Miraculous Therapy Mondays: This Year Would You Like to Discover What You Were Born to Do?

Thought for the Day: As we begin this new year, do you feel like you have lost sight of your dreams? Would you like to discover what you were born to do? People who allow themselves to dare to dream tend to be happier. I want to help you find your way to have a happier life this year. Next week, I will share the Top 5 Miraculous Motivational Monday Posts from 2013, but today I want to give you something that will make a difference for those of you who have lost sight of your dreams. Since it is the beginning of a new year, it is a good time to think about where you are going, individually and as a couple. Read on, if you would like to discover what you were born to do and make it happen. It is something that I teach my clients and explain in depth in my book, The Wake Up and Dream Challenge. When I teach it to couples in therapy, I explain it to them together, but ask them to work on it individually and not to share their homework until they have both completed it. The Dream Positioning System™or DPS is a therapeutic technique that works like the GPS in your car on steroids.  Unlike most New Year's Resolutions that people make with good intentions and forget relatively quickly, the DPS will start you on a path that will help you redesign your life. If you have questions feel free to post them here and I will respond.

Wednesdsy's Wake Up Moments: The Christopher Lane Murder: What Do You Do When You Are Discouraged?

Thought for the Day: Wednesdays posts are being focused on you, my readers & fans. I want to know your high & low "Wake Up" moments on the rod to your dreams. I have been opening the discussion by sharing some of my highs & lows over the last few Wednesdays. Those of you reading my posts know that the end of the summer has been jam packed, making it hard to keep up. We have a friend here helping us do some work on the house . We are taking advantage of the end of the summer to get projects done before the weather changes. It is both a high & a low, making it hard to keep up with the blog.

However, this morning after a power outage, when I began to catch up by reading the news,  my challenges were brought into perspective, triggering a very discouraging low for me. In shock and sadness, I read about the senseless murder of Christopher Lane in Oklahoma. Lane was a college student athlete. He came from Australia to the US to play baseball & be with his American girlfriend of four years. He gunned down while jogging by 3 teens who said they were, "bored" & decided to kill someone.

I have been writing about gun control & preventive mental health programs in our school since before the Newtown tragedy. I am discouraged & heartbroken. When will we wake up & work together in nonpartisan efforts to improve the laws? When will parents (and all citizens) demand stronger mental health programs that will help curb the increase of violence in our nation? I will not be deterred from speaking up, going to Washington, & encouraging everyone who reads my blog to search for creative solutions. I for one could use a "virtual hug" from you via comments & suggestions from anyone who is struggling with these issues & agrees that we must take action. Together solutions can be found to whatever challenges we face.

How about you? What do you do when you are discouraged? Do you need a "virtual hug?" Feel free to post your highs & lows get some support as you move towards the lives of your dreams.

*This photo provided by East Central University shows Christopher Lane, an Australian who was on a baseball scholarship at East Central University in Ada, Okla. Lane was in Duncan, Okla., visiting his girlfriend, when he was shot and killed Friday, Aug. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/East Central University Communications & Marketing, Gina Smith)

Saturday and Sunday's Songs for the Soul: "Imagine" Playing for Change

Thought for the Day: I've had a very busy weekend so today I am posting for Saturday & Sunday! I am bringing a wonderful recording which is part of the Playing for Change project. The organization records the same song with street musician from around the world & then mixes the performances together. It is truly a worldwide effort to connect the world via music & creativity. The proceeds from the sales go to music programs around the world. The song I chose is John Lennon's "Imagine." Hear it like you have never heard the song before & imagine the possibilities for change. It is helping keep Lennon's Dream fro peace alive.
The free e-book download of The Wake Up and Dream Challenge is a part of a similar endeavor to help change the world one person at a time by helping them reach their dreams while helping 21 Dream Nonprofit organizations help others reach their dreams. It is just a week away so come back to find out how to download my book for Free.

