All American Network

Making A Difference

“One Person At A Time”

Many people find themselves at a place in life that is not what they wanted for themselves. Some how, they have sleep walked into this rut and have become imprisoned in a most unsatisfactory space. Imprisoned in a bad dream. It looked different when they saw it from afar. But now that they are here, it is horrible. Mind numbing, heart killing, eye blinding boredom and sameness that saps the strength right out of them.

It is not important to fix blame for this situation, but it is important to figure a way out. It would be nice if you can bring your loved ones out with you. But first gain solid footing for yourself, if they follow you they may need a helping hand.

You will only be able to share with others when you have something yourself. You can only give what you have. You have an obligation to gain freedom on a personal level before you can describe it to others. At least in a way that would make them want to be free.

Somewhere back in time, you had a dream, a list of what you wanted from life. Along the way you may have lost your guiding star. If you have the courage, you can break out of this prison and become a free soul again. Do you want to?  Find your list or create a new one.

My life was in the pits. I did not have a clue where I was or where I would wind up if I followed the path I was on. I had no inner voice guiding me to a happy place. I just knew I wanted to be free.

All my young life I had been told that I was worthless and that I would come to no good. My younger brother bought this story and committed suicide at age 37. Had his teaching degree in the Texas School system but could not over come the bad programming that was force fed into him since he was a child. I knew I did not want to fall prey to this kind of thinking. How do you break out of mind prison, how do you set your soul free to soar? Is there a formula that can be adapted to different situations?

FREEDOM

All bondage is because of lies.

All freedom is because of truth.

I feel tremendously blessed to have found a system to break out of bondage and I am going to share it with you in this short talk. As I have told before, this talk is a shortened version of a week end renewal training seminar. I do this talk in civic clubs and churches when ever I am invited.  This is session 2 from the (PAST) Personal Awareness Seminar Training program listed on my web site at http://www.jerry-hill.com.

All little children are free. Somewhere between birth and adulthood they become entrapped. Every one tries to restrain them. We try to teach them to trust no one, try nothing unsure, play safe and in many other ways, we instruct them in bondage. We instill fear.

One of the greatest teachers the world has ever known told HIS audience that”unless we became as little children” we would never see the greatest sights possible.

There is a simple path to freedom. It will, if followed, free your attitudes, increase your aptitudes and release you to follow activities that satisfy. Are you ready to hear about it. Here is the power formula revealed to me. I hope it brings you abundance of life.

Believe that there are no design flaws in the human being.

People just like you are doing all kinds of things, what does it take to join them? As humans we are more than able to do anything conceived and believed. When harnessed properly, nothing is impossible. SO?

For the sake of this talk I am putting forth the theory that there are four doors between you and freedom. Here are the keys:

Key # 1

You Must Have A Deep Dissatisfaction

People die inside when the vision or dream is clouded or out of sight. As long as you will be satisfied living on less, you will. First key is to restore the vision or dream. What is it that you really wanted from life or during your life? Make a list, write it down.

Many people are like my Grandpa’s old hunting dog. He had an old hound who looked like there had been two dogs living in his face and one of them moved out. You know the type. Anyway as a kid growing up on a dirt farm in Arkansas, we were up before daylight and in the fields by daylight. As the day became hotter we would break for lunch, then take a nap on the front porch. Grandpa got the swing and my brother and I lay on a quilt on the porch with the dog.

One day during the nap, Grandpa’s hound started howling, he just lifted his head and howled. It woke me and I asked”Grand pa. what is the matter with your dog?’

Grand pa told me the old hound was laying on an exposed nail.

I asked,”why don’t he just get up?”

Grand pa said”it doesn’t hurt enough to get up, just enough to howl”.

Many people are making enough noise to raise the dead, all except themselves. If you are laying on a nail, do not waste time howling, get up.

Most people love to complain about their place in the human race, if they were only, (anything except what they are) they would be happy.

Many people are not dissatisfied, just mildly annoyed with their current lifestyle. I just hate to see them coming, it is always the same story, some form of “woe is me, if only I” .

If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired then quit what you are doing that is causing it. If you are tired of treading water, learn to swim or get out of the water.

