Whatever your dreams, goals, or aspirations, today is the time to take a step. Yesterday, Jeff and I had some time to spare in the afternoon and we decided to go ahead with an idea that we have been talking about. So we called our videographer and asked him to come over and tape us talking about subjects near and dear to our hearts: relationships, health, wealth and yes, even sex!
We;ve been getting ourselves out there on internet radio but not on video and it’s something we have a desire to do. Who knows where it will go. Who knows what will happen. In a way I don’t care–because doing it was such great fun. We laughed, we had a great chat, we got some good stuff on tape, and now our guy is going to put the three 12-minute segments on the web. Podfandango, u-tube that kind of thing.
Millions of people are connecting on the web, so if you have an idea, do it. Take the bull by the horns and do what you want to do. Enjoy it. Have fun. Laugh a lot. Happiness is doing what you want to do. Unhappiness is talking about it and never doing it. So just for today, make one small step towards your dream. However, hokey, idiotic or daft it may seem to you, just do it. You never know what will happen! Rock N Roll Val & Jeff
January 23rd, 2008
Posted by Val Gee.
It is so easy to be a victim that situations come along all the time that can test us! We just got some fraudulent orders from Nigeria that cost us over $10,000 in book and shipping costs. American Express just went into our bank account and took the money out. i called them up and a very nice lady said, “the owner of the card disputed the charge.” So someone in Nigeria had stolen a credit card and charged books on it.
And I am really working on not getting upset, so after a conversation with the lady I said, “Well, I know it’s not your fault and you can’t personally do anything about it. I do think it sucks and that’s the way it is.” She laughed with me because she knows it sucks. And she’s got a job where she has to deal with this kind of stuff all day long.
Now the ‘old’ me would have gotten really, really mad and gone on and on about it. The ‘new’ and reformed me, knows that I want to be the change in the world. I don’t want to spread disharmony. I don’t want to steal from other people. Now I know how it feels, I want to do great business. I want to partner with people who want to do great business. And I need to be vigilant about my business.
I have a choice. I should have checked the name and address on the credit card with the name to which the shipment was going. I think American Express and Merchant Services should have told me that. They should have said that an authorization code is not a safe guard against fraud. Authorization simply means that the credit cards has enough funds to pay for the books or whatever you are selling….it does not mean that the owner of the card is the person purchasing your goods.
So what have I learned? That it is my choice. Everything is my choice. If I make a bad business decision, then it is my choice how I react. It’s not Nigeria, it’s not Merchant Services, it’s not American Express. I need to be vigilant in my dealings. I need to make sure that every transaction is clean. So my friend, be happy, make great choices, and when you do not–let it go. Every day is a new day. Every day is a new opportunity to do it differently. Be the change you want to see in the world. Rock N Roll Val & Jeff
January 22nd, 2008
Posted by Val Gee.
About three months ago we got an email from a bookstore in Nigeria who wanted to order $5,000 worth of books. Now were’ not dumb, we know that there is a lot of fraudulent business dealing in Nigeria, but we wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. So we asked for their credit card and checked it out with our Merchant Services company and got verification to send the books.
We had to pay UPS in cash to deliver the books, which came to over $1,000. Good deal, we felt good, we enjoyed thinking that our books were being read by people in Nigeria. Then life’s stuff took over. First we got a call from the credit card company, then we got a letter, then we got the amount debited from our account. So now we are in negotiations with the credit card company and re-creating the entire contract, sending faxes of the emails, and the UPS tracking and delivery numbers etc., etc.
What I noticed most however, was my reaction to all this. Now Jeff is great. He handles things in a completely different way from me. 1) he does not freak out. 2) he accepts lifes stuff, and 3) he remains happy throughout the situation. Me on the other hand–well I have to work really hard at not freaking out and getting very angry. I even thought about sending a kind of voodoo email to the bookstore, saying that ‘what goes around comes around….’
And the thing is…nothing has actually happened. Yes, a transaction has gone bad. Yes, we have lost some money, and yes, we learned not to send books to Nigeria unless they give us cash for them. But in the big picture of life, nothing has actually happened. I have not been murdered, or attacked or had anyone shouting at me. Our business is still thriving. Jeff and I are still working well together. We still have business partners in Cairo, the UK, Australia, South Africa and Guatemala. We are still going strong.
So what I have learned is this. There are people out there who are asleep. They think that cheating people is the only way they can earn a living. They do not realize that when we cheat, lie, or steal that the only people we are really hurting is ourselves. The people who make fraudulent deals are having to live with those thoughts in their minds. They are having to think of ways to steal and cheat. What if they put their thoughts to having a clean business instead? Their minds would become free….they would not be slaves to fear.