#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Resilience & Medical Miracles Keep Dreams Alive

Thought for the Day: It's Friday & time for my fabulous finds. These are truly inspirational. This week I have been writing about how to recover from trauma following the Tornado in Oklahoma. Here are 3 finds related to resilience, a major goal of positive psychology in the face of traumatic events. Since Monday is Memorial Day, my first find is a wonderful video about a veteran's drive to beat the odds & continue to achieve his dreams. See how he is beating the odds & running marathons despite having lost not only his leg, but also his hip. The second find is an indigogo crowd fundraising campaign which will surely help others amputees. A Canadian group is using the youngest victim of the marathon bombing, Martin Richard's words "No More Hurting People," to raise funds for survivors of the Boston Marathon Bombing.  You can view a video, buy a tee shirts or help their cause by sharing the site with others & keep Richard's dream alive. My third find is a miraculous new medical achievement. Doctors were able to a 3-D laser printer to create an airway splint to save the life of a baby boy who used to stop breathing nearly every day.

Photo from Eduard Lychik's Facebook

 Eduard  Lychik, wounded warrior, beats the odds.

Photo from Facebook

Martin Richard's message helping to raise funds for Boston Marathon Bombing victims.

Kaiba Gionfriddo (Facebook)

Medical invention saves a baby's life.

Saturday's Songs for the Soul: Songs About Motherhood & Empowerment

Thought for the Day:  Next week I will be focusing on new faces of motherhood. I will be speaking at The Museum of Motherhood on the importance of mothers pursuing their dreams, not only for their own mental health, but also as role models for their children. Therefore, I decided to start the week by sharing some songs about mothers, letting go & empowerment of women & mothers. Women, who in the past few years have broken into the "good old boy" network in Country music have been strong role models for women. I may share some more songs like these next week from other artists & genres.

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" performed by Grammy award winning singer Patty Loveless is the touching story of how  follows a mother helps her daughter deal with losses. This beautiful song was written by Karen Taylor-Good & Burton Collins.

                                                                                Suzy Bogguss performs "Letting Go," a song about the transition from childhood to adulthood when mothers (and fathers) need to let their children go. She wrote the song with her husband songwriter Doug Crider.

This video of Mary Chapin Carpenter who wrote & performs, "He Thinks He’ll Keep Her," includes a short portion of her speaking about the song's message of empowerment of a wife & mother who realizes that she must change directions in her life to live her own dreams.

 

"Wide Open Spaces" is another coming of age song performed by the Dixie Chicks. I love the lyric & the soaring melody that captures how important it is for parents to give their children room to make their own mistakes. The song was penned by Susan Gibson. Natalie Maines, the lead singer from the Dixie Chicks has a new solo album coming out on May 7th ironically called "Mother." I will have to check it out when it is released.

I hope you enjoy these songs & will come back this week  to read about the changing roles of mothers. Have a wonderful weekend!

What if Children's Artwork Could Reverse the Literacy Crisis in America?

Thought for the Day: This week I heard about YouthLit.org & the Art4Literacy Project. I decided to help them by creating a one minute What If? Wednesdays video. The clip presents a creative organization's plan to impact the education crisis in this country. They hope to bring literacy & opportunity to America's "New New Poor," the 65 million intellectually & educationally impoverished children of the United States who either cannot or can only barely read. Take a look & see how they plan to use children's artwork to reverse the literacy crisis in America. Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for the Art4Literacy project will be forwarded to them. Let me know if you have a "What if?" dream project that you would like to have featured in this blog. Have a great Wednesday & see you on Friday for #FF Friday's Fabulous Finds & on Saturday's Songs for the Soul!

What If? Wednesday: What if Life Was...

Thought for the Day: It is Wednesday again so it is time for What If? Wednesday. I hope this short video (a little over a minute) will make you think about life & how you are spending your time. I had some fun adding music & hope it will not bother you, just turn the sound off, if you can't listen in. Both personally & professionally, as a psychologist, I have always wanted to live life without regrets & encourage my clients to do the same. Would you do things differently if...

Remember, I will post the best comment, photo response or video that you share with me on my blog once a month. Feel free to e-mail me photos or video comments (DrBarbaraLavi@aol.com) You can post an answer to something I have brought up or your own thoughts or questions. So get creative & share your thoughts on what you might do if....

