Tag Archives: Appreciation

Want Joy? Share Your True Gifts

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In my book, ‘Miner Miracles’ I use the analogy of a miner mining for rare jewels to explain the search that each of us must undertake to discover our true gifts and talents.  We are all miners and a mine full of gems is concealed within each and every one of us. The search to find our true selves and our unique path of service is the adventure of a lifetime and is ultimately what gives our lives purpose.

It’s Sharing Our Gems That Makes Life Complete

Finding our jewels is only half of the journey though, sharing them makes life complete. When we share our gifts, we find the meaning and joy that makes our hearts content.  Love is the key to the heart of the universe where all the treasures reside.  Loving our talents and sharing them with others and making others happy is the purpose of life.

If You’re Lost, Ask for Directions

“Everyone has probably experienced the anxiety and frustration of getting lost and not knowing where to turn, and yet still refusing to ask for directions.  Well the same rules apply for this life’s journey. If you don’t know where to dig, ask somebody, but not just anybody.  Far too often we seek advice from  those who are lost themselves. [ Excerpt from Miner Miracles]

So What’s Your Gift?  And, Are You Sharing It?

We are all here for a reason.  We all matter.  It is when we don’t know why we are here or when we feel that we don’t matter that our joy wanes.  You have the power to get your joy back.  Do something unselfishly for someone else right now.  Go ahead, share your gifts with the world and create your own joy.

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

Part 3: May Day-Napoleon Hill’s Philosophy of Achievement

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Continued from Part 2: Call in the Calvary, http://wp.me/ppImQ-qf

Napoleon Hill’s Philosophy of Achievement

This month I have been revisiting the works of some of the great motivators and philosophers who have been teaching the secrets of success over the past century.  One such person was Napoleon Hill.  Napoleon Hill, author of the all time  best seller, Think and Grow Rich, studied over 500 successful people of his time like Edison, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Charles Schwab, F.W. Woolworth, and Henry Ford to see what made them successful. The tools for success he found are available to anyone at anytime and don’t cost a thing.  The results of his twenty years of research and lifetime of teaching show without a doubt that anyone can be successful.

Conceive and Believe and Achieve

Napoleon Hill asserts that the obstacles we see are the ones we have created within our minds.  He is the originator of the well known phrase, “Anything the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”  Most people blame their lack of success on outside obstacles like time, wealth, education, and lack of support.  But he proves that none of these are valid and that the paths to success or the trails to destruction are created from within our own minds.  Regarding time, both the successful and the unsuccessful are given the same 24 hours.

Edison, nor Ford Had Much Formal Education

Napoleon Hill shares how Edison had only a few months of formal schooling and yet became one of the greatest inventors of our time with over 1,000 patents. Besides the incandescent light bulb by which most people know him, he pioneered the phonograph, motion picture camera, and the alkaline battery which was his most profitable product.    Henry Ford also had very little formal schooling and was not wealthy.  He too had to contend with naysayers, disbelievers, and cynics who thought he was wasting his time.  But his vision and faith were bigger than his detractors and he went on to build the Model T car and changed history forever.

To continue to Part 4: Wisdom of Carnegie, click here  http://wp.me/ppImQ-qD

c) 2010, Barbara S. Talley- All Rights Reserved

Barbara Talley is a keynote speaker, author of six books, and trainer on value-based living themes.  She also offers Effective Communication, Diversity, Leadership, Time Management, and Goal Setting workshops.  Visit her at www.thepoetspeaks.com or contact her at 301-428-4831.  You may email her at Barbara@ThePoetSpeaks.com.

Part 1: What Are You On?

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“Shush”

“Slow down!”

“Calm down!”

“Indoor voice!”

“What are you on?”

As a child, I was always being shushed, told to be quiet, or to “turn it down a notch.”  In order to fit in I had to walk on eggshells to comply or continually justify myself to others.  Have you ever had those questions directed to you? Have you ever asked them of others? Even though we have been admonished spiritually to “judge not so that we may not be judged,” some do it arrogantly and with a sense of entitlement.  And most do it regularly, instinctively, and harshly.  Too often the question, “What are you on?” or its variations were asked judgmentally or negatively of me, as if there were something “wrong” with me for being so “energized.” Or, the implications were even worse implying that I had to be “on something” or oblivious to reality to be so keyed up or overly happy.

I’m High on Life, Are You?