Whatever happens to us in our lives, the one thing we always have is freedom of choice. We can either become unhappy, angry and miserable about it, or we can choose to let it go. We can have a better feeling thought. So for my Nigerian fraudulent friends I send you these thoughts: I wish you many blessings. I with you joy and happiness. I wish you to have a thriving and wholesome business. I wish you abundance. And most of all, I wish you forgiveness for your actions. Rock N Roll. Val & Jeff
January 18th, 2008
Posted by Val Gee.
Sometimes we do the same things day after day, without even realizing what we are doing. Today I got a wake up call about that. I realized I was just doing things the same old way and getting the same old results. So I started to do things differently and everything changed — instantly.
That’s the wonderful thing about being alive on this planet. Every moment, day to day we get to choose how we react and how we act to situations. We can choose to react to things in the same way we have always done, or we can change our actions and dare to be different.
So today, instead of wanting things to change, or other people to change, you be the change maker. Change just one thing about how you think about things, or how you do things. For example, if you always expect someone to do something for you…you do it for them instead. Or if you always take your break at the same time with the same people, take it at a different time, or go sit with different people. Whatever it is that you do today, above all have fun. One life, one time, one experience. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 8th, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
I sometimes find myself doing ‘busy’things (This is Val Speaking) and although I feel great because I’m being busy, at the end of it I realize I haven’t done the job that really needs to be done. Like yesterday for example, I was cleaning the office like crazy and it looks great. Everything is in it’s place, and everything has a place, and today I want to carry on doing it.
Except! I have a book proposal that absolutely needs to be written. A clean office–great, necessary and makes me feel good. A book proposal–amazing, fantastic, makes everyone feel good. So today, I am going to write the book proposal and then continue with the office clearing. After all, the office will always be here to be cleaned, the book proposal–well that could be an opportunity missed!
So today, take stock of what you are doing and do your number one acitvity first. Do the most important thing first. Then do the other things knowing that you’ve done the right thing. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 5th, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
Every goal no matter if it’s short term or long term start off with small steps and continue by just taking one step after another. Some people like to have definate goals written down and checked off daily, such as, “I didn’t eat bread today and I am nearer to my goal weight.” Or they can be even taken out of your hands, such as having a savings amount deducted automatically from your bank account.
Whatever goals you have or are making, the important things is to stick with it, and if it’s not working for you change it. Goals should make you feel good in the attainment of them. You should be feeling better and better as you see your clothes fitting better, or your savings account getting bigger.
So keep with your goals, make new ones, enjoy them, relsih the results and have fun. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 4th, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
It’s very easy to worry about things. And the things we worry about most are always either in the past or in the future. Unless we are actually sick or have a situation happening right now in this very moment that is worrying, what is the point?
If we worry about things that are not in our present situation we are really putting our energy into the ethers. Meaning we are wasting our energy. Unless it is something we can do something about, right now, worrying is pointless.
I cannot emphasize this too strongly because worry creates stress and stress creates a feeling of negativity and negativity creates an unhappy life. So stop the worrying and start living right now in this very moment. Look around you and appreciate what you have, where you are and who you are with. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 3rd, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
Listening is the best tool in communication because it gives us so much. First, it gets us out of our own head. It stops the ‘monkey chatter’ of our minds where we are just talkiing to ourselves all the time. Second it gives us time before jumping in with a knee jerk reaction and saying something that is better left unsaid. Third, if we listen for the truth of what the other person is saying, then we gain knowledge, and knowledge is power.
Today then, lets listen to what is being said and use this amazing communication tool to make our lives better, to understand our colleagues, coworkers, friends and family members. Listen in-between the words for the small nuances, listen to the silences and listen to understand. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 2nd, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
Being aware of things is the first step in making any change. If you are not aware of what you are doing or not doing, it is impossible to change. However, sometimes that awareness can be not what we want it to be. In other words, we don’t always like to see ourselves in a bad light, or become aware of some behavior that we are donig that creates problems or upsets.
Do not despair. Be aware of what you are doing and at the same time, do not put any judgement onto it. Whatever it is, you can change it if you want to. If you are eating too much, eat a little less. If you are not exercising enough, park the car futher away and walk to your destination. Taking these small steps is encouraging for you and will make a big impact on your life.
So become aware. Don’t judge, take small steps and remember, every journey begins with just one small step. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
October 1st, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
How you use your time is an indication of what is important to you. However, sometimes we put off the really important ‘work related’ things because either a) we are worried about doing them, b) we think they will take too much time, c) they are too hard to do. The problem is that the really important work related projects are the ones we need to do first, and sometimes we put it off.
Today, do the things that are important work wise. And if someone asks you to do something simple, like send an email, or make a phone call, do it and then continue to do the really iimportant work related task. Successful people get lots of things done, and they get the important things done first and fit in the small stuff too.
Time is always about prioritizing things. Your job is to prioritize things so that you do a great job at work, you are seen as someone who gets things done, you take on responsibilities and can be counted on, and you end your day feeling great about the things you have done. So just for today, take action and get the important stuff done. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
September 28th, 2007
Posted by Val Gee.
Previous Posts