YOU (me?-yes you) HAVE A CHOICE

What do you want? You do have a choice. Yes you. Weather you know it or not we all have a choice to be happy or miserable. Too many people don’t even realize this. Ignorance is not bliss! In fact, it can be very painful.
I am living proof. Earlier this year I went through a very painful separation from the woman I was supposed to merry. Whew, thank God that happened. She turned out to be a mega ego maniac but that is a blog for another day. This brake up was the ugliest and most pain filled experience I can remember. She hurt me deeply for her own satisfaction. (I may still be a little bitter but much wiser)
If I didn’t know any better I could have easily allowed myself to become bitter, angry, and full of blame. That would have been an easy choice. I decided to choose happiness over anger. This was not a difficult choice but it was by no means automatic. I searched for that happiness and did not stop until I found it. I am human. I still have my bad days but they are few and far between.
Now I practice happiness every day. It does take focus and work. The hard thing to realize is that you need to take responsibility for your behavior, your self-talk, and you own happiness. You can’t depend on others for your happiness, this only leaves you disappointed and unfulfilled. Living an existence of blaming others for all the things in your life you don’t like is the easy way out, or is it?
Wellllllllllll, do you think living a life focused on the situations and people that frustrate you and the reasons why they do is easy-OR-do you think living grateful and happy (regardless of what is going on in your life) would be better? (My still small voice says, “the choice is yours”.)
There will be more to come about how to achieve and maintain a happy spirit in weeks to come. For now you should visit my web site at www.thelearningcourse.com/productrec.html There you will find some wonderful resources my publisher friend Michele and I have personally read, listened to, or watched that have helped us make great positive changes in our lives.
Remember, WE ALL HAVE CHOICES. Comment me on your choices and ways you can make new ones. I invite you to email me at geoff@thelearningcourse.com if you have any questions or need help. I care about you simply because I choose too. Thanks for reading from the TLC guy.

IT’S THE WHO…NOT THE WHAT

I have made many mistakes in my life. We have all done and said things that we wish we could take back. I don’t know how many times I wanted to go out with a pretty woman based solely on appearances. One thing I have learned is to love everyone. That is no mistake. I just wish I would have learned this sooner. The sooner you learn this, the greater life will be.
I find it easy to love now. The real test that a person has to pass with me is weather I like them or not. For example, you love your family but there may be some family members that you don’t like. Liking someone else and being liked by another is very meaningful. I had it backwards for many years. I used to think before you love somebody you need to like them.
Only recently did I understand how important liking someone is as apposed to loving them. Oddly enough I came to this realization from getting to know my favorite barista. She is pretty and smart, that’s easy to love. From what I know of her so far I like her very much.
I foolishly asked her out shortly after we met and was shot down in flames. It wasn’t that big of a deal because I really hadn’t known her very long anyway. I didn’t know who she was at all. I was just asking her out because I found her to be attractive.
Well, since then I have been blessed with the opportunity to get to know WHO she is. We have had many occasions to converse for a few minutes at a time and sometimes longer. The more I talk to her and learn about her the more I discover what we have in common. I really enjoy talking to her. She is one smart chick.
I always listen intently to what she has to say but I have noticed that it’s easy to become distracted by her beautiful blue eyes. Before I got to know her all I really saw was just another pretty woman. Now what I see is a beautiful sole. In the future I hope to get to know her on many levels emotionally and intellectually (not physically just incase your mind is wondering). I realize this may never happen especially if I try to hard to be her friend.
I just want ya’ll to know this; pay attention to the acquaintances in your life. They have much to teach you if you can see who they are as apposed to what they are or look like. I know this because I have done several programs about the study of human behavior and one very effective method for understanding and retaining the information these programs have taught me is found in The Learning Course.
Geoff / TLC guy
P.S. To the one I’m talking about, you know who you are. Please don’t feel obligated to leave a comment. That’s not why I wrote this. The next time I see you I don’t want you to feel like you must acknowledge me either. It’s okay. I just hope you were able to take the time to read it. (I know you’re super busy) Oh yea, and for everyone else, go to my web site and get my new e-book at www.thelearningcourse.com. It’s well worth your time. Thanks for reading.

