Helping friends

I was asked today if I felt anger toward my friends who continued to have a few beers around me when I was in the beginning of becoming sober. I responded that I had no ill feelings toward anyone because I know they did the best that they could at the time and anger in our hearts only hurts ourselves. I felt that it was my battle that I was going through at the time and who am I to ask everyone around me to change their ways in order to make my life simpler. In fact, I felt more satisfaction as I made it through my daily journey with the temptations that surrounded me. It was my choice to be there in the first place and we don’t live in a perfect world.
I don’t think that we should judge one another for our mishaps and screw ups. I feel that we should try our best to help each other through the difficult times knowing that each one of us is blessed with free will. We can’t force our beliefs onto anyone and shouldn’t anyhow. When someone is ready for change, he or she will take the challenge and hopefully will ask for your help. I was also told that I should not try to help if this friend asked for it. Bologna! If someone has the strength to ask for your advice then this is the time to give it! You will always feel best when you know that you did everything that you could because you did. Walking away from someone who is struggling will only hurt everyone involved.

Let God do the judging, unless you are perfect. We all make mistakes and we all have issues so don’t pretend that you are perfect, but instead lend a helping hand anytime you can no matter the situation. True friends help each other without motives and that is what makes us friends.

What path in life are you taking?

Today I ask you to take a look at yourself. No, not in the mirror but at your hearts. I have been watching my thoughts and my actions pretty closely and found that I have much to learn. I need to tune my ears closer to the wisdom that is offered by others who have insight and knowledge of the good that surrounds me. We have free will and can pick out what’s true and fair. Wisdom and knowledge are pleasant companions while common sense will help us travel the right paths and keep us from following the bad directions of the lost! When we aren’t paying attention to our hearts, we will find a lot of detours and dead ends. When we listen to our hearts and learn from really true friends we will find all the good trails.
Listen for the good in everything that you do, everywhere you go. You will stay on track. Don’t ever assume you know everything because there is so much more to learn! Earn a reputation for living well by doing well. Run from the ones who tempt you to do the wrong thing because they will only bring you into that maze of detours and dead ends. Don’t give that smooth talking temptress a second thought because it will only distract you from looking forward and only tempt you to join them on the path to nowhere. Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder. The ones who are straightforward are the ones who get respect.

Never walk away from someone who needs help. Don’t tell someone “maybe later” or “next time” when you have a pocket full of money or the time right now. Even worse, never try to figure out ways to take advantage of someone when they are sitting there trusting you and unsuspecting. This is one of the quickest ways to end up in a blind alley and miserable. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth, don’t tell white lies, or gossip. Keep your heart focused on the right path and ignore the sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the roads will be paved out smoothly for you!

Meaning of Life?

We can find meaning in our lives even when we are confronted with troubles and hopeless situations that we have no control over. Sometimes it hurts while we are going through these trials because we don’t yet understand why they are happening. Through the suffering we can transform any tragedy into a triumph or achievement because we are forced to challenge and change ourselves. Everything in our lives happens for a reason, and there are no coincidences. We are where we are because we chose to be there, now you can decide where you want to be and start down that path.
The meaning of life varies from person to person, and the meaning changes on a daily basis. It is not so much the meaning of life that matters but the meaning of your life that is important. Knowing that every person is different, has different capabilities, assets, traits, dreams, and careers will help to remind us how unique we truly are. What matters is what we do with where we are in life and how we handle each situation. We must learn from the situations and should not be in search of a generic meaning of life, but instead what we are doing with ours. No two human beings are the same. We have different experiences, different surroundings, and beliefs. We must take our own opportunities and implement them in a way that will help others.


One of the ways I have learned to live a responsible life is by putting others first. Before I do something, I think of ways to do it in a positive way that will be rewarding for others. Helping others first, loving unconditionally, learning to stop judging others is one of the truest ways to live a responsible life, which in turn makes you who you are and why you are here among billions of other loving souls. The true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world, not just from within. The more we love others and give to society we will learn about ourselves. Being selfless in our challenging times will have a beautiful side effect on your life and that side effect is what I call “the meaning of life.”

Laugh and pass along the energy!

