. To live to the fullest, you must stand guard at the gate of your garden and let only the very best information enter. You truly cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought—not even one.” The book goes on to tell a story of some monks who, if one impure thought enters the ‘temples of their mind’ they travel “many miles to an imposing waterfall and stand under the ice-cold water until they can no longer bear the frigid temperatures.”
Well, that’s okay if you’re living in the Himalayas, I thought, but there aren’t too many waterfalls in Chicago! Still, the information was good, because I’ve always known that when we feed negative thoughts they create negative lives, but I had forgotten that they are so toxic that it is impossible to create an abundant, healthy happy life, if we’re having thoughts of worry, fear and hopelessness.

As Jeff continued to read the book to me, we spent a happy, relaxing afternoon, learning and remembering the information that helps create an amazing life. The next day, we took a trip to the rain forest where we saw green frogs with red eyes, humming birds, snakes and butterflies; at the end of the tour we climbed to the waterfalls. There were five; the biggest called the Magic White Waterfall. It was tremendous and reminded me of the power of nature spilling into the giant ravine and sending a fine mist of water into the air. So now, whenever a negative thought weaves it’s way into my mind, I imagine I’m standing under the cold, powerful waterfall and ‘POW!’ the negative thought is literally washed away from my mind.

What I realize is this. Everywhere and all the time we are being given messages, reminders, magical coincidences that say, ‘life is amazing, awaken to all the abundance and happiness that is bursting all around you.’ It’s here now all around us. And we have a choice. We can feed the negative thoughts that the media send out of fear, hopelessness and worry, or we can feed the positive thoughts of hope, joy, and people doing amazing things for no other reason than that we can! So make the choice to feed the positive thoughts. And when you find yourself thinking negative ones, visualize yourself standing under a powerful, cold waterfall and let nature wash them away. Replace them with thoughts of love, happiness and joy; shine your light and do what you love.

All the very best.

Val & Jeff

The Winner's Attitude Update

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