IF YOU COULD AUTHOR THE LIFE OF ANOTHER WOULD IT BE BETTER THAN YOURS

I’m guilty. Most of us are guilty of treating others better than we treat ourselves. Why? I’m not sure but it might be because we just want to be loved.
One important distinction I have come to realize through time and maturity is that you can’t give away what you don’t posses. This is true of anything from love to money or knowledge and anything else. My point is this, love yourself. This is easy to say and/or think but it can be so hard to do (for some of us anyway).
I don’t say this from an egotistical position. There are sadly many folks that think they are better than others. THAT’S WRONG. I personally know a few people that think they are God’s gift to the world. These people are truly lost.
Another gross misunderstanding of humanity is the know-it-all. I also personally know a few of them as well. When we decide we know more than others “in general” we are truly lost. You may be the best at “something” but that is no excuse to pretend you know it all.
People that portray themselves as the authority on all possessive knowledge are just scared children. They nave a need to make sure everyone in their pathetic little environment know how smart they are. So sad. I will never know it all but I take great pleasure in understanding that I have new things to learn every day and that is really living. Go luck in your daily pursuit to reach higher and become a better person. Be sure to go to www.thelearningcourse.com and download my new e-book.

Who Do You Love?

A few months ago I used TLC (The Learning Course) to study Tony Robbins most recent self-help program named “Get The Edge”.
I recently did step seven again. This turned out to be a real revelation for me. At one point in the program Tony instructs the student to do a “hands on” exercise. He said to make a list of all the people you love. I didn’t actually write down this list but it did inspire much thought. The answer for me was that I really do love everyone. This can be very hard for many people to accept. It took most of my life to learn and accept this as well.
You can’t just walk up to a stranger and tell them you love them but you can feel love and compassion for them. I suppose you could actually walk up to a stranger and say this but you might get punched in the face. That would be bad. LOL
I won’t get religious on ya’ but it has been said throughout history that we all are supposed to love one another. That being said…
I remember how angry 9/11 made me. How could those guys blatantly destroy so many innocent lives (not only the people that actually died but also the loved ones they left behind). My first thought was for all of the children that will never see one or both of their parents ever again. I felt so bad for those children that I had a hard time holding it together and I really needed too because I was working on a large commercial construction site in Seattle that morning.
Do you hate the people responsible for this action? I had a tremendous amount of anger in my heart for this senseless act against freedom and America for a long time. Does feeling anger and hate towards anyone make your life better? If it does please leave me a comment explaining why. Any negative emotion can eat you up inside if you choose to focus on them. Can you imagine what kind of world this would be if no one hated anyone anymore? I focus on how wonderful life is and can be and I’m thankful for all of the people in my life that enhance it, those in my life who don’t aren’t in it for long.
Terrorists are truly lost souls. They will never know how much human potential they poses. They don’t have a clue as to how wonderful life can be. And you know what else, it’s not even their own fault. They are products of generations upon generations of misunderstanding and hate. We are all products of our own environment and the difference between us and them is that we have the freedom to change the things in our environment that we don’t like. All they have ever known and been taught is to hate anyone who doesn’t believe as they do, the Infidels (what a pathetic indoctrination). Also, if they don’t do as they’re told they will be killed by the very mentors that are supposed to love them. How would you like to grow up in that environment, I think I would be a screwed up freak too.

I’m proud to be an American. We all have so many things to be thankful for and sadly how many of us take time each day to be grateful for what we have? I don’t know but for all of the trials and troubles we face in our daily lives, it’s so much better than being raised in a terrorist hell whole. So count your blessing every day and thank a solder for the sacrifices they and their families make. This is not a commentary on this mismanaged war but we are free for a reason and remember FREEDOM ISN’T FREE. It never was and never will be. In fact, it’s kind of an oxymoron.

Do Your Friends Inspire You?

Do Your Friends Inspire You?
We are all teachers and students of each other. Everyone should have a mix of friends. The first type of friend should raise us to new levels of awareness and abilities, someone that inspires and encourages us. These people are our mentors. Everyone needs a mentor, weather they know it or not. The other type of friend that is important to have is one that we can mentor and bring to higher levels of understanding and awareness.
I know a woman that has been a total inspiration to me. Unfortunately, she has no idea that I hold her in such high regard. We have known each other for a few years. This person is so nice and caring. I realize she simply sees me as an acquaintance but I see her as a true friend. I say that because she has raised my level of awareness. I have a tremendous amount of love and respect for her. Even since we first met she has inspired me to be a better person. I can think of no greater compliment to tell another person than how they have inspired me in such a deep and meaningful way. Our paths may never cross again and that’s okay because the things I’ve learned and realized from knowing her will serve me well.
The most important legacy each of us is responsible for are the positive changes we have made in the lives of others. My aunt Betty has been my inspiration to study self improvement programs for most of my adult life. The things I have learned from her guidance will inspire my family for generations to come. The most immediate affect of learning how to make positive changes in my life is in how I choose to raise my children. The ways in which I teach them to conduct themselves will in time be passed down to their kids. One of the most important things I can teach my kids is to always look for ways to become a better person and a blessing to others. Observing the ways other people conduct themselves has taught me plenty. I love to learn and live to learn new things every day. We all learn many things from others on a subconscious level. When I observe others on a conscious level I learn a lot more from them. I have made it my mission to understand and listen to other people. Call me crazy but I actually enjoy listening to other people talk most of the time. I do deplore ignorance though.