Other times the question was asked almost enviously, in the context of, “I wish I had an ounce of your energy, drive, or passion.”  To some, I guess I was too strong of a wind that upset the status quo.  To others thankfully, I was and am like a refreshing breeze inspiring movement, change, and energy.  If I am not reserved, quiet, or calm, I must be “on something”… right? Surely I must not be aware of all the painful, unhappy, and wrongs going on in the world. For the record I do not drink alcohol, smoke anything, take any drugs (prescription or otherwise), or even drink caffeinated coffee or soda. I have a natural high.  I’m high on life.

So instead of me thinking something was wrong with me, the correct question should have been, “What’s…

Click to continue article. http://wp.me/ppImQ-n8

Barbara Talley is a keynote speaker, author of six books, and trainer on value-based living themes.  She also offers Effective Communication, Diversity, Leadership, Time Management, and Goal Setting workshops.  Visit her at www.thepoetspeaks.com or contact her at 301-428-4831.  You may email her at Barbara@ThePoetSpeaks.com

A New Day: A New Blessing

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This morning as I watched the beautiful shades of pink, gray, and gold painted across the sky at sunrise, I couldn’t help but think of how blessed we are.  I felt grateful and remembered the Bible’s promise that “A grateful heart attracts blessings.”  The dawn of each new day symbolizes promise, order, wonder, and beauty.  Each new day is a gift holding within it unlimited possibilities to create, observe, appreciate, and serve.

I uttered my favorite dawn prayer from the Bahá’í Writings, “Illumine my inner being oh my God with the splendors of the dayspring of thy revelation, even as thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of thy favor.”

Prayer in the morning protects me and puts me on the right track.  The words of God awaken, open, and excite my heart and soul, the same way that the sunrise delights my physical eyes and humbles me.  I think to myself how blessed I am to be a human being, to have the potential to mirror the attributes and qualities of God, to be so valued and trusted that I have been given free will.  With this power, I can create or destroy, love or hate, believe or fear, take from others or serve them unselfishly.  I pause and feel at this moment that I am blessed and highly favored, just as every other person is.

So many people are asleep, or if awake, are too busy scurrying about to notice this wonderful gift of awe and beauty.  I’m in that same category some of the time myself.  But this morning, I stopped and recognized and acknowledged this daily gift from God and felt refreshed and privileged.  The sunrise is just the beginning of the gifts that the aware will notice throughout their day.  With each step we can appreciate the ability to move.  With each sound we can be grateful for our hearing.  With each smile we give and receive we can be thankful for our ability to touch others and feel their warmth and love.  With each thought we can be thankful for our ability to create new realities.  Haven’t we been taught that the reality of man is his thought?   With each word we can encourage others or depress or sadden them.  We can spread hope and joy or fear and doubt.  As humans, we have a choice, that’s what makes us human.  But, with this choice and blessing comes great responsibility.  We are here to grow, mirror the qualities of God,  and make things better.  Today is a wonderful new day and it’s ours to do as we wish.  I’m determined to make mine magnificent, what about you?

Barbara Talley is a professional speaker, poet, and author.  Her presentations focus on vision, values, and virtues.  You can find more about her programs at www.ThePoetSpeaks.com

The Holiday Season Isn’t A Swap Meet

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The holiday season isn’t about a swap meet.  It’s supposed to be a ‘heart’ meet, where people connect and celebrate the religious, cultural, or social significance of the season.

Focus on the Season, But Don’t Forget the Reason

Just as it is important to reflect on the reason for the season, it is equally important to focus on the reason for giving.   Many do not give ‘just for the joy of giving’, but instead give as a reciprocal duty or obligation.  Someone gives you a gift and you feel obligated to give back.  In this heartless exchange, no one wins.

When you miss the spirit of giving, little thought is put into the gift itself.  You look for a good sale where the price is reasonable and the discount is huge.  You leave on the full price sticker so that it appears that you spent more than you actually did.  The gift may even be something that the person cannot or will not value, use, or appreciate.  In some cases you may just regift something you were given that you don’t want.

Put Your Heart Into It

When the heart is not in the gift and no serious thought is taken to think about what would make the other person happy, the gift can trigger the opposite emotion.  Instead of bringing joy, it could backfire and make the receiver angry especially if they feel that their gift was more expensive or more thoughtful than the one that they received.  We can avoid a lot of this when we give for the sake of giving and realize that a gift is its own reward.  Radiance and I have a private story about this very same thing.  She went out of her way to give a friend a very generous gift and was very displeased with the gift she got in return.  To this day she calls the girl, “crappy gift giver.’

My humble advice to you, if you can’t give with the right attitude, then it’s probably better to not give at all.  After all, it is the season to be jolly and if you’re not happy, then you’ve missed the point!

I’m Barbara Talley, the poet who speaks and inspires.  To find out more about me check out: What Does Barbara Do? or visit  my website.
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