A little history mixed with inspiration for you today. Celebrations are great. We just get a little arbitrary in what we choose to celebrate and why. It’s funny, actually.

In the U.S., we’re approaching the celebration of our “Independence” Day. This was the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Uhh, except that it wasn’t really signed until August 2nd, 1776. So, there’s that.

And like a toddler stamping her foot yelling “I Do It!,” the United States wasn’t really a country, and wouldn’t be for another 13 years when the constitution (drafted in 1787) was ratified fully in 1789. Just because we said we wanted independence didn’t mean we were suddenly granted it. There was a war that waged on for years after our foot-stomping. There were papers to suggest how to organize. And many, many people didn’t want it. British rule, the way things had always been, was just fine.

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Did you ever notice the way I sign off my blog posts or pretty much any correspondence?

Keep Making Your Magic

I believe in you. 

I believe that each one of us has something magical to contribute to the world. That we’re here to give our unique gift. And, I believe that unique gift is magical. 

It’s up to each one of us to nurture it and to let it out. And that’s why a lot of my work focuses on getting you to Listen To The Whispers. 

Focus on that voice of true desire that says, “over here” and guides you to a path that you’ll really love. Let go of the “supposed to” stuff and the “get real, be rational” voices that feel like pushing. 

Your magic is found in the pull you feel from your heart. 

Remember how I said, “Enter when pulled?” It’s not always an argument that pulls you. Step in with wonder and curiosity. “Where might...

A tug-of-war can only happen if there are opposing forces pulling on the rope. That means, you can stay out of a tug of war by refusing to pick up the rope. Someone taunting you, in whatever way – at work, at home, at a bar or a party – it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to engage. At ALL.

When a phone salesperson happens to catch me answering the phone, after they say my name, I’ll interrupt them with the first question: What are you selling.

That stops the script.

It also introduces a new script. Pay attention to this for yourself: We are programmed to answer questions that are posed to us.

Rather than being pre-qualified on the phone, “Are you happy with xyz service that you currently use?” I start with the first question: “What are you selling?” 

“Uhhhh, I’m uh, not selling anything. I’m, uhhh, finding out if you like your current phone service.” 

I then say...

We get so fired up when someone threatens our identity.

Think about the last time you felt offended or outright angry about something.

Something inside of you felt like it was being taken from you. A piece of you worth fighting for. 

By the way, your sports team sucks. 

Whatttt? That’s MY team you’re talking about. 

We want to belong. We want to fight for our group, our beliefs, our unified force. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just remember, it’s not personal.

If I say that your sports team sucks, that’s a comment about me. 

You don’t have to prove me wrong, because it’s not about you. And pretty much never, ever, in the course of human history has anyone come to an argument or debate ready to be swayed in their beliefs. So, we shout louder, believing that some injustice is being done to us, personally.

     It’s not about you!

Really, it’s...

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at The Wizard Academy in Austin, TX. 

Yes, it’s a real place, a non-profit for business-people looking to open to new ways of thinking about their business and their life. I’m not here to plug ‘em; I wanted to share some fun I had.

I was one of the kick-off speakers for a two-day conference. And, at the end of the two days, the questions of “what did you like best?” came around. Attendees took the mic and shared various “nuggets” that they took away from the instructional time. 

I felt so honored by hearing people repeat back MY words. Simple things I’ve been saying over the years. And these amazing people, some of whom you might know of because, well, they’re out there, shared back my truth.

So, I thought I’d offer them here. In bite-sized nibbles. This month, you’ll get a little something to think about, one sentence at a time.

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Look at you go!

And go.

     And go.

          And go.

Where are you going? Just checking!

When I ask people how they’re doing, I’m genuinely curious. And when they respond, “livin’ the dream,” I’m sad for them. Really. That phrase means that they’ve gotten caught themselves on a hamster wheel and see no way out. It’s a phrase of concession, of giving up.

How’re you doing?

Oh, I’m just living the dream here.

Doesn’t reading that make you feel like the air in your tires was let out just a little? 

Our job – yours and mine as powerful humans – is to become the beacon that reminds people who they are and who they can be. It’s a job of rehumanizing and it’s humanity focused. 

That requires you to be super clear about your dream, your goals, your wishes for yourself. And at...

An emotional gut check can leave you feeling like you want to react in all kinds of ways. I just received some disappointing news and I felt angry, frustrated, unheard, dismissed, and then NEUTRAL.

How can bad news be met with a neutral response?

Because “news” isn’t good or bad. Okay, the stuff on TV is mostly drivel and you’re tuning in to things that are aimed to fire you up and/or confirm your biases. Beyond the media’s biased slant on events in the world, anything you see or hear is simply information. 

ANYTHING.

This might be unpopular thinking. So try it on for a moment – 

A major deal fell through? That’s neutral information. It’s disappointing for a moment, and then, it’s information you can use to make your next move.

A medical diagnosis? It’s neutral information. It’s alarming at first. And then, you use that information to make your next move. 

...

A whirlwind swept through my world. As I continue to say yes to opportunities placed in front of me, the direction shifts just a bit. The North Star – the guiding light for leaning into or letting go of the opportunities is my vivid vision. Does this get me closer to or further from my big goals and dreams?

As it turns out, one of the opportunities has forced me to live big time into the lessons I teach. This is big: 

YOU MUST GIVE UP WHO YOU ARE AND HOW YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO

IN ORDER TO BECOME WHO YOU NEED TO BE TO DO AND HAVE THE THINGS YOU SAID YOU WANTED

But… but… I like who I am! 

That’s cool, I’m using who I have become as a lever to my next iteration. As my friends have begun to look toward retirement, I’ve revamped my business to have an even greater impact in the world. It’s all go. And it’s all NOW.

I was debating giving up the Wednesdays With Wayne blog for a while. Did you know that THIS...

Last week I shared that I went on a cruise through the Panama Canal. When you’re on a cruise, you come into port and have made choices about excursions. While in Punt Arenas, Costa Rica, we were on an excursion that included a boat tour for looking at local wildlife and a bus ride out to the Macaw Sanctuary. 

The part of the trip that took us by bus to the Macaw Sanctuary deviated from the plan as our bus came to a stand-still in heavy traffic on a two lane road in the middle of nowhere. I mean, it was Costa Rica; there just wasn’t a lot around us. 

Picture this: My wife and I were probably the youngest on the bus. There were 28 other people who had pushed into their late 60s, many in their 70s, and a few in their 80s. We’re on a bus. We’re at a standstill in traffic. We’re not getting closer to seeing the Macaw Sanctuary. 30 minutes pass. 

We’re told that there was an accident and that it should be cleared...

I cruised through the Panama Canal a couple of months ago. It’s a remarkable feat of engineering, saving almost a week of travel by lifting boats through locks into manmade lakes and onto locks. We traveled from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. We traveled under the Bridge of The Americas, connecting north and south American land masses. A bridge! Connecting north and south American land masses. 

That was all cool.

Getting great meals that accommodated dietary needs was amazing.

Most special was being at sea. I’ve always had an affinity for the ocean. I haven’t felt comfortable learning to scuba dive, nor am I a great swimmer. And still, the ocean seems to talk to me. And I hear it, deep inside of me.

Sea days on a cruise are those that you’re, well, at sea. There’s no port. Nor is there any land for as far as the eye can see. To me, that’s why we cruise. We could’ve flown from port to port more efficiently. The...