My new fun shirt that I hope brings some smiles to everyone who passes by! Life is about enjoying life and helping others to smile along the way! I hope each and everyone of you have a perfect day knowing that you are making a difference in others lives!

Have FUN!

Blog is changing to www.lifeinaweek.blogspot.com

Hello to all my "Life in a Week" friends! We are building a new website due to the demand of "Life in a Week" products and services! The blog will remain the same and the website as-well! You will be able to access the blog via http://www.lifeinaweek.com/ on the "blog" page or sign up directly through the http://www.lifeinaweeek.blogspot.com/ page if you are not signed up already!
Thank You so much for all of the support and feedback. The new site will help to contact both me and our staff more easily in the future. I apologize for any slow responses in the past, it was a bad set up by ME and my not so good computer savy! Now you can email me directly at any time and I will recieve every email directly! Also, be sure to join me on my facebook page today!
I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely,
Mike Keller
http://www.lifeinaweek.com/    

Change for yourself - NOT for anyone else!

Why do so many people choose to pick on people and criticize every little flaw? If you choose to do so, then don’t be surprised when you receive the same treatment! The critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. “Don’t be so fast to notice the smudge on your friends face while being oblivious of the blemishes on your own”. We need to look for the good in each other and enjoy the differences that make us unique. I have been doing research on human behavior and am finding out that one our biggest flaws is judging or comparing each other. One of the most successful gyms in my area grew tremendously by marketing “judgement free zone” and I am making it one of my goals this year to live that motto! Wouldn’t life be so much happier if we went through our days not worrying about what others think. Wouldn’t it be nice to do things for ourselves because we truly want the change that we are making, not what we think others expect of us. Well, it is easier said than done! 2012 is the year to do just that.


If you are trying to lose thirty pounds because you think others are going to be attracted to you then you might lose that weight but you might not have as much fun losing it because you should be losing it so you will feel better, be healthier, and want it for yourself! It must be for you and not anyone else. I have been changing my diet, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and am noticing a difference in my mood from these changes and in the long run I will lose weight. I am doing it for myself. This year is about you; if you are happy, healthy, and wise then you will pass that along to your loved ones simply by being you! Enjoy the new year and work on your goals then pass the rewards on to others...

Let’s make 2012 the best year ever and let me know how you are doing. I love hearing from everyone who visits my blog, joins me on facebook, and reads my books. My email is kellerslifeinaweek@gmail.com

God and Christmas!

Now that Christmas is just around the corner I wanted to take a moment to talk about what I feel is the true meaning of Christmas. It is very simple, yet we all make it complicated and stressful. “Stinginess impoverishes while generosity begets generosity.” That one sentence sums it up and explains how we should be living. Not only during the holidays but every day! Jesus said “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a washtub or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel?” The point here is let’s share our joy and love for each other. Giving is the way, not getting!


I keep my blog pretty simple because I don’t believe in complicating matters. I don’t preach because I know I am far from perfect and have so much more to learn. I see many so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They try selling formulas, programs, and advice on techniques for getting what you want from God. Be careful not to fall for all of that nonsense. Christmas is about Jesus and what he did for us. Christmas is simple because of a loving God who knows each and everyone of us. Christmas is about knowing each of your loved ones and sharing your time and laughter together. Make it a safe, fun, and memorable day by surrounding yourself with others.

Merry Christmas!

Mike Keller

Just Shut Up and Have Fun! Merry Christmas...

One of my favorite times of the year is the Christmas season because we all seem to take a step back and think about others first. I often wonder why we don’t seem to hold on to that holiday feeling for the entire year? If we sincerely thought about others needs before our own all year round we would be much happier, healthier, and wiser! I am not talking about the gifts that are bought, I am saying the hugs, the family gatherings, the laughter, the excitement, and the love that we feel toward one another. So often we are so caught up in our own lives that we forget to slow down and ask a friend how he or she is doing? One of the biggest lessons I have learned this holiday season so far is that we all love to hear ourselves talk! I have been trying to do less talking and more listening (as I previously wrote about in previous blog entries) and I am truly amazed at how much better I am at listening than talking! Just by listening to others more intently is being a better friend. Listen to what others are saying and you will learn so much more about your own life. The Christmas holiday season is a great time to practice doing this. I want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season, a season to smile and build memories of a lifetime!