Embrace the information age

Embrace the information age
Change can be the most difficult thing for some people to face. There is only one real reason to make any change. It’s to better our lives. There is another kind of change we must understand and decide to adapt to. The society we live in is constantly going through change, almost daily.
One of the biggest changes that happened over twelve years ago is the new age we live in. It’s going to take some time to adapt to these changes. All of the advancements humans made in the Industrial Age are amazing beyond measure. It was an age unmatched by any other in history. Most people don’t consciously realize this age is now over.
Many of us grow up with the message get good grades, go to college, find a good job with a solid company, pay off your mortgage, and retire with the gold watch. This idea is obsolete. Even if you have been with a solid company for many years you aren’t safe. An old friend of mine used to have a six figure income with a solid company. This company was sold and the department my friend headed up was absorbed by another department in the new company. A twelve year solid career with a good company up in smoke and it’s nobody’s fault, it’s just a business decision.
By far the biggest change you may not be aware of is what is happening to American auto makers. I had a big problem with the financial bailout for banks on many levels but I also knew it was necessary. I am apposed to the bail out of the car companies. The deals of the past the unions and the auto companies have signed have to be renegotiated, if they don’t these big companies will fail. It’s just a matter of time. The only way this will happen is to let these companies go into bankruptcy protection so they can restructure and reorganize. If this doesn’t happen then the party really is over. Everyone will be without a job.
Originally pensions sounded like a wonderful reward for being dedicated to a company for many years and maybe even your entire career. One fact that has been true throughout history is that in order to earn anything you need to work for it. How long can big corporations continue to pay retired employees a monthly wage without asking for anything in return? I don’t know. I also think corporate executive bonuses are disgusting and out of control. I realize these two items are only part of the reason for the auto makers troubles but they are big problems that need to be solved. Retirees have a reasonable expectation to continue to draw from what they have been promised. In the information age this kind of corporate compensation will become non-existent. So what can you do now? One solution is to learn how to invest and manage your hard earned money now or how to manage money better. There are many books and different strategies on how to best manage money. No matter what books, programs, or seminars you attend on the subject of money management my e-book is a simple guide to accelerate learning. It discusses our three core learning styles and how they can be used together in different combinations for fastest memory retention, this concept is very simple and easily personalized. Download your copy today at www.thelearningcourse.com

I Learned Something From a Classic

The other morning I woke up at six and turned on the t.v. Star Trek was on. I watched for awhile just out of hysterical fascination. Billy Schatner was running around without his shirt and all I could think was Denny Crane. The lines were as corny as the lasers. It was funny. I never really tuned into this show in the past. If it was a choice between pro bowling and Star Trek then I’d turn off the t.v. My dad used to watch this show all the time when I was a little kid (he probably still does).
I did learn something interesting about myself. After Captain Kirk died for the 23rd time Bones revives Kirk with a flash light. It made an interesting whistling noise. I was exercising at the time but I picked up on this noise. I recognized this variable tone instantly. I make the same whistling sound. I’ve done this since I was a kid and I never thought about why. I never sat a watched Star Trek with the old man but I often used to play with my toys while he watched. On a sub-conscious level I believe the reason I make that whistling sound was learned from that show.
Do you ever think about the environment you’ve chosen for yourself and the way it shapes you as a person? Sure on a conscious level we make decisions and choices all day long. Do you ever consider the amount of information we take in on a sub-conscious level? Even when you leave the room during a t.v. commercial and focus on something else, if you can still hear the t.v. you are receiving information on a sub-conscious level. I now record any shows I choose to watch on t.v. I decided to start doing this a few weeks ago. I just became so tired of every other commercial being about a new medicine. The other half of the commercials were about negative politics.
Our environment shapes who we are and how we behave on unthinkable levels. How healthy is your environment? Just a thought.
TLC guy

