WSJ Wednesday: Downton Abbey and Class Warfare

The Wall Street Journal has become the only paper I read. Why? Because like the geek that I am, I enjoy politics, business news, book reviews, and the chance to look at some mansions every once in a while--which they feature in their own special section.

In the Saturday/Sunday, February 2 - 3, 2013 edition of the Journal, I found an article that capitalized on my love of politics and my favorite current television show, Downton Abbey. Raymond Zhong, an editorial page writer for The Wall Street Journal Europe, sat down with Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of Downton Abbey, to discuss its appeal, but also some of the criticism it garners. Fellowes says he doesn't understand the accusation of snobbery, because he feels it's the opposite of that partially because all of the characters are taken seriously:  upstairs and downstairs. In addition, his mother came from an upper-middle-class family, but his paternal aunts always looked down on her because of she was descended from traders and farmers. One can assume this would impact his work.

Now that I've gone the scenic route in finding a focus for my article, I found a few things that Fellowes said about Americans thought-provoking. "...I think politicians try to encourage us to think in a hostile sense [of] people who have a different circumstance to our own. Which I find very unproductive and uncreative."

The man doesn't even live here, but he knows us so well. Actually, I think he was more referring to life across the pond, but it definitely applies to America, too. All political parties use class as a source of division. Instead of helping Americans to find their common ground, they seek to divide us to further their own agendas.

But then Fellowes says something that makes me shake my head. "...the impression I get is that there is not the kind of obligation to dislike those who are better off or be frightened of those who are worse off...The Americans, I think, are better at seeing themselves as a kind of community--that the important thing is to be an American."

Well, we might be better at it than the people of Great Britain, but if anything, the Tea Party movement, the Occupy Wall Street movement, and union versus non-union scuffles are just some ways in which we are made to feel some type of obligation to dislike those who are different than you. I'm fairly certain most people have heard about the 1% versus the 99%. If that isn't divisive, I don't know what is.

But I think my favorite comment by Fellowes is about history and our pasts. "..you'd go into the attics of some of these houses and there would be lines of bedrooms, and in some cases, there'd be nameplates, and it would say 'Mary' on it, and inside was an old iron bedstead. And you had a real sense, then, of a life that you just missed..."

As a lover of history and a believer in preservation, I am fascinated by this concept of "a life that you just missed." We all come into this world with hopes and dreams. We aspire to leave our mark on the world in even the tiniest of ways. And those that come after us, preserve whatever legacy we leave behind. I think that's all been lost in a world that focuses more on what divides us--the haves and the have-nots as it is often said--because we aren't taught to cherish what we have anymore. We're taught to always want more. That's a concern for a mother of two young children:  how to steer our daughters' focus from never being satisfied to feeling blessed. It's a regular battle, because I grew up with next to nothing. Even with the challenges our family deals with living primarily on one income, I'm grateful because I already have been blessed with more than I had as a kid, and because I don't take things for granted. I'm not unhappy because Bill Gates and Donald Trump or even Cam Neely have more than I do.

What a better world this might be if could find a way to focus on common goals rather than be torn apart by our differences. How would that change the political arena? Could you imagine a world where Democrats aren't labeled as bleeding-hearts and Republicans aren't accused of only caring about the wealthy? Could they then be more productive in improving our economy and in building a better world for future generations?   I fear what I hope for is an impossible to reach utopia.

Book Review: The Barefoot Executive by Carrie Wilkerson

If you've ever dreamed of being your own boss, creating your own schedule, and achieving financial freedom, The Barefoot Executive by Carrie Wilkerson is the book for you. Filled with inspirational stories and no-nonsense advice Wilkerson shows you how to determine your motivation for wanting to work for yourself, what mistakes to avoid, and what you need to be successful.