Merry Christmas!

Is America going down the drain? Why is that even a question...

I hear all the time that “America is going down the drain” and it drives me nuts! We are blessed to have so many freedoms and live in a place where we can make our own destinies. Someone told me yesterday that they can’t even afford to go out to dinner. I asked how many credit cards do you have? He replies FIFTEEN and they are all maxed out!

We need to start changing our lives and our country starting at home. Too many of us are buying material objects that seem to be important today but are thrown in a closet tomorrow, huge mortgages that take up most of our paychecks, fancy cars that depreciate the moment we pull off the dealerships lot. If we can’t afford it then don’t buy it! It saddens me to see so many people trying to make ends meet while still spending out of control. Yes, the government is known for this and the economy is in bad shape but, that is not an excuse for us to do so too. You’ve heard the old sayings “two wrongs don’t make a right” or “you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.”

I am not going to get all political here on my blog about being happy. I am just saying that we need to stop expecting to get bailed out for our own mistakes, just because the politicians have lost the golden rule of ‘common sense’ doesn’t mean we should. God didn’t tell us that we are born with the rights to a fancy supper, the best educations, free medical care, or even a job. He said we have to earn what we want and need. “Teach a man to fish and he will always eat.”

Here is what I have been doing to gain control of my financial life which in turn makes my entire life much less stressful and much more rewarding. By changing a few habits we will make our own economies better and worry less about what others are doing.

• Work smart! It’s simple, plan your days and be the best at what you do. 80% of our success is based   on our attitudes not our intelligence (thank God!).

• Smile more! A genuine smile and thoughtful acts toward others will help you earn much more money and get you out of debt! Care about everyone you meet all of the time!

• Don’t carry your credit cards! I have one credit card for travel and emergencies locked in a safe. If I carried it, I know I would have bought that flat screen t.v. on sale today...

• Pay off one debt at a time! Budget your money and pay off the highest interest rate card first. Even if you have to pay the minimums on all the others. Knock one out at a time and you will be debt free many years sooner!

• Make dinner at home more often! You will be healthier and will know what is in it. Let your wallet get fatter not you! Eating out all of the time is unhealthy, even the fancy kitchens add a lot of preservatives and salt. What my friends and I do which is really fun and saves a lot of money is to rotate going to each of our homes for dinner each week/month. It is much more fun than going out, saves us money, and we don’t have to talk over a loud crowd. Try it... you’ll have fun and may even learn to make a mean meatloaf!

• Drive your car for at least five years after it is paid off! Once you got rid of that huge car payment why would you want to start another one a month later? Enjoy that extra savings... if you want a new car scent again go to your local gas station and pick up a “new car scent tree deodorizer” or go get it detailed for a hundred bucks.

The bottom line is we are blessed to be surrounded by so many opportunities and to live in a great country that was built on ‘free will’ and ‘freedoms to learn and grow.’ We are slowly slipping into competitions about who has more instead of concerning ourselves with becoming rich from within. Riches of love, peace, charity, kindness, and laughter are much more important than any paper money or gold. So why drown ourselves in the battle over materials which will only stay here when we are long gone. Slow down, moderate everything in life, and start enjoying the company of each other; not some fancy gadget that is putting you in debt.

The furthest thing from freedom is debt so the sooner you get out of debt the sooner you will enjoy more freedoms...

Author of the "Life in a Week" book series
http://www.lifeinaweek.com/

Don't fear death

In the morning consider for a moment the fact that you may not live to see the sunset. When the sunset comes don’t be to confident that you will see the next morning. These thoughts should not make you feel gloomy or sad, but practical. We should live our lives as if it were our last day on earth. Most of us will die suddenly and unprepared. We think that we still have plenty of time and end up wasting valuable time. Death, with all of its uncertainties, is a fact. We need to face facts and see what could be done to better our lives and our surroundings now. Thinking about death will not cause death to happen sooner, nor will it help to escape it! The key is to live in such a way that no matter when death comes, it will find us in sanctifying grace.

