Table of Contents
Yes long, but short sections…
To My Children
Dedicated to
Preface
I: WOUNDED PEOPLE
My Mother’s Influence
My Father’s Indifference
Not My World
My Personal Quest
Stolen Lives…My Childhood Memories
On My Own
II: YOU FIRST…PERSONAL ENRICHMENT
ATTITUDE IS LIFE…LIFE IS ATTITUDE
Attitude First…all Things being Equal, Attitude Wins
The Power of our Thoughts…Nothing Good Comes from Thinking Bad
Wrong or Meaningless Thoughts
Rejection is Merely Redirection
Expectations…Expect Only to Have a Good Time
The Wisdom of Patience…
Waiting is the Hardest Part
Live Simply
Forgiveness… the Answer to Almost Everything
Attitude and You
Gratitude
Affirmations
TO KNOW YOURSELF
Authentically You
The Mistake of Ego
Every Person Has a Talent
You Always Live With You
LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE
You First
The Selfs…Self-Worth, Self-Esteem and Self Acceptance
Self-Acceptance and Children
Physical Health is a Lifestyle
The Great American Pastime
Don’t Compromise Yourself
Deceived Me Not
THE ESSENCE OF WHO YOU ARE
Pride is Self-Respect
Character and Personal Values…the Measure of Your Soul
The Great Escape-Goat
Personal Values
Kindness is From Your Heart
Trust…Allow it to be Earned
Courage is One More Day
Do the Right Thing
Consequences and Lessons…Life’s Teacher
INTELLIGENCE AND WISDOM
The Power of Your Mind
Imagination is the Beginning
Intelligence is not Enough…Common Sense Prevails
Knowledge is Power
Wisdom…the Reward of Age
Decisions…Confront Reality
To make no Decision is Making a Decision
Intuition…when You Absolutely Know
Be Careful what You Say
Listen, Listen, Listen
The Art of Listening
SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Failure is no Accident
Success is Definitively Personal
Creation not Competition
Opportunity is all Around Us
Perseverance and Determination…The Real Secret to Success
What I’ve learned from Business
My Idea of Success
Beware of Free
Integrity
FINANCIAL ADVICE AS A WAY OF LIFE
Excessive Spending is Financial Destruction
Debt
Credit Cards and the FICO
Saving is a Habit
Retirement
Employee Benefits Package
Investments
Real Estate
Life Insurance
Financial and Estate Planning
Taxes
Giving
III: THE RIVER…IN HARMONY WITH LIFE
FLOW WITH THE RIVER
Letting Go is to Set Yourself Free
Lighten Up…the Chill Factor
Get Into Life
What I Almost didn’t do
Change and Starting Over
Afraid of Change
No Waiting for Tomorrow
Risk is Opening up to Life
From the Beginning
Where You Belong
Bloom where You are Planted
Keep Life Balanced
Say “Yes” to Life
REALITY AND TRUTH
The Truth is There
Perception and Perspective
The Story of Twin Boys
Some People don’t want to Hear the Truth
LIFE’S ANSWERS
Life has Only One Direction…Forward
My Life Lesson #1
The Answers don’t Always Come when You Want Them
The Natural Laws of Life
Law of Vibration and Attraction
Law of Polarity
Law of Rhythm
Law of Relativity
Law of Cause and Effect
Law of Gender
Law of Transmutation
MEANING OF LIFE
Living Well is the Best Revenge
Family
Priorities
The Small Stuff…It’s all Small Stuff
A Lesson in Pettiness
The Silent Survey
IV: PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS…HEAVEN OR HELL
ON EARTH
OUR RELATIONSHIPS
My Life Lesson #2
Relationships are Essential to Life
The Seasons of Relationships
Value People and Treat them Well
My Life Lesson #3
Friends…Those Other Special Relationships
Intentions
Teach People how to Treat You
You don’t Know a Person Until You go Through a Life Crisis with Them
Difficult People
My Life Lesson #4
Character, Personality and Behavior Disorders
Codependence
People Who just aren’t Nice
The Scorpion and the Frog
For No Reason
Close Relationships…the Heart of Our Existence
Find the Right People and Let Go of the Wrong Ones
Love Relationships
The Need for Love
Love is as Necessary to Life as Air
Finding Love…Love Stories
PARENTING AND CHILDREN
Your First Family
Build Self-Esteem First
Parenting is not for Everyone
Just a Thought
Our Precious Children
Children are a Lifelong Commitment
Say No to Children
A Parent’s Advice
Teenagers…Challenging Times
Rick on Life and Teenagers
“When I Ran Away”
Character Disorders in the Teen Years
The Pleasure Chaser
Teenagers Have Got to Have Boundaries
A Mother’s Intuition
Love is not Enough
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Marriage…The Ultimate Relationship
Together Forever…The Greatest Happiness is Family Happiness
Divorce
Divorce and Children
Another Chance at Love
V: THE STORMS OF LIFE
LEARN TO HANDLE THE DOWNTIMES
A Good Life is not Easy
No Way to Handle Life
Crossroads and Wrong Roads
Surprise Attacks…the Unexpected
Solutions not Problems
The Long and Winding Road
Cherish Your Time Alone
GRIEF AND TRANSITION
The Land of No Return
Grief will Change You Forever
Our Broken Heart
INSANITY AND NONSENSE
Control Yourself not Others
Addictions are Simply not Worth It
Obsessions will Drive You Crazy
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Good Emotions are Contagious
Enemy Emotions (Negativity, Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Fear)
Pain and Isolation
Trauma and Life Crisis
My Life Lesson #5
The Past…You don’t Live There Anymore
Highly-Sensitive People
Emotions and Children
VI: SATORI…SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT
ALL THAT IS WONDERFUL…EMBRACING OUR REAL POWERS
The Gateless Gate…Only Positive Attitudes Allowed
Manifesting Your Life
Why is it Taking so Long to get What I Want?
Passion Rules
Selling Out
Nature’s Beauty
Animals and Pets…Nature’s Most Wonderful Gifts
Never Stop Dreaming
Dreams are Visionary
It’s Never too Late
Translating Your Dreams
The Search for Happiness
And Always…Faith, Hope and Believing
Fateful Coincidence
Your Spiritual World
Do You Believe in Miracles?
To Make a Difference
The Power of One Person
How One Person Made a Difference
The Power of Love
When all Else Fails
Love Will Find the Way
Closing Thoughts
Profound Realizations…What I Believe About Life…by Velinda
What I’ve Learned From Life…by Velinda
Reference Books: (Appendix)