The Barefoot Executive isn't a how-to book that takes you step-by-step through how to start your own business. Instead, it is a book that motivates and encourages your dreams. You'll discover how to take skills you already have, determine what business model you're interested in, and how to be successful in the marketplace. Even in crowded markets you can be successful because you are unique and offer your own unique perspective. You can provide the answers to the questions people are asking.

Wilkerson doesn't sugar-coat anything. She doesn't tell you it's going to be easy or that it will happen overnight. She does, however, inspire with her success and the success of others whose stories you'll find featured in the numerous case studies throughout the book. She has an engaging conversational style that makes readers move swiftly through the book. She asks questions that demand answers and gets you thinking about what skills you have that can create an income stream. She speaks of the importance of mentors and mastermind groups, because surrounding yourself with the right kind of people can make a difference.

As a wife and mother, Wilkerson had a decision to make about her future. She opted to live life on her terms. The Barefoot Executive can help you do the same.

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 23, 2011)
ISBN-10: 159555369X
ISBN-13: 978-1595553690
SRP: $24.99
Also available in electronic and audio formats.


I received a free e-Copy of this book from the author's representative in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.

Book Spotlight: Nine Insights For a Happy and Successful Life by Dr. Mitchell Gibson

The greatest achievements in human history have been attained by those individuals who strive to elevate themselves above the everyday ebb and flow of life. This yearning to achieve is central to our search for happiness. We want to laugh, to sing, and to feel good at the end of the day as much as we might wish to do anything else.

Happiness is an art. If you wish to practice this art, you must first decide that it is something that you want, above everything else. People that choose to be happy will at some point wake up to a day filled with smiles, joy, and laughter. If they are lucky, they will remember that day, focus on its high points, and strive to repeat it. Before too long, another happy day will appear, seemingly out of the blue. People around them will wonder why they seem to be so different. The reason will not be found in surface changes.

The Nine Insights For a Happy and Successful Life emerged from my own life long desire to help thousands of people find happiness. Happiness is a gift that we bestow upon ourselves each time that we embrace the joy that breathes within. This book outlines two main themes that will guide you on the road to happiness. The first explores methods that will help you discover the secret inner joy that already hides within you. The second explores powerful and effective methods that will help you remove the chaos and obstacles that prevent you from feeling and expressing that joy in your daily life.

Success and happiness travel together on the road to joy. Let us discover your inner path together.

Read an Excerpt

Insight Number Four: Remember to Empty Your Cup once in a while…..

In truth, I never really fully emptied my cup enough to enjoy the simple harmony of the moment.

I often held my daughter’s hand when she felt sick, or hugged my son after a long day. My wife and I held hands while we watched television, and sometimes we would hold hands while we sat in the car. But I realized, even with all of these good attentive moments of endearment, I never really let go of the world around me long enough to fully appreciate the beauty of simply being with another person. My cup, as it were, was always full.

I wanted to stay well read. I wanted to stay in shape. I wanted to be well traveled. I wanted to see the best movies, the best plays, and listen to the best music. I wanted to build my practice, meet my financial goals, and be the best father and husband that I could be. In short, I had become adept at keeping the cup of my life full to the brim. I did not ever really stop to think about the fact that at some point, I was going to lose all of those things. At some point, my life on this world would stop and I would have to let go of all of those things that had filled my cup. In the same way that my grandfather and Mrs. Van Damme had slipped away, I too would slip away from this world. As a matter of fact, so too would everyone that I ever met.

The process of emptying my cup would at some point be done for me, whether I wanted it done or not. Those two wonderful souls had given me a precious gift before leaving this world. The insight they left me with had given way to a sense of peace and harmony that remains with me to this day.

The cup of life has the capacity to fill itself each day with a myriad of tasks, both big and small, that we struggle to complete as best we can before we sleep. The reality is however, that we can never really get it all done. No matter how hard we try, something remains undone at the end of the day.

Those little undone tasks consume the waking and sleeping moments of our lives and without realizing it, we often surrender the serenity and peace that we truly deserve to worry and anxiety.