Manic Mondays: How to Turn Monday Into Your Favorite Day

Thought for the Day: The Bangles captured how hard it is for most people to start their work week in their 1986 hit song Manic Monday (see video below). Since Mondays come after Sundays which are for many people their "fun day," it's hard to be back on the clock & rushing to work. I'd like to dedicate my new Monday blog series to tips to help you change Mondays into a more positive way to start your week. They will be looking at improving the start of your week from a psychological perspective. I hope you like it & that you will share this post with friends & post your comments, questions & tips on how you feel about Mondays & how these suggestions work for you.

Since I am a psychologist who also writes songs, I pay attention to lyrics. Many people only hear a chorus or ignore the words to songs. They still get the gist of a song like Manic Monday, since the chorus does a great job of illustrating how most people feel about Mondays. However, if you listen to the lyrics, it may help you find the clue to turning Mondays into your favorite day of the week. The song written by Prince for The Bangles, opens with the words, "Six o'clock already, I was just in the middle of a dream. I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream. But I can't be late cause then I guess I just won't get paid."

Those of you who have been reading my blog over the last year know that I believe that dreams should not be reserved for sleep & that money is not the only thing that motivates us to work. Ironically, The Bangles & Prince turned the universal fear of not "getting paid" if we let our dreams run our lives into their ticket to their dreams of successful careers in music with the financial freedom to travel & have control of their schedule.

I'm not suggesting that you should quit your day job; however, I do believe that you can start building your dreams into your life. The Bangles, like most artists, were not an overnight success. They started singing together (with some different members & names) in 1980. It took hard work before they reached their audience & the pop singer Prince's attention. However, without their dreams, practice & persistence they may not have achieved their hit songs & success. 

For you to begin to look forward to Mondays, you need to first discover what your dreams are. What would you like to be doing. If you did not have to worry about paying your bills what would you do? Let's pretend that your dream would be like that of the singer in the song to spend time with Valentino in Italy. Do you want to go to Italy for a vacation, to study or to retire? What would you need to make your dream happen? Time, airfare, room & board are a few of the things you would require. Would you need to learn Italian? How long do you think it would take you to acquire all these things? What if you spent some time researching all you would need to accomplish this dream in your spare time on weekends or after work? Perhaps Mondays could be your day to make sure you were staying on track of your "dream" project. Your current job could be helping to make sure you saved enough every week to pay for the trip. Your employer might provide assistance in your learning a new language. You could investigate whether your company had any projects in Europe that you could apply to do. Or you might start looking into other jobs that had travel opportunities. The options are endless. To make anything happen, you do, however, have to give yourself permission to weave your dreams into your life plans and start working to implement them.

The singer in the song Manic Monday had to wake up & abandon her dream. You don't have to abandon your dreams when you wake up. Take some time every Monday to dream & start looking forward to a life that includes your dreams. If you don't like what you are doing, find a way to change it or add things you love into your week. Why not start today? How about spending you 1st coffee break today to start exploring your dreams & finding out what you will need to make them happen? Hope this helps you have a great Monday and a wonderful week!

Milestone Mondays: Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Use Social Media? & What Advice Would He Give to Barack Obama?

Thought for the day:  I was going to start a new series today, Manic Mondays, Tips To Reduce Stress as you start a new week. However, given the double milestone events today, I decided to start something slightly different. When there is a milestone event happening, I will post a Milestone Monday post. Today's Milestome Mondays' post is Would Martin Luther King, Jr. Use Social Media? & What Advice Would He Give to Barack Obama? Next week I will start the Manic Mondays series.
          After completing this post, I saw this post on Maya Angelou's Facebook page: "On this day of celebrations, I believe Martin Luther King Jr. would have said to President Barack Obama, "Continue. Be loving and be strong. Be fierce and be kind. And don't give in and don't give up.'" I decided to add her comment today.

