I'LL FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!

I'll FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!

Jordan clutched his latest fundraising tickets in his hand as I watched the veins
popping out of his neck in utter frustration.

As part of the High School Varsity baseball team, he was expected to engage in
direct door to door selling to raise money for the program. I tried to teach him how
to leverage his efforts by selling where many sports fans would already be congregating.

Unfortunately, he would have nothing of it.

Finally the youthful athlete blurted out, "I'll feel like an idiot!"

Silence.

I'll feel like an idiot.

Have you ever avoided a critical task because you hated "feeling like an idiot?"

Of course you have. We all have.

The fact is, at any given time, you are doing what you are doing for one
of two reasons:

1. To avoid pain- as in feeling stupid
2. To gain pleasure - as in feeling great

I don't want any of my readers feeling like an idiot at any time, unless
of course they have the good sense to laugh at themselves and can
keep going painlessly.

Last week we talked about being heard in a noisy marketplace.

Some people don't truly want to be heard, because they are afraid
of rejection.

Let's see how to clear that up right now. Take a deep breath and
practice the following steps:

1. Acknowledge your distressing emotion

Even though certain emotions don't feel good, they are a part
of your psyche. They usually just display your learned response
to stress. At any rate, your subconscious mind is simply doing
its best to protect you, so let it know you're aware of the emotion.

2. Offer acceptance or forgiveness

It's easy to feel bad towards yourself or someone else when your
emotions are firing off into fear, anger or dread. This is the moment
to accept yourself in spite of the emotion, and offer forgiveness to
whatever has triggered your distress.

3. Create an empowering choice

You can't control what happens to you, but you can ultimately choose
how you will respond to it. Now that you've acknowledged your
physical state and offered acceptance anyway, you can choose the
response of your choice.

All together - put your hands on your heart and rub or tap there as
you make a power set up.

"Even though I hate feeling like an idiot, I totally accept myself
anyway, and I choose to be calm and confident."

Try to get as specific as possible behind the emotion as you repeat:

"Even though I hate feeling like an idiot, because I care what people
think about me, I totally accept myself anyway, and I forgive people
for judging me. Now I choose to be calm and confident."

Great.

Now if you want to take that further, we have a tapping technique
that is the hottest thing right now in the realm of peak performance.
You can learn about it in my book, Flow on Demand - the Athlete's
Edge.

The important thing is to get clear on those emotions and choose
love and peace anyway. Ultimately, you will reprogram yourself
so that the formerly stressful trigger now puts you in a state of
peace and confidence.

I help clients every week turn their mental blocks into breakthroughs.

It is my passion.

Until next time, keep playing hard...

And enjoy your game.

In your corner,

Gina

Remember Who You Are!

Remember Who You Are!

When our son Jordan was little he used to watch Disney's The Lion King almost every day on his little TV. It is perhaps my all time favorite animated movie.

My favorite part of that movie is when young Simba is living on his own, still overcome with guilt and shame over the death of his father. Then he is confronted with his past and his identity. In some flurry of emotional leading he senses that his father is actually alive and he frantically runs to the water to see him for himself. Instead he's met with his own disappointing reflection. Then the reflection turns into his father who speaks to him, "Simba, remember who you are!" It is then that Simba steps into his destiny and returns to his land to lead his tribe back to freedom.

Today, I wish you would look into the mirror, and hear the Father's voice say, "Remember who you are - you are Mine." Right now there is so much noise in the world around us that fear is knocking on everyone's door. We're stuck asking "How? When?" While the question truly is "Who?" Who are you and whom are you called to serve? It's hard to answer those questions when all you can look to is your own weak past.

Instead make a decision that: 1. Your future will not be dictated by your past 2. Your identity will not be dictated by your failures You are created in the image of God, to rule and to reign in love.

Your power comes when you know that: 1. Your future (and your present) are created by your choices 2. Your identity is about who you truly are, and whose. Find out how God sees you.

You were never meant to struggle forever. You are given challenges to practice over-coming! Enjoy the challenge. Learn to look differently at yourself. You are a problem-solver. The bigger the problems, the bigger the profit. (if profit matters to you.)

Remember who you are!

