2. My kids.  I am so grateful for the opportunity God has given me to be a good mother to my two beautiful, intelligent and loving little boys.  Thank you as well for all the ways that I learn from my mistakes with them and the opportunity each mistake gives me to become a better mother and person.

3.  California.  I am so grateful for the many sunny days we get here in California, which inspire me to go outside, open the windows and just let the fresh air in.  I am also really grateful for the people who live here.  I love their attitude; they are so open-minded and easy to get along with.

4. My future.  Thank you, God, for the amazing future I am creating today with my thoughts, feelings and actions.  I am so excited about the many incredible things I will have, will do, the places I will go and the people I will meet.

5. My husband.  I am very grateful for my husband’s wonderful attitude and for the many ways he continually changes and grows into a better person.  I am also very grateful for the way he does things which continually strengthen our relationship.

6. My book.  Thank you, God, for my book, Gratitude and Goals.  I am so very grateful for all the doors it has already opened for me and for the many ways it is helping people worldwide, achieve greater success and happiness – everyday!

7. Facebook.  I am very grateful for Facebook for so many reasons!  Facebook has been a great way for me to meet like-minded people to network with.  I also just love the fact that it’s there to just snoop around and see what people are up to whenever I am bored.

8. My body.  Thank you, God, for my body which gets stronger, skinnier, more muscular and healthier each and every time I go to the gym.

9. Personal development books. I am very grateful for the many personal, professional and spiritual development books and authors who inspire, motivate and educate me.  Thanks to them I continue to learn how to have more and to be more each day!

10. The end of the day.  Thank you, God, for that quiet time at the end of each day when my kids are in bed and I allow myself to just put my feet up, sit with my husband on the couch and just relax and unwind.  Ahhhhh!

Now, if you’re looking at this list and wondering where the other 991 “things” are, well this is where you come in! 

Take a moment and add a few of your own things that you are grateful for.  Remember, we’re trying to make a list of 1001 things.  Please  help me spread love and abundance by forwarding this post to your friends, family, Facebook or Twitter “friends” and encourage them to add their own things to this list. 

This is a very powerful practice!  By stopping and allowing gratitude to fill your heart you will be attracting more of what you want, what makes you happy, successful and fulfills you, into your life!

Bob and John’s approach is definitely different from all the other “sales” books I’ve ever read! For example, when was the last time you were told that you would get new business by thoughtlessly referring potential prospects to your competition?  Well, this quick read proves is that not only can you get new business from it, but you might even get more in return than what you originally gave in the first place. 

What I loved most about Go-Givers Sell More is the fact they dedicated the last chapter to gratitude and the powerful effects it has not only in business, but in all facets of life.  And if you know me, you know I am all over that concept! 

What can I say that I haven’t already written?  Oh, how about bring your highlighter because there are a ton of little tidbits that you’ll want to remember. 

Go-Givers Sell More gets ***** (that’s 5 stars) from me!

The Go-Giver

This book tells an inspirational story about a fictional character named Joe, who is on a mission to meet his quarterly sales quota.  In his quest for success, Joe meets a legendary man named, Pindar, who introduces him to The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success. The basis of these laws is reminiscent of what Wallace D. Wattles wrote in The Science of Getting Rich – success will come to those who give more in value than they receive in payment.

The Go-Giver is such an easy, and yet very entertaining read that I literally could have finished it in one sitting, if it weren’t for the constant interruptions in my house (as I write this my kids have found no less than five reasons to redirect my focus on them).

If I had to say something negative about this book, its that I would have preferred a less perfect, “Hollywood” ending (ok, who doesn’t love a happy ending). The authors do make up for it by providing the readers one more chance to learn – from Joe himself.  He teaches us to keep our eyes and our hearts open to new opportunities, and be willing to advance in life by going after them.

The Go-Giver is one of the very best stories of how to “be” in business if you want to succeed.  It reminds us, if you give without expectation, not only will you get what you need and want, but in the end you will get more than you ever expected.