If we choose, we can let go of that cup and fully empty it at any moment that we choose. In a moment, we can choose to contemplate the silence of togetherness, the beauty of sharing life with another. Let me suggest a few methods that you can use to gradually learn to empty your cup:

1. Take twenty minutes a day to sit, close your eyes, and do nothing. You don’t have to count your breaths, say a mantra, or visualize anything. These minutes are yours. Allow your mind to drift for this special space in time. Try to incorporate doing this each day no matter how busy your day becomes.

These minutes are yours. Allow your mind to drift for this special space in time. Try to incorporate doing this each day no matter how busy your day becomes.

2. Share your twenty quiet minutes with a friend or loved one. If you like, hold their hands while you share this time. Let your minds drift together. Try not to talk. Remember to smile.

3. Take two hours each week to do something that you absolutely love. Write out a list of things that you like to do. I mean truly, absolutely like to do. Make an exhaustive search inside your psyche for those things that ignite your passion. Then, clear two hours once weekly to indulge yourself in one or more of the items on your list. You will come to find that these times will become some of the most precious and special times of your life.

Read the reviews!

"This is a helpful resource to individuals who want to consciously live a good life. I enjoyed the simplicity of the message and the ease with which the author makes his points with creative metaphors. The author has an honest, genuine voice that is positive about human potential. Anyone interested in psychology and self-improvement will enjoy his insights. There is depth and complexity to the messages conveyed in each of the insights, yet it is very accessible to laypeople."

--Bibliophile, Amazon Reviewer

"Anyone looking for some guidance and friendly advice will want to read Nine Insights for that extra needed push in the right direction. It is not a long read and the sentences are well spaced but it is informative in a caring way that will warm the reader to its graces."

--One Day at a Time

"If you are looking for a self-help book that can guide you in the essentials for a happier life - this is the one."

--Penny Brien

PURCHASE NINE INSIGHTS FOR A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE AT AMAZON!

Dr. Mitchell Gibson is one of the world’s leading authorities on the interface of science, the human soul, and the frontiers of human consciousness. He is the best-selling author of Your Immortal Body of Light, Signs of Mental Illness, Signs of Psychic and Spiritual Ability, The Living Soul, and Ancient Teaching Stories.

He has delivered addresses to many of the world’s largest conferences related to science and consciousness. These include, The International Science and Consciousness Conference, The Sivananda Ashram Annual Symposium, International Institute of Integral Human Sciences, The SSGRR-IT Conference on Advances in Electronic Medicine in Italy, The Southeast Regional Unity Ministers Conference, The Northwest Astrological Association, The American Federation of Astrologers and many others.
Dr. Gibson has been a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes, A&E Network, NBC, ABC, and CBS regional affiliate television stations, newspapers, radio stations.

He has been a guest on hundreds of radio programs and was the host of his own TV show in Phoenix called “The Doctor’s Corner” for more than eight years. He has been a consultant for A&E for a project entitled “The Other Side”. He was also contacted as a consultant by the History Channel for a project entitled “Seekers 2012″.

Dr. Gibson was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina on August 24, 1959. He was born to William James and Mary Magdalene Gibson. One of five children, Gibson’s parent’s separated when he was 6 years old and he grew up in Ellerbe North Carolina; a small farming community near Pinehurst.

Gibson excelled in academics and received a full scholarship to Florida A&M University. He majored in Premedical Science and graduated at the top of his class, magna cum laude.

Dr. Gibson received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then completed his residency training at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. During his last year of residency he served as Chief Resident in Psychiatry and received the Albert Einstein Foundation Research Award for his work in Sleep Disorders.

Dr. Gibson then moved to Phoenix Arizona where he became Chief of Staff at the East Valley Camelback Hospital in Mesa Arizona.

Dr. Gibson has been listed among the Top Doctors in Arizona in the Phoenix magazine on several occasions. He has also twice been named to the Woodward and White listing of the “Best Doctors in America”.