          Today is a double milestone. As we celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. we also celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama to a second term. Last year, I paid tribute to MLK's "I Have a Dream," speech. His dream has inspired myriads of dreams for people of all races, religions, & cultures. I took a look at the famous speech again. He spoke to all humanity when he said,
              "When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village & every hamlet, from    every state & every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men & white men, Jews & Gentiles, Protestants & Catholics, will be able to join hands & sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
       Much has changed in our country & in the world since that memorable speech.  The civil rights movement in the 60's had a strong influence on me. Growing up in Texas, I remember volunteering with a predecessor of Head Start in a black neighborhood. I taught kids ballet & tutored them in the three R's. My father was a lawyer & an activist who represented clients from all races & religions. I believe Pete Seager visited our home, although I was too young to remember the visit. When I rode on a bus from Texas to New York not long after desegregation, I was surprised to see that even though the signs were taken down, people were still segregated in the bus depots.
       Until four years ago, it was just a dream that an African-American would become president of the United States. Regardless of your political viewpoint, this was a victory for the American dream & for democracy. There are still battles to be fought to reach the "freedom for all" that MLK spoke of, but we are moving in the right direction & the doors he helped open have led to many other opportunities for people from all minorities. The importance of educational equality is paramount to enhancing creativity which will lead to finding new solutions for the problems that confront all human beings in our complex modern world.
         This year after four years of president Obama's administration, the political gridlock threatens to stymy the dreams of our elected official & those of the majority that elected him. Even as a nation is reeling from a financial crisis, a devastating hurricane & the tragedies of the madness of warfare in our schools & public places, there are people opposing the leadership we desperately need in Washington. On Friday, I recommended an article entitled "Would Ghandi Use Social Media?" Today On this Milestone Monday, I ask would Martin Luther King, Jr. use social media? He was a powerful orator who could stir people into action. I believe that he would have used whatever means he could to empower people to make change happen. Barack Obama has used social media to help activate voters to show up at the polls. He uses twitter & I hope his program to build support for better gun control will activate those who want to change the gun control laws as well.
           MLK's strength came from his strong religious beliefs. He urged us to see the discrimination in our society & do something to change it. Today an article by Janell Ross, MLK Support For Economic Justice Overshadowed By 'I Have A Dream' Speech, discusses his fight against poverty. The levels of poverty have risen above those that MLK, Jr. was protesting just before he was assassinated. Hopefully, our President will find ways to open the minds of those who oppose him to end the gridlock & start overcoming the major issues that threaten our nation. The trick in the use of social media, however, is not just to raise awareness, but to get people activated & involved in the difficult conversations with open minds that will lead to creative nonpartisan problem solving. It is too easy to just read articles using social media & click to the next article, game or facebook page. If you are impacted by something on social media sites, don't just like it. Share it with your friends. Post it, g+ it, tweet it. Your action will help make things go viral. You can sign a petition online in just a few seconds. You can also take conventional action & go to a public meeting to discuss it or attend a march. If you want change, you must take action.
             Are you ready to join the conversations & take action online & elsewhere? Make this a Milestone Monday & take action to let your senators & congressmen know that you want an end to the gridlock in Washington.