Patience will help us in difficult times. It will help us to think more clearly. Humility will help us admit our weaknesses and therefore be less irritable or resentful in our difficult times. Sometimes we need to live through a storm to grow stronger. Life will have hardships and suffering but if you are brave and have faith in God you will find peace in your life and in the next. Many of us pursue an imaginary happiness with money or keeping busy. When we get what we want, we suddenly see that it doesn’t bring us the joy that we had expected. So we slowly begin to search for that happiness again and again. Don’t blame the place you are in or the people around you if you don’t have peace in your soul. Begin today to make a continual effort to strengthen the self love that is needed. Look for opportunities to practice patience, don’t fear suffering or inconvenience, virtues are never gained in easy times. We learn the most in difficult times. Life can be the happiest and most rewarding in these times, if we let it.

Are you Happy?

How are you looking at your life? Are you happy with the decisions you’ve made so far? Are you looking to change your future for the better? Well, these are great questions that we should be asking ourselves an a daily basis! We should realize that today is a gift and tomorrow is going to be a reflection of today. So, the key to true happiness is realizing that we decide what happens in our lives. Forget about bad decisions of yesterday or even of this morning; work on doing better and making today a better day.


So often we try to put blame on others for our misfortunes or shortcomings. Today is the day to buckle up and go on the fun ride which is your life. Yes, you may hit a few bumps along the way but don’t let that slow you down. Enjoy the bumps, smile, laugh, and be engaged in the moment. Your thoughts and reactions have the ability to change your life, while at the same time sharing great times and memories with the ones that you love. Life is a journey, don’t get caught up in the little dramas because you won’t be able to concentrate on the fun and happy road of life....

DAILY TRIALS

Even though we may try to plan all things and arrange everything with extreme care, we will still have a lot of opportunities to exercise the virtue of patience. We can’t eliminate the unexpected or the unavoidable. In most cases our best weapon is our intelligent patience with both ourselves as with others. We will always have daily trials that at times will even cause bodily pains. At other times it may be a simple annoyance, disappointment, or cause anxiety. We would like to be free of these trials, but that is impossible. Patience and understanding are the keys to dealing with such circumstances, the key to peace and happiness is to know that our reactions should never be surprised, resentful, or saddened when things don’t go our way. We should try to gain more control of the situations and learning to deal with the trials will teach us the most valuable lessons in this life!

Our lives will have trials every day. We are always being tested. If we live well, our acts will merit a rewarding life. But the fact is that we will face the possibilities of success or failure. In either case, the outcome of these trials is determined by our own free choice! I was told a few days ago that our sub-conscience mind will save what we write and put our writings into action quicker than if we were to simply imagine or say them aloud. This may be the case but, I feel our words that we speak to each other have much more power to change our lives. I have felt more intense pains from slaps to the face from words spoken to me than I have ever felt from a hand. We need to be careful of what we say to each other in heated moments of boiled over situations. There are no accidents. There is the law of cause and effect in every situation. Our thoughts create our words and our words create the reactions and therefore the results.

SOO FUNNY! I laughed for 20 minutes...

Patience will get you through anything...

Patience is how we react to situations with our loved ones, kindness is how we can avoid the ugly situations. No one wants to be around a grumpy monkey, but we all love being around someone who is thoughtful and KIND! Patience and kindness work hand in hand with each other, without one the other struggles. Kindness must be with us at all times, we should wear it around our necks as if it is part of us.

I took a day and wore a rubber band on my wrist, every time I was about to react to a grouchy comment I simply snapped the rubber band to remind me that words are just as dangerous as a loaded gun. At the end of the day my wrist hurt but I felt great knowing that I only spoke good words... this habit can change all of our relationships for the better. Remember to be patient, kind, helpful and willing to be flexible like that rubber band. Rather than complaining and making excuses, look for reasons to compromise and help each other!

Homemade book trailer - Youtube please Don't take away my music again... I have permission!!

Bullies or Hate? Love is the answer!

When I was a kid we would have kids teasing each other about our hair, our teeth, or maybe even a smelly belly (fat) but, in these days of the internet and computers we are faced with many more issues. As we advance in technology and instant news we would hope that we would also become or “grow” smarter? Not the case in many aspects of our lives, in fact we may be going in the opposite direction. It is sad, today alone I read about a fourteen year old boy who committed suicide just fifty miles from my home because he was physically assaulted in the hallways of school every day for “acting gay”, a twelve year old girl who was severely beaten because she is Mexican, and a teacher who was fired because he yelled at a kid in his class to “pipe down or go to the principle!”