In 2003, 2004, and 2005 he was honored with listings in the Consumer Research Council of America’s compilation of the Top Psychiatrists in America. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American College of Forensic Medicine, and the American Board of Forensic Examiners.

Visit Dr. Gibson online at http://www.tybro.com/.

Dr. Ronald J. Frederick on Living Like You Mean It

I'm very excited to have Dr. Ronald J. Frederick as today's guest blogger. His book, Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want shares with you his proven four-step approach to overcoming fear and connecting more deeply with yourself and others.

Writers deal with self-doubt and fear often. Not only do we doubt our abilities, but we can be afraid of failing, afraid of succeeding, and afraid that no matter what we do it can't possibly be good enough.

With Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want you'll learn to:

* Break through old patterns and get unstuck,

* Open up to the energy and resources inside you and feel motivated,

* Get in touch with your personal truth and put an end to confusion and indecisiveness,

* Experience a profound sense of meaning, purpose, and belonging,

* Deepen and enrich your relationships and feel closer to those you love,

* Realize your true potential and experience greater fulfillment and happiness,

* ….and live your life like you mean it!

Today Dr. Frederick will discuss the power of fear and how it keeps us from achieving what we want.

The ability to live like you mean it hinges on being able to be emotionally present in our lives—really being there for the happy times and coming through the difficult times a much better person. It’s our feelings that make us feel alive and vital, energize us to meet and deal with life’s challenges, and point us in the best direction to get what we really want. Our feelings are what bridge the gap between ourselves and others, enliven our relationships, and help us feel close. Our personal identity—the core of who we are—is largely formed by what we feel and how we react. Our likes and dislikes, what makes us happy, what makes us sad, what excites us, what brings us pleasure, what annoys or frustrates us—all say so much about who we are. It’s in our feelings that we find our true authentic self.

Unfortunately, many of us are uncomfortable with our feelings. We have what I call a “feelings phobia.” We get close to our feelings, start to feel anxious, and avoid them. We do all these things to steer clear of our feelings—behaviours we’re not even aware we’re doing. When we avoid or deny our feelings, when we suppress them, we are in a way denying who we are, squelching our creativity and individuality, and sacrificing our true potential and power. It’s impossible to go the distance, to really live like you mean it, unless we can be fully present with our feelings.

But, as I discuss in my new book Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want, change is possible. We can loosen the grip of fear on our experience and unleash our inner wisdom and power. It all begins with opening our eyes and waking up to what’s going on inside of us. We need to find a way to put the brakes on, slow down, and tune in to our internal experience. In short, we need to develop what I call emotional mindfulness. Emotional mindfulness is about purposely paying attention to our physically felt emotional experience as it happens with the aim of helping us be more consciously aware of our feelings and, ultimately, more fully present with them.

How do you do this? You start by slowing down, going inward and just noticing. At any time you want to, stop and ask yourself, What am I feeling? and then tune in to what’s happening inside you right in that moment. Not what you think should be happening, not what you wish were happening, but what is happening. Consciously direct your attention to your felt experience. Watch and observe.

Each time you repeat this behaviour, each time you bring your focus back to your body sensations, you’re developing a new habit. You’re training your mind to be aware of and pay attention to your emotional experience. You’re opening up to a richer experience of yourself. You’re making room for your creative juices to flow. And, you’re beginning to transform your life.

To find out more about living like you mean it, please visit: www.livinglikeyoumeanit.com.

Ron Frederick is a licensed psychologist and life coach and author of the bestselling book Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want (Jossey-Bass, 2009). A long-time proponent of the power of therapy to transform lives, he co-founded the Center for Courageous Living which offers innovative therapy, coaching, and consulting.