Happy 1st Birthday to WakeUpAndDreamCatalyst.Blogspot.com

Thank You for a Great 1st Year  WakeUpDreamCatalyst.blogspot.com Thought for the Day: It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year, since I started this blog! As I post my last blog for 2012, it makes sense to look back over the year that was. There have been triumphs & heartaches. I have been honored to share my thoughts & feelings with you. It is hard to believe that on January 4th it will be the anniversary of the inauguration of this blog. My first post: Don't Wait for Opportunity to Knock, Just Open the Door & Find Her, had just 42 page views. The blog has come a long way since then. There have been almost 20,000 page views! It seems fitting to review the top ten posts of 2012. Here they are in order of my fan's preferences: # 1 The Hunger Games Parenting Nightmare or Opportunity
# 2 Cyberbullying Facebook App: Like or Ban?
# 3 Can Self Help Books Really Help?
# 4 Part IV: Help Me Start A Gratitude Project Deep in the Heart of Texas
# 5 Mother's Day Part III: If My Mother, Grandmother & I Ruled the World
# 6 Over the Rainbow Deep In the Heart of Texas
# 7 It Takes A Cell Phone To Raise A Child
# 8 Every Expert Was Once A Beginner
# 9 What Do Michelle Obama & Book Publishing Have in Common?
# 10 What Do You Get When You Combine Corporate Sponsors, NPOs, Academics & Entrepreneurs?  The # 1 Post: The Hunger Games Parenting Nightmare or Opportunity has had close to 2000 page views! I almost skipped the movie due to all the hype about it & then realized that it was an important film for parents & teens to see. I have enjoyed writing this blog more than I could have imagined. It has given me a place to share my dreams, encourage you & support multiple causes from anti-bullying campaigns to registering a cell phone to help save lives. I hope I have inspired you not only to dream, but also to act upon your dreams & start moving towards them. Here are a few of the photos that I also enjoyed learning to make for the blog: From the Dream On Wheels Tour Series From The Next Big Thing Blog Hop From The DreamBusters Series Thanksgiving Tips Learn to Fall to Learn to Stand Tall Spotlight on Fears Thank you all for reading & sharing your comments. I look forward to hearing from you & sharing with you in 2013 & beyond! Happy New Year!          Barbara

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Thought for the Day: Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith & try something new. Perhaps you will discover The Next Big Thing!

     Today my blog is very different. It is longer than my usual posts, but it is also part of something bigger than usual. Last week, Rev. Dr. Sharon Jacobson invited me to be part of a blog hop called The Next Big Thing. I've never done a blog hop before, but I decided to try it & see how it works. The purpose is to help readers discover the next great book or author; i.e., the one they will be compelled to read or the author who's work they simply can't put down. I had never heard of Sharon Jacobson's work before, but her inspirational bent connecting her experiences with food to spirituality sounds intriguing. I am looking forward to reading something outside of the norm for me. Her current book The Zenful Kitchen, is stories about food, family, friends & life changing moments related to sharing food. It is not a cook book, but there will be some recipes along with stories about how food & good company has changed her life. Check out Sharon's latest book & blog. What is exciting about this blog hop is the opportunity to learn about authors from various genres & styles. Her work might be the Next Big Thing, or perhaps mine is. Who knows?

       Since the Wake Up and Dream Challenge is non-fiction, thinking about my work, based on questions that were designed for fictional writers was a creative exercise for me. It put my work into a totally different perspective. So, this week, I am going to answer 10 questions & tell you about how The Wake Up and Dream Challenge grew & developed into the book it is today. It also gave me some great inspiration for photos, I hope you like them as well! Of course, as always, feel free to comment & ask me questions to keep the dialogue going.

 

1) What is the working title of your book? 


     The working title for my next book is: Jack of All Trades, Master of Many. I am too busy letting people know about my 1st book to work on it yet, but the ideas are brewing! My next book will illustrate how people are accomplishing multiple dreams. Hopefully, my readers will share their stories of how my current book helped them become Jacks of All Trades and Masters of Many.
     The Wake Up and Dream Challenge is the title of my book. The working title while I wrote the book, however, was Wake Up and Dream. It was not until I thought I had finished the book that the title changed (and  then it took a year of additional work to complete the book). When I applied my own techniques, I realized that I wanted the book to do more than teach people how to accomplish their dreams. I wanted it to help non-profit organizations help others reach their dreams as well. I set out to find creative organizations that make a difference in the lives countless people. Since the book is self-published, I share 1/2 of the profits with these amazing charities. The inspirational stories of how they make dreams happen are included in the book.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book? 
     The idea started when I learned a goal setting technique that I began to use with my clients. Over the year I changed the technique & observed the way it helped my clients overcome all kinds of obstacles & transform their lives. I felt compelled to share their stories & the techniques that helped them with a larger audience. The techniques are simple, yet profound & powerful. It gives people a way to turn their wildest dreams into manageable action plans.

3) What genre does your book fall under? 
     It is a combination of Psychology, Self Help & Inspirational genres.