It is based on the idea that in order for a business -big or small- to be successful, and by successful I mean that the company has staying power, the owner and the employees are happy and of course the company makes money, a company needs to implement a standardized system of training and  checklists.

It reminded me of the Zappos.com model, which is highly recognized for their happy employees and more-than-satisfied repeat customers, who have come to know and trust them for their consistency and over-providing. Hey, Tony Hsieh, did you read this book?!

I am disappointed that there wasn’t a bit more useful information though. In fact, the main point Gerber makes in this book most likely could have been clearly made in no more than two chapters, but then who would want to pay $18.99 for a concise book that was only 30 pages long?  Duh, I would!!

With all due respect,  The E-Myth Revisited has had a long run for a reason.  The important points stated in this book;  such as implementing a step by step, standardized system that everyone in the company must come to know and follow, citing McDonald’s reason for success, is something I will definitely want to implement when creating my own company.

By: Stephanie Morris

Does this story sound familiar?  You (or someone you know), buys every new personal development book that appears in the bookstore.  With each purchase, as you diligently begin to read, you tell yourself that this book is THE ONE.  It will have that hidden wisdom that will wake you up, motivate you, inspire you, and get out of your ever present “funk.” 

 The “funk” is what I call that feeling of mild depression, disinterest, and constant state of mild sadness.  It’s one for which your doctor might have even offered to prescribe you a pill.  It’s the feelings that don’t have any real cause or “reason” for being but yet, you can’t seem to shake it off.  Maybe you’ve even made a list of all the reasons that you shouldn’t feel so miserable.  You have a good job.  You have friends.  You have a nice family life.  You can’t deny that something is lacking in your life, and you must find that missing “piece.” 

Well, have you ever stopped to think: maybe the crappy way you’re feeling might be directly related to what you’re putting in – or, more importantly – what you’re NOT putting in your mouth?

That’s right!  More and more scientific studies are proving your grandmother right; we really are what we eat.  So, without further ado, I’m going to tell you about the wonderful world of B vitamins!   What’s so special about B vitamins, you ask?  Well, they’re not commonly referred to as the “happy vitamin” for nothin’!  Unfortunately, they are difficult to find in today’s modern daily diet of processed foods. And, adding to the difficulty, your body does not store excess B Vitamins.  Whatever is not used is excreted through the urine.

 B vitamins, among their many functions, aid the brain in metabolizing (building) neurotransmitters.  Essential neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin are responsible for maintaining a positive mood.  Those who have been shown to be deficient in B12 have been shown to more prone to depression and other mental diseases, even to the degree requiring medication.

 All the self-help books in the world will not help you to reach your real potential if you aren’t aiding the process with a healthy diet and balanced nutrition.  It’s like trying to climb a mountain with one arm and leg tied behind your back.  Yes, theoretically, you could make it to the top, but good grief!  It would be much, much more difficult than necessary if, that is, by some miracle you managed to keep climbing.

 Why not give yourself a break?  Start by taking small steps, such as making it your daily goal to add healthy, unprocessed foods and raw veggies to your diet at least once per day.    Naturally, you’ll begin to become more aware of the way foods can make you feel, in more ways than just satisfying hunger. If a change in diet is a bigger step than you’re ready for, simply find a great vitamin supplement to start.  Potentially, you could see your moods & emotional state improve.  (Personally, I and several of my friends saw a radical difference!)

I have never liked taking vitamins. I would always burp up the gross taste throughout the day, and generally, felt that they were disgusting little rocks that smelled.  But, in my search for a great B vitamin supplement I eventually stumbled across one called Hair, Skin, & Nails by Nature’s Bounty.  I’ve taken now for years, and it never fails to give me a great mood lift.  And, even better, no burps, and they don’t stink!  Score!  It sells for about $14.00 a bottle in most drug and grocery stores.

Good luck, and happy eating (literally)!

Stephanie Morris

Healthy Living and Natural Beauty Expert

www.morrisorganics.com