A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was [...]]]> I received this e mail from a friend – it is long but well worth the read!

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘ Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?  Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Share this message with those people who mean something to you ; to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone’s day with this message!

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!

One of the greatest books I have read regard this, is Napoleon Hill’s book – “Think and Grow Rich.” Great title for a book!!! It was [...]]]> Well, it is a beautiful day today where I am. Just returned home from coffee with a friend and amongst the things we discussed, was the power of positive thinking.

One of the greatest books I have read regard this, is Napoleon Hill’s book – “Think and Grow Rich.” Great title for a book!!! It was first published in 1938.

I will just give you a small part of the story. Napoleon Hill wrote the book after studying people and their habits for over twenty years. The power to choose good or bad, health or illness, happiness or sadness is “all in the mind” but he also clearly states that it is your belief system that determines the outcome in your life.

One of Napoleon’s challenges was when he discovered his second son, Blair, had been born without ears. His belief was so strong that he stated to himself that his son would learn to speak and would hear. Napoleon then started speaking to his son by placing his lips against the mastoid bone. It was not until years later he found that this was called “bone conduction.”

Speaking to his son in this way, he began to transfer to Blair’s mind the desire to speak and hear. Napoleon words to describe this were “desire backed by faith.”

During his final months at college, Blair was sent an electronic hearing aid and finally was able to hear and speak.

His father had instilled in his son the faith necessary to overcome his disability and to believe that he was no different to anyone else. What his father had accomplished could only be described as a “miracle.”

Get this book and study it. Some of the richest men in the world have been influenced by this book – not bad seeing it was written so long ago and still taught by so many. This is a more up to date book from Dr Dyer.

Catch you tomorrow with some of the thoughts and ideas about positive thinking.