4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? 
     I only chose 3 of the former clients portrayed in the book. All of the clients stories are based on the lives of real people, but their appearance & other identifying details have been changed to protect their confidentiality, so using actors is not a bad idea. Here's a  a short description of each of the "characters" & why I chose a specific actor to portray them. 
     I could see Kathy Bates playing Jody. Here's a description of Jody on the day I first met her:
             "It was a stormy day when Jody first came into my office; her curly
        black hair was damp and frizzy, showing all the signs of the dreary
        landscape outside. Jody was an over-weight, fifty-year-old, whose
        wrinkled face made her look at least ten years older than she was....
        Beginning her story, Jody apologized for her tears and wiped
        her eyes, revealing the dark circles she had tried to mask with an
        overabundance of make-up. There was a proud, intelligent woman
        struggling to maintain her dignity inside this cheerless figure; a woman
        who never thought she would need to see a psychologist.
        As she looked around nervously, Jody stared at the door and
        seemed ready to bolt for freedom. Pausing, Jody tilted her head towards
        the floor as if she wanted her foot to stop tapping so that she could
        compose herself. In almost a whisper, she said, “I’m not crazy but I’m
        at my wits’ end. Sometimes I think about putting my head in a gas oven
        and simply ending the pain."
     I chose Kathy Bates for her ability to capture the shame, hopelessness & despair Jody felt when she first came to see me. The book tells how she regained her will to live & discovered how to thrive despite chronic pain. I believe Kathy Bates could portray both the depression & the joy, strength, & gratitude the new Jody exuded after she learned how to wake up and dream when she was "pinching herself" to be sure she was not dreamng.
     I'd choose Julia Roberts to play the part of Linda's transformation from someone who was trapped in her own self doubt to a woman who discovered her creativity & power as a thought leader &  teacher. I had helped Linda's daughter in therapy, but did not know Linda well before she called for an appointment for herself. Here's a brief description of Linda's first session:
           Linda was a striking forty-three year-old redhead, who dressed
        in a simple ‘classic’ style. Her tailored suits were a bit conservative,
        although she always added a splash of color with a scarf or an
        interesting piece of jewelry. When she arrived, this bright and well
        educated woman sat stiffly on the edge of the couch in my office, as if
        she was afraid to get too comfortable. On the phone, she’d provided no
        clue as to the purpose of her sudden visit, so I waited patiently for her
        to tell me what was wrong.
            Slowly, Linda began to open up, but avoided all eye contact as
        she spoke. It was obvious that she was working especially hard to stay
        composed. She would slow down her words and take deep breaths,
        acting as if she were trying desperately to hide any signs of fear,
        anxiety or sadness as she spoke about her life. Linda had always felt
        awkward in social situations; this was how her ‘confession-type’ speech
        began. Her husband was a business and finance expert and, because of
        his occupation, he traveled for speaking engagements around the world.
        Even though Linda sometimes accompanied him, she tried desperately
        to avoid going with him whenever she could. In essence, she never
        knew what to say to her husband’s business associates. She felt as out
        of place and awkward as her daughter had in high school.   
      This was Linda before she learned how to stop living in other people's dreams.  Today, Linda is a lawyer teaching law & traveling with her husband whenever she can. I think Julia Roberts could show the changes in this combination of Pretty Woman & Erin Brockovitch-like transformations.
      For George, I had to pick two actors, I'd need a combination of a young Joe Namath or any of the strong ex-football players turned actor & Denzel Washington would work. Since I don't know Joe Namath's career very well, I needed to add Denzel Washington for his ability to show strong emotions which he did so well in his latest film "Flight."  Here's a bit more about George's character:
             George was a strikingly handsome man who
        worked out daily, and owned the muscles to prove it. His friends fondly
        referred to him as the “jolly blond giant.” Unlike most twenty-one year
        old men, George had known what he wanted to do with his life for as
        long as he could remember.
             His father had been an EMT and George wanted to follow in his
        footsteps. George had wanted to go directly into the profession, but his
        father had insisted that he go to college in order to get a well-rounded
        education. Impatient to get started in the field he loved, George became
        a volunteer EMT, worked part-time on weekends and had been looking
        forward to graduating in a few months to start working full-time as an EMT.
            A month before he came in to see me, everything in George’s
        life changed. A call came in for a three-car accident on Interstate 95
        South. He had responded to similar calls in the past, but this time was
        far different for George. An SUV filled with college students crashed
        into a truck, flipped over into oncoming traffic, and was then hit by a
        van. The only survivor in the SUV was the driver who was bruised,
        dazed and drunk.
            George couldn’t get the images of the crash out of his head. He
        had always loved his job as an EMT, but now he suddenly dreaded
        going to work.
     The contradictory combination of George's striking physical strength with the paralyzing fears, phobias & depression would be the challenge for any actor. Denzel Washington could also bring to the screen George's new found passion & purpose which ensued after working on his DPS (Dream Positioning Syatem). 
      I'm not sure who I would pick to play me in a movie. My first thought was Meryl Streep, however, I have not liked her portrayals of therapists in the past. Perhaps Susan Sarandon or Sally Field. Personally, I find most actors & actresses do not do too well as therapists.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?      This book will teach you how to 'dream it forward' & navigate your way to your dreams at any age regardless of financial, health or personal challenges.
 