Noted for his warmth, humor, and engaging presentation style, Dr. Ron travels throughout North America as a speaker and trainer, receiving consistent acclaim for his expertise and inviting teaching style. His work has been featured in the APA Monitor on Psychology, Clinical Psychiatry News: The Leading Independent Newspaper for the Psychiatrist, and Lavender Magazine. An invited contributor to several professional books, he has also been quoted on CNN.com.

Dr. Ron is a Senior Faculty Member of the Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) Institute as well as the supervising psychologist of Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s Park House Day Treatment Program.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Dr. Ron now lives in Minneapolis, MN.

Two-Minute Book-Signing Pitch for The Flow of Time and Money by Lloyd Watts

Joining us today is businessman and author, Lloyd Watts. LLoyd's personal/business finance book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment.

You can find out more about Lloyd and The Flow of Time and Money by visiting www.flowoftimeandmoney.com.

I posed this question to Lloyd: I meet you at a book-signing and I give you maximum 2 minutes to sell me his book. What do you say?

Lloyd's Turn:

If you look at the problems in most people’s lives, you will see that they center around money, or more specifically, a lack of money. People work at jobs they don’t enjoy, making less money than they feel they are worth, without feeling fulfilled or creating a great future for themselves. And these financial problems often have direct effects in other parts of their lives – lack of confidence, staying in bad relationships because they can’t afford to split up, etc. For many people, these financial problems have been magnified with the current downturn in the economy.

The Flow of Time and Money shows you how to solve these problems, and create a life of wealth and fulfillment. It shows you how Time and Money really work – how we use them, spend them, waste them, and invest them. It shows you how to stop wasting your time and money, and how to invest your time and your money into things that grow and create real value. It gives you a roadmap to financial independence, with four stages (Youth/Education, Accumulating Capital, Small Deals, and Big Deals) so you know where you are on the path and what you can be doing now to advance safely to the next stage. And it shows you how to avoid the most common traps (Save and Spend, and Borrow and Spend) that can lead anyone into trouble.

The Flow of Time and Money is a quick read, with helpful diagrams to make it easy to understand how time and money really work, and how to build the life of your dreams. Buy this book, and put it into practice – and create the life of wealth and fulfillment you always wanted.


* * *

Lloyd Watts is the Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Audience, Inc., an award-winning technology business that he founded in 2000. Lloyd’s book, The Flow of Time and Money: How to create a full and prosperous life, is available at Amazon.com and at www.flowoftimeandmoney.com .

Let Lloyd Watts Help You Master The Flow of Time and Money

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Join author Lloyd Watts as he travels the blogosphere in April 2009 with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations on his first virtual book tour to discuss the simple, proven techniques found in his self-help/personal finance book, The Flow of Time and Money.

The Flow of Time and Money is a groundbreaking new book that will help you master the relationship between your time and money. Using simple, proven techniques and easy-to-understand diagrams, Dr. Lloyd Watts shows you how to take control of your income, expenses and time commitments in order to achieve wealth and personal fulfillment.

Praise for The Flow of Time and Money…

Lloyd Watts will help you make a plan to achieve financial independence and have a fulfilling life… this is a must read if you are interested in beating the rat race and want to have a fuller and more prosperous life. — Sidarta Tanu

Practical, concrete advice on taking control of your financial future. Don't miss out on this one! — Susan Minahan

Lloyd Watts was born in London, England. He earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, studying with Silicon Valley pioneer Carver Mead. In 2000, he founded Audience, Inc., a venture-capital funded startup that builds advanced noise reduction chips for cell-phones. Dr. Watts is the author of 5 patents and many technical papers. He is an accomplished photographer, painter, musician, former hang glider pilot, and proud father of two lovely daughters. He lives in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

You can find Dr. Watts online at http://flowoftimeandmoney.com/.

“Dr. Watts has written a timely book,” says Cheryl Malandrinos, Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations. “I can see his book being helpful to many people.”

If you would like to follow Dr. Watts on his virtual book tour, visit the official Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tour site at http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/.

Dr. Watts’s virtual book tour is brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours, a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service for an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com.