Just complaining is not the requirement for change. It is building a real dissatisfaction with the conditions to the extent that you are no longer willing to continue in them. Turn loose of those things that are causing you pain and get hold of something more in line with your desires.

According to our census bureau, (2004) there are 128,710 people in Ellis County. Only a handful of them vote each year. In Red Oak where we have 5,810 good folks, 318 of them elected our mayor. Do we need change? What do you think? Is apathy at work here? Are we hurting, but just not enough to get up off the nail.

City Council meeting are free to the public, have you ever been to one. You can even speak out on the issues, or bring up new ones, you could be active, or you could just continue letting the few think and act for the many.

Who runs your life?

Who makes the decision about how many hours you have to do what you want each day, week, month or year?

Is it any wonder that you feel lifeless, you are not real active in your own life. Many other people make more of your decisions than you do. Want to change that?

Is your image in need of a face lift?

Are your relationships suffering from malnutrition?

Are you progressing slower than a snail on a hot tar roof?

Are you going to be a WHINER or a SHINER?

Get A Definite Direction

If your head is not on straight, you will not walk where you are looking. A good self examination is in order. It is time to focus on your destination. Are you even in the mainstream of life? Are you adrift in a pond? Where are you going? Are you making good time but no direction?

Life is always full of options. That is what causes so many problems, how to pick the right one. Many of us are like a high performance speed boat, without steering. We are very busy going nowhere. Our days are filled with so much activity and so very little of it connected to our dream.

To many times we find that our life is more like a ferry boat running back and forth from the same two piers, when we wish we were steamships. We find ourselves wandering, when we wish to be on a trip to somewhere. Direction gives purpose to life. Satisfaction can only happen when we have focus.  It is very important in effecting change to have a clear direction in which to travel. Just running away from something never works, it is like trying to outrun your shadow.

Without a vision we are promised a slow death. No sense of accomplishment when we have no clear direction. Just passing time here on the planet. Like a row boat with only one oar in the water, we are just busy going around in circles. Life is not a gym, we do not have to live on a treadmill. Get out of the gym and join in real life, do something that makes you happy. Make a mistake or two, you will grow from the process. STOP what you are doing long enough to become what you want to be, then, full steam ahead.

Key #3

Disciplined Determination

It takes longer to grow an oak tree than a squash.

An airplane will go farther than a glider.

How deep is your commitment to your own best interest? You are the most important person you will ever have the opportunity to develop. It will make you very critical of others if you do not complete your own self image. You can spend a lot of time picking out the flaws you see in others. But, this will not bring you happiness. Seeing others incomplete will not complete you. Purpose, determination and commitment will allow you to see the tombstones of your enemies. Stay in the fight until the victory comes. You can not jump the Grand Canyon in several steps, the first jump will kill you. It is like falling from an 80 story building, it is only the last few feet that brings the pain. You need a path to completion. Starting points are great but crossing the finish line is what determines the winners. How many things have you completed in your life. How many projects left in a semi-complete state when you left them and went on to something else? Commitment and determination are required to effect meaningful change.

Key #4

Daring Desire

Excite yourself. Dream big. Get a vision of what you wish to be that makes you excited just to think about it. Look at your checklist, is your dream large enough to drive you. Is what you wish to be beneficial to any one besides yourself. Will you be a valuable member of your community, your country if you are successful at becoming your dream.

Do not chain yourself to run in a small circle like a dog on a leash. Is this the dream you really want? Get daring, allow yourself to have what you want. Who said you were not worth it. Even if you are not, become worth it. Who else would it help, do it for them also. A lot of people will benefit if you reach your destination.

Set a goal, lay out the path, make a checklist, set a time to start, set a time to prepare and complete the course. Then just do it.

No matter where you are. Mark it. Set your direction. Get excited and get on with it.

Change is possible, people do it all the time. As long as you are alive there is possibility. Even if you do not make it all the way, you will be happier with you along the way to where you want to be than you are in your present condition. BREAK OUT. Get out of the box. Get loose from your limitations. Do what it takes to make your transformation. YOU WILL LIKE THE NEW YOU.

You can get help. There are groups who offer the things you need, maybe even our bunch might be of some help to you.

Call me if you want. I would love to hear from you. 469-556-1776