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
    The book was 1st self-published on Lulu. A new edition, supported by my new website, WakeUpAnddreamChallenge.com, was launched  yesterday! Here's a link to the hot off the press press release. Kiwi Publishing is my new publisher, however, I am keeping my publishing rights so that I can still share the profits with the "dream nonprofits" featured in my book. By switching publishers, I was able to significantly lower the price of the book for my readers without lowering the profits shared with the non-profit organizations.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?      The first draft took only a few months to write; however, it lay dormant for a few years before I decided to rewrite & publish it. The revisions & addition of the nonprofit profiles which I added took about a year and a half to two years to complete.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? 
     It is part Chicken Soup for the Soul and Happy For No Reason.

9) Who or What inspired you to write this book?

    Witnessing my clients as they achieved amazing transformations & accomplishments inspired me to write this book. Before I assigned any of my techniques to my clients, I used them myself. I knew that they worked because I saw how they helped me expand my horizons, but I was not stuck before I began using these tools. When I saw how it helped people who had been in dire straights reach their dreams, I knew I needed to share them with a wider audience. I know that it is not a good marketing strategy, however, this book is really appropriate for people from all ages, educational & socioeconomic levels. My college interns find it can help them change their lives. People in mid-life crisis see it as a way to redesign their lives. Retirees see it as a way to find new beginnings.

10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? 
 
      Don't let the word challenge stop you from choosing this book to help you reach your dreams. Just by buying the book, you are already joining my challenge to make a difference in the world & helping others reach for their dreams. Although the stories of my clients are inspirational, the techniques are down to earth, easy to understand & accomplish. When you take the time to work on your Dream Positioning System (DPS) you will be amazed at what you may discover about yourself & your aspirations. The techniques will free you & allow you to consider ways to do things you may have never imagined doing before reading the book.

      Thank you again, Sharon! Can’t wait to read your newest book, The Zenful Kitchen.

Be prepared to explore new interesting authors!

Watch next week for these five new authors joining the Blog Hop:  Ashley Fontainne, a new best selling fantasy novelist, if you like dragons & fairies, you will want to explore her books; Smadar Belkind Gerson, a genealogist who also happens to be my daughter, published my grandmother's journal & continues to uncover hidden treasures of family history; Troy Lewis, tells the true story of how a stranger saved the his life & started a chain reaction which has saved the lives of others; Donnetta Quinones, a doctoral student in Psychology whose book is in the planning stages as she completes her degree & helps students reach their potential; & Bruce Judish, who writes historical fiction & critiques Christian fiction. You won’t want to miss reading about these wonderful authors upcoming projects. They will be joining the Blog Hop next Wednesday, December 5th, so be sure to check them out then. 

How to Overcome DreamBusters Part III: John Quinones What Would You Do To Stomp Out Bullying of the Blind?