I recently endured a life changing event. It’s very difficult to lose someone you love and when it happened to me I started searching for answers. I found those answers in two very good self help programs. I began to study these programs intensely. The one thing I began to realize as I studied was that I needed to find some way to retain all of the wisdom these wonderful programs had to offer.
I’m not an educator, I’m am a guy with a strong desire to grow personally, to learn all I can from others, and to teach people the beneficial things that have made my life more fulfilling. I believe we are all placed on this massive rotating ball to learn as much as we possibly can and be an inspiration to those who cross our path.
Do you ever ponder how you learn and retain information? How often do you wish you had the time to study a course on self improvement, gardening, cooking, how to build a great web site, or anything else? There is a solution. The solution is The Learning Course.
This is a unique three dimensional step-by-step program to increase memory retention. It can be applied to any academic environment. I’m actually using some of the principal parts of The Learning Course to construct this very article.
The steps of The Learning Course are very basic and we all use them in one way or another. This program will bring them together for you in a clear format. When you understand how TLC works is when the real fun begins. It’s very important to follow The Learning Course as it is designed the first couple of times you use this strategy for learning. After you can move through the steps without referring to The Learning Course instructions, then you can begin to customize how you use the steps to best compliment your individual learning style.
Another benefit to applying The Learning Course to your studies is awareness. The steps to this program will give you a deeper understanding not only of what you’re learning, but how you are receiving, processing, and retaining information.
In a very short period of time you will come to fully understand exactly how you can implement the strategies of The Learning Course in various educational settings. Educational programs on tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, and in books is only the beginning. You can also use these steps to organize information you wish to retain at lectures, on line study courses, live seminars, and in the classroom. It works for individuals, couples, friends, and groups of people. The possibilities to apply the knowledge contained in The Learning Course are endless.
What this unique program shows you is how to separate the key elements of any course of study you desire to learn. Once you have removed the parts of any course of study you don’t need you can direct your focus on the elements you really need to retain. The first step of the process alone can reduce your study time by up to %75. The steps that follow will also teach you how to subconsciously memorize information much quicker with a combination of learning styles. The information in this course is simple and easy to apply immediately. The value of the information contained in the pages of TLC far out weigh the introductory price of acquiring this knowledge. Included with your purchase are an additional free e-book and a 24 minute audio download. We chose to give these gifts away for one reason. By keeping the process simple you will be able to move through the steps more efficiently. So do a short TLC study with these free downloads first and become familiar with the structure of The Learning Course.

Welcome to my blog. I’m very excited to announce the launch of my first book, The Learning Course. I’m not an educator, I’m am a guy with a strong desire to grow personally, to learn all I can from others, and to teach people the beneficial things that have made my life more fulfilling. I believe we are all placed on this massive rotating ball to learn as much as we possibly can and be an inspiration to those who cross our path.
I recently endured a life changing event. It’s very difficult to lose someone you love and when it happened to me, I started searching for answers. I found those answers in two very good self help programs. I began to study these programs intensely. The one thing I began to realize as I studied was that I needed to find some way to retain all of the wisdom these wonderful programs had to offer.
Just listening to the CD’s over and over again wasn’t getting the job done. I needed to think outside of the box. I began to devise a step-by-step process that involved the three core learning styles that all humans use to retain information. It worked so well with the first CD program that I decided to use the process again, this time with the DVD of The Secret. Then I tried the same system out on a book. Not only did I raise memory retention, I was also able to reduce study time significantly.
The positive changes realized in my life recently have been incredible. This program is so easy to understand and implement that I began to share the process with friends and family. They all loved the concept and encouraged me to share my system with the rest of the world.
I’m actually using some of the principal parts of The Learning Course to construct this very blog. It’s really very simple. I’ve linked the senses of touch, sight, and hearing in a unique step by step system. You only need to work the step by step concept on one project to understand how and why it works so well. I recommend studying a small project the first time you use The Learning Course. If you keep it simple you will be able to move through the steps more quickly. This is the best way to become familiar with the process in a shorter period of time.
My vision of this blog is to help others learn this simple study program. I will be sharing stories from my customers to show how something simple can be so empowering.
If you are interested in learning more, visit my website at www.thelearningcourse.com.