Assignment: Write your own bio that you would want to accompany your name on some kind of award or product of yours. That's who you are. Until next time I'll be right here -

In Your Corner,
Gina

Get Huge and BE Somebody

When I was in High School, I had a boyfriend who was a football player. He often wore a T-shirt from a local gym that read, "Get Huge and BE Somebody." He thought it was a hilarious slogan.

Puh-leese!

When he went to play college ball on a full-ride, the pressure to Get Huge and Be Somebody became even worse. The joke wasn't funny any more. At 6'2 and 215 pounds, he wasn't quite huge enough, or something. He left football, went to a different university, and became a minister.

"Get Huge and Be Somebody."

What a silly slogan. I could have had my own slogan for the next several years. My variation said, "Get Skinny and BE Somebody." I drove myself to disorder.

BE SOMEBODY!!

This is what the world tells us, and then they give us feeble attempts at how to prove that we are somebody at long last:

Get Huge. Get Skinny. Get Rich. Get Drunk.

And then what? Then are you somebody? Finally are you validated? I work with high-achieving clients every week who definitely feel like they swallowed a lie somewhere along the road.

I have a better idea.

YOU ARE SOMEBODY!

Be who you are created to be. Be the child of God. Be the answer to somebody's prayer. Be the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Be the mate who loves unconditionally. Be the parent who actually enjoys the moment. Be joyful. Be at peace. Be strong. Be courageous. Be faithful. Be who you are - when no one is looking.

That is the person you need to be-friend. The real you. The one who is worthy simply because of grace.

Amazing things happen when you become clear on who you want to be. You find resources to do what you want to do, and the power to leave a legacy. You even find it easy to acquire what you want to have.

Success in life is not so much about what you achieve, it's about who you become in the process.

That my friend, is huge.

You are somebody.

Don't wait to celebrate.


1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain;

Attracting Winners To Your Circle

Could you use more high-caliber friends and mentors in your life? Then think about this:

"The relationships we have with the world are largely determined by the relationships we have with ourselves." -- Greg Anderson

Did you know that this world is full of fascinating, intelligent and generous people who want to cheer you on and see you succeed? It’s true, there are winners all around you, ready to stand by your side. What is it you would like to learn this week? What would you like to do better? If you could talk to someone who was very successful, what would you ask?

“But I don’t have any friends like that!” you may lament. This may seem true, but in reality, if you will be that kind of friend to yourself and others, you will attract just the kind of people who will pull you up higher too. You will attract true winners into your circle.

This week, be a friend to yourself. Acknowledge your weaknesses, and affirm your unconditional self-love anyway. Look at others with grace. Believe in their strengths, and let them know it.

What you tend to see in yourself is what you will tend to see around you.

We’re all in this together – let’s keep climbing higher.

In your corner,

Gina

Peak Performance Speaker and Coach Gina Parris is passionate about seeing people move from frustration to freedom in their lives and livelihoods. Whether your game is

Athletic, financial, or personal, she can help you win it.

Go Ahead, Make My Day!

Several years ago, there was a battery commercial where a super tough (and fairly young) Robert Conrad set an Eveready battery on his shoulder and growled into the camera. He snarled, "I dare ya to knock this battery off my shoulder. Go ahead - make my day!"

To tell you the truth, it was years before I even understood the commercial. (Shoot, I was only ten!) But I never forgot the line, "Go ahead, make my day."

I've learned something since then: There's a better way to live then waiting for someone to pick a fight so we can beat them up and make our day.

Instead, the real fun comes when we live to "Make their day."

Imagine for a moment...

Imagine a business, where the aim of every employee is the "make the day" of each person who comes in.

Imagine a classroom where the teacher is looking for excuses to praise the students, rather than humiliate. She knows she has the power to "make their day."

Imagine a household whose parents forget their own stress for a moment, while they honestly invest 15 minutes to listen intently to their child. They choose to "make his day."

Imagine a world where we no longer obsess over ourselves, but we look at the people around us and take up the challenge: "Go ahead, make their day."

Oh yes, it will take imagination; but we can do it. I'm up for it. How about you?

Go ahead...I dare ya!

Until next time - keep playing hard, and make their day!

The Hero of the Story

My in-laws stopped by for a visit last week from San Diego. As they drove into our driveway, they were greeted by the twins. Matthew was wearing a shirt that said, "Robin Hood."
"Guess what." Matthew told them, "I was in a play called Robin Hood."
"You were? That is wonderful."
"Yes, and I was the HERO of the story!"
"The hero!" said Grandma. "You mean you were Robin Hood?"
"Well, no." He replied. "I was a skunk. Actually, I was Skunk Number Two."