Thought for the Day:  Sometimes you have to learn to fall to learn to stand tall. Have you ever wondered why toddlers love to play the game of "Ring Around the Rosie," over & over again? Why do they love falling down & getting back up? As a psychologist, I believe it is more than just a game. They are learning an important life lesson. Toddlers are new to walking. You can't learn to walk without falling. By playing the game, they are mastering the art of falling down without getting hurt & building resilience & self confidence. 

In this longer post which is taken from a longer article posed today on PRWeb. The article  announces a joint campaign I am launching with The Blind Judo Foundation supporting the fact that October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. In this post, I take the importance of of learning to fall to another level. I hope you will comment & share this with your friends & family. If you have any friends at ABC, feel free to share it there as well!

In the popular ABC TV show, "What Would YouDo?," with John Quinones events are staged by actors to see what people do when confronted with hurtful actions by people in public places. Here's some “What would you do?” parenting dilemmas to consider:

Imagine that your child is blind. Constantly, you warn them about falling down. They want to learn to ride a bicycle, but keep falling and hurting themselves. You fear for their safety, but want them to have a normal life. What would you do? 

Neighborhood kids take your child to the playground. Hours later, a stranger calls. Your child was left stranded in the park not knowing how to get home. What would you do?

In high school, teenagers taunt the students who guide your child through from class to class. Calling them gay or stupid. What would you do? 

Would you try to shelter your child? Would you take the bicycle and tell them it is too dangerous? Would you seclude your child in schools for the blind and avoid neighborhood kids who fail to understand that bullying the blind is cruel and unacceptable?

All parents struggle to keep children safe while encouraging them to dream, but it is more challenging for parents of blind children since the statistics (75% ofblind adults are unable to support themselves financially) are stacked against dreams of independent living. I spoke with Ron Peck, co-founder of the Blind Judo Foundation, Lori Pierce and her parents to understand what helps 30% of blind adults become self-sufficient following their dreams.

Lori Pierce's parents grappled with safety issues daily as they raised their adopted daughter, Lori who is blind. Miraculously, they gave her the confidence to not only ride a bike, but also to run track and play modified soccer. They practiced what I calls "dream parenting," encouraging their children to follow their dreams even when they are attempting to do something they may be concerned about.

Despite their fears, the Pierce’s trusted Lori’s judgment while keeping a watchful eye. Lori’s seven siblings treated her as “normal” and also encouraged her to try things. With “dream” parents and siblings, Lori learned to “dream” of possibilities. She met and exceeded the “challenges” along the way.

Lori training in Judo

When the Pierce's learned about the Blind Judo Foundation's program, they dared to introduce her to a sport many parents would have feared. Their experiences make them strong supporters of a new campaign to raise money for the Blind Judo Foundation which they believe was life changing and crucial in empowering Lori.  

Lori with Lola getting her Degree 

at the U of TX

Judo taught Lori how to fall down, get up and persevere. It empowered her to stand tall and triumphant as the 1st Silver Medal winner of the 2004 US Paralympic Judo Team in Athens.  She gained the self-confidence to pursue and complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Texas, far from her family in Colorado. Judo also helped her believe in her ability to coach blind children in Judo, work on her Teaching Certificate and live independently at age 28.  It all started by "waking up and dreaming" of things many blind people do not dare to dream.I believe that Blind Judo and how Lori's parents responded to the unique challenges of raising a blind child played a significant part in why Lori and her dreams thrived. Since I believe that if one person can accomplish a dream, anyone can, she launched a joint fundraising campaign to help the Blind JudoFoundation teach blind and visually impaired children and wounded warriors to fall down so that they too can learn to dream it forward like Lori.  Half of the profits from sales of The Wake Up and Dream Challenge to teach more children to dream using Judo enhance self esteem, empower self confidence and stomp out bullying of the blind.  When ordering the book please write “Blind Judo Foundation” in the "comments"  section. Please consider changing lives with the purchase of the book and donations to the work and mission of the Blind Judo Foundation at www.blindjudofoundation.org/donate.php