Today, January 20th, is a great day.
Today is a day of hope, of renewal, of possibility.
Today is a day to bask in the pride, glory and Strength of America.
Today is a day to saturate every cell of your body and mind with uplifting optimism.
Today we are free to stop dragging around the past, stop complaining about what has been and start co-creating our country and our world.
Today, you will bear witness to the swearing in of the 44th President of the United States, Barrack Obama.
If Obama is your man you’re already riding the wave of possibility— surfing the energy of hope and optimism. If he’s not— if you’ve come to find fault with him or his beliefs— if you’re pessimistic about the future, I invite you to consider the impact.
The difficult reality is that there are millions of flag-waving American’s who are sitting back waiting for the prophecy of doom to come down on Obama—who would secretly welcome darker days to satisfy their “Rightness.”
Amazingly most of these righteous “by-standers” believe themselves proud, loyal Americans.
Think again.
To wish—however silently—a President of the United States to suffer is to wish America ill will. It is to make yourself more important than your family, your friends and your country.
The simple fact is that one is either part of the solution—engaged and actively carrying their weight and more—or part of the problem—standing by in idle resistance.
Surfing the Wave of Optimism
We stand at a rare Turning-Point in history—a precious opportunity to make a radical turn in our environment, economy, world by capturing this opportunity and surfing the waves of hope, belief and optimism.
As the science of “Learned Optimism” shows, optimism leads to better outcomes and a more successful, healthier, happier life than pessimism, which in contrast, contributes to helplessness and depression.
Optimism is the product of belief—what we expect to happen. Simply stated, if you believe things are going to get better, you are right. If you believe things are going to get worse, you are also right.
It’s through our belief we manifest the future.
What Future Would You Manifest?
What makes this time in history so powerfully Transformative is the awesome potential of hundreds of millions of us simultaneously surfing a massive wave of optimism. It’s one thing when you or I choose to believe in the brighter future, in a better world but together, the power of collective is truly awesome.
There is Strength in numbers.
In the introduction to Strength for Life I mentioned the greatest weakness of my Transformation plan: You.
You are the wild card for which I have no control. And the same is true for this brilliant opportunity, you can stand idle and wait for good things to happen before you choose to get on board. You may want to see evidence before you believe when ironically it’s belief that produces the evidence, as even quantum physics has shown.
So, as you can see, the future of this country—just as the future of your life—is in your hands. A brighter, stronger, more vibrant world begins with you.
President Obama may inspire, unite, tap our energies and even do some heavy lifting for us all but who will only succeed to the degree you succeed. For as he’s said over and over, it’s not about “me” it’s about you.
For if President Obama can find hope in us, can we not find hope in ourselves?
The future: Yours, your country’s and the world’s is truly in your hands.
Now is a Time for Strength!
And there’s no better, more consistently reliable way to be strong, confident and optimistic than to cultivate a healthy, vibrant and fit you.
Do Try This at Home
Today when Barrack Obama takes the Presidential Oath, raise your hand and recite the words along with him. Do it not because you like him but because you love your country and you too are willing to assume your all important responsibility carrying your weight and then some.
P.S. If you’re home is not the US of A, watch the inauguration any way, take the oath along with us all and see my note above on optimism.
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20. January 2009 at 12:06 pm
Just the words I needed to read today. It’s the perfect time to commit to change. Thanks!
20. January 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hope!
Hope for all Americans be treated with dignity and respect.
Hope for the World to seek steps towards Peace.
Hope for good health for our family, friends and neighbors.
Hope for equality for all.
Hope for positive change in each our lives.
Hope!
Live, Love and Respect….three steps to a positive outlook on life.
Love and Respect yourself.
Hope!
20. January 2009 at 4:06 pm
I am a realist and you sound like a liberal idealist. As such, I believe that life (including my health) will deteriorate unless a strong consistent effort is maintained for continual improvement. I was recently introduced to you by Joe Polish and was looking forward to reading your book. You have my email address b/c I purchased your nitritional supplement, b/t/w, I think the addn’l. $17+ shipping charge (to HI) is a bit excessive (I am in the international transportation business). You are either profiting on the shiping charges or paying too much.
I am responding to your article as follows: Obama and Bush too (recenty) have turned the corner toward increased socialism. The bailout clearly rewards failure. Obama’s promise to give gov’t. greater (not less) control of health care is a huge mistake. One of his promised first Exec. Orders is to liberalize abortion which is another huge mistake! His commitment to “share wealth”… it’s hard for me to be optimistic about him. He can sure talk though.
20. January 2009 at 4:09 pm
As a Brit I was still inspired by Barrack Obama’s inaugural speech. I read the following in the London Times today;
“Before we all pile our own demands on the new president’s head perhaps our self-injunction should be not to ask what Obama can do for us, but ask rather what we can do for Obama. After inauguration day, the responsibility should be shared by as many of us can do what is needed”.
As you say Mr Obama inspires optimism in the USA and around the World.
20. January 2009 at 10:51 pm
Thank you for the inspirational words, Shawn. As always, I eagerly await your blog posts. Just one point. His name is Barack. Not Barrack. Barracks are the residential quarters for soldiers.
21. January 2009 at 12:40 am
This is so true. I as many Americans was completely confused on the right choice during both the Primary and General elections. Our primary responsiblity is to accept and support our country which includes our new Commander and Chief.
21. January 2009 at 3:04 am
It is possible to disagree with the President’s proposed policies and wish them to fail without wishing failure on the country. I am optimistic about the future of this country and I am concerned about where Obama wants to lead. I pray that many of our servant leaders remember their own oaths and weigh them carefully against the proposals of this untested and uncertain man. He speaks with a forked tongue but his record speaks clearly enough. Our founding fathers gave us checks and balances to reduce the effectiveness of men in power. We should remind our leaders that their oath is to the Constitution as it stands not as they would have it be.
I already swore my oath. I offered my life to my country. I am not standing idle. But I cannot in good faith support Obama’s platform of campaign promises.
Your post divides it does not unite. You could have left your Bush-like “your either for us or against us” bit out. You don’t get that half the country did not want this man for president. And many that do don’t understand this man’s history or the last century’s history. Plenty of love of charismatic leaders in Europe and Asia in the last hundred years. Americans should not love their leaders so much. Let’s stick to loving our country and our constitution.
You have developed a good program and make a good product. And I agree with much of what you wrote in your post. But I will not stand silently by for the next 4 years and be lumped in as “part of the problem”.
Respectfully.
21. January 2009 at 11:58 am
You do such a great job with the pep talks, Shawn- keep it up!