You have to love a director who can convince a skunk that he is the hero of the story!

You are probably a hero to somebody. Today you can tell yourself, "I am the hero of this story!" And then create your day just as you desire.

We're going to Williamsburg Virginia for a week of baseball today. I will be a hero if I can stay cheerful with 4 kids in a car for 12 hours. Each Parris child will be a hero if he stays sweet. And the All-Stars will be heroes if they play like they know how...in 3 digit heat.

Pray for us,
Gina

Lessons from Aladdin

I love to watch Disney's story of Aladdin.

It is a tale of a young orphan who dreams of finding himself in a better place with the woman of his dreams. The woman is of course, the princess.

The real show stealer is the genie, who would like to convince the boy that magic carpets and princely clothes, and mighty elephants are not what make him a prince worthy of the princess. It is his ability to be himself, brave and true.

Because the princess is already true royalty, she has the perception to see that this "street rat" belongs in the palace, despite his humble upbringing. She sees his royal qualities, even when he does not.

In the end, Alladin becomes the prince, not by the power of the genie, but by the power of his selfless love. His character was proven in the face of danger.

Many people see themselves as unworthy street rats, when in reality, they have been called to be royalty, seated in heavenly places.

It is said that you don't know what is inside of a teabag until you put it in hot water. The same can be true of a man or woman. Whether you are a prince or a pauper will be evident when the tough times come your way.


James 1:2-4
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,(royal) not lacking anything.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light

What do you see?

"A man without a vision is a man without a future. A man without a future is destined to repeat his past."

What is vision? Vision is the ability to look at what is and see what could be! Vision is that creative force that lies within the child of the Creator and designs a better reality.

Every thing that we see and behold with our eyes, existed first in someone's mind. It was vision.

God the Father is a God of vision. He looks at a childless old man named Abram, and calls him a Father of many nations, and it comes to pass.

He looks at a restless, compulsive young man named Simon, and calls him a Rock, and the man affects history.

He looks at you and sees not what you are, but what you can be in him. His reality is greater than your senses.

The best thing you can do for your life, is get in touch with a Vision Statement from Heaven. How? By getting to know the God of the Bible. If you can quit being self- conscious, and instead, be God-inside conscious, you will start to walk out a new vision of who you really are.

You are who He says you are - a royal, faithful, loved, child of the King. You were created to rule and reign in life by Christ Jesus.


Proverbs 29:11
18Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.(A)



Be blessed.

-Gina

Growing Up as Royalty

The story is told of a young princess who stood on the castle balcony with her family one day. Thousands of people stood below, cheering the presence of the royal family. This princess would soon be queen.

"Mummy," She asked, "Do all these people belong to me?"

"Of course not, Darling!" her mother laughed, "You belong to all these people!"

Oh, to grow up as royalty! If only the children of God would recognize their own royal blood, instead of living like paupers. There is a marked difference in the mindset of each:

A princess grows up knowing that she is special. She has nothing to prove.

A pauper grows up insecure, fighting to avoid getting hurt.

A princess can serve from her position of honor. She knows she has something to give.

A pauper feels like a slave as she serves, resentfully striving for approval.

A princess grows up knowing that not everyone will love the royal family, but that is their right, not her problem.

A pauper assumes that people look down on her, so she shys away from authentic relationships.

If you put the princess and the pauper in the same room with a banquet table loaded with food, the princess will eat until she is comfortable. Abundance is all she knows.

The pauper will steal and hide food for later, and eat until she is sick, for fear there will be only lack tomorrow.

The truth is that every child of God is a prince or a princess. His kingdom is not of this world, but it supercedes this world! We are called to serve as members of the "royal family," while here on earth. In our heavenly palace, every thing we possibly need for life is available. No resource is ever lacking. We are loved and cherished, and we have something to offer the world - abundant, faith -filled life here, and in the life to come.

The psalmist said it this way:Psalm 37:25
25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

Say this out loud, "I am a princess (or prince) today. I am not a pauper. I am a believer, not a doubter, a giver, not a taker!"

Enjoy the good life!