I think that the one thing we are lacking as a general population is “common sense and respect.” I respected my teachers because I was taught to respect my elders, I knew that I needed to listen to them or I would have to answer to my parents when I got home! I believe we need to start discussing these issues with our kids, co-workers, friends, and family. We need to set aside political correctness, stereotypes, and prejudgements of others. We need to lead by our examples and to embrace our differences in this great world of ours. Teach others by our examples, not just boring words that are forgotten...

We are blessed to live in a time of such changes and we need to learn from each other. We will fail if we don’t start paying attention to the world around us, but we will grow if we Love and nurture the good in each other. Talk to your family and friends about these issues and express yourself as only you can and we will make a difference today. Don’t try to change the world, just your world! Changes happen from within, then it spreads to others...

Slow down, Be nice, and open your fists!

How nice are you to people? How do you respond to a co-worker who speaks harshly? How do you respond to a rude receptionist? How about a friend who ignores you when you ask a question? These are good questions that remind me that everywhere we go people are hurting, in a rush, and might be discouraged. They may have made mistakes in life or are simply having a bad day. They don’t need anyone to criticize or judge them; they need someone who will take a moment to listen to their story and are probably looking for a friend who cares, but is in such a rare mood or in a rush that they are zoned into that moment. We can turn any situation around; it is all up to the way we look at the situations and how we react! Once we start letting God judge everyone and we start to work on our own flaws it will be much easier to see the good in others.

Today is a good day to open our fists and reach for the good in others. Our personal beliefs have much more impact on our lives than anyone else’s...

Are you traveling down the wrong road?

A man was traveling for work heading toward his destination. On his way to that place he realized he was heading in the wrong direction, he was on the wrong road! But, strange to say he didn’t worry about it and kept on going believing that even though he was on the wrong road, he would end up at his destination! He didn’t worry about turning back or getting back on the right road. The poor fellow must be crazy! Lots of us are that way in regards to our thinking, we keep making the same mistakes, doing the things that hurt us the most... maybe we are the crazy ones?

We know that we might not be on the right track and that we should lead a different life, pursue a different course if we wish to reach our destinations, and still we keep right on going in the wrong direction! We are searching for worldly riches and goals, being successful in business, and attaining happiness, yet we forget that happiness is actually one of the simplest forms of Love. You don’t need success to Love; just the ability to trust and have the strength to never give up on believing in others and yourself. A true leader is one who trusts in others and doesn't look to gain fame or fortune; just the trust of others. Every day offers us many chances to change the live's of our loved ones and if we take those chances we will be changing our lives and paths as-well! Now go make someone smile and have fun!! 

In Dead Eyes

In Dead Eyes

You live for a while

Most don't know what there is after death.

We all have every answer we need inside

Sometimes you see it

If you are lucky you will be it

before it's death.

If you have seen life through dead eyes

you will know that if you do everything you have to

then dead eyes aren't so bad...

Just know you have to show love, smiles and be true to everyone now

because Dead Eyes dont make appointments to see you.... 

Be yourself...Be Real

...Trust me on this!     

I wrote this when I was thirteen years old because I was depressed but, now I realize that I was looking for some answers... I realize now that even at that young age that I was trying to answer some of lifes biggest mysteries. This little poem reminds me that we will never have all the answers but we will have the questions! Keep asking them... Life is about learning, Loving, and being True to who we are, worry about tonight and let tomorrow be out of site because the futue is ...what we make of it.

  

We are made of Energy so enjoy TODAY!

The energy you exude is the energy you will attract. The vibes we put out from our thoughts and aura are what we are going to attract to us, if we are putting happy and positive vibes out there, we will attract those same kinds of vibes from the people around us. This is really important to remember as we go along through our days. If we put out insecure or negative vibes we will attract the same from those people around us, and we will end up having a lousy day. I actually get bad headaches when I am around negative situations and tense people. That negativity is what causes my tension headaches. If I walk away from the situation, the headache goes away within minutes! I always say happiness is contagious, so why not embrace everyone around who you love.