Let’s talk about the magic of stories as an amazing way to communicate.

How can you speak in pictures and communicate beyond the obvious?

There are parables in the Bible to show wisdom from the master/slave mentalities, parenting, love, war etc. as a way of illustrating lessons for life which are timeless.

Can you speak in parables?

There are metaphors for seeing a point in such a way, that you are not personally being hit over the head.

Can you speak in metaphors?

And there are fables , which are fiction illustrations of a moral lesson hidden inside the story line.

Can you speak in fables?

What about the comedian's who speak about their own lives as well as others in a humorous way? To laugh at ourselves and truly not judge, we can see, learn and accept or change depending on the situation. Now, be aware... to make a vulnerable situation humorous is not funny because it will ignite a self beat and can create a lot of pain. Internal hurt and pain is not funny.

I remember taking my parent's heads and conking them together in the mirror.....telling them "never complain about us kids again because we are the outcome of what happens when people like you reproduce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Since my parents think they are cool, this is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If they felt like bad parents this is not funny. See?

My parents spoke in baseball terms because they both played ball. If my dad came home to handle things…my mom would say “don’t come home here in the 9th inning of the ball game and try to do something.” Great picture huh?

Can you speak in true humor as a way of communicating without hurting yourself or others?

What about Sci-Fi (Science Fiction)

How about the original version of the television show Star Trek?

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, has created visuals that still stimulate my mind. The ideas and possibilities for the future, festers consciously and subconsciously within me. These episodes have been implanted in my subliminal mind because I catch them popping up out of nowhere. These episodes try to communicate some way of seeing something that affects my present time circumstances as well. It's like having a little wise man speaking to me in metaphor form inside my mind. This is a way the psyche tries to show you something if you know how to see and understand this form of subconscious communication. It is a powerful internal psychological tool.

Star Trek episodes depicts wise man lessons like......how we have a loss of self when loneliness or desire comes up, left and right brain communication through the characters of the left brained Mr. Spock and right brained dominant Dr. McCoy. Then to wrap it up, Roddenberry created the balanced version of the left and right brain characters with the role of Captain James T. Kirk.
You can see so much in the simplest things if you so desire to look and own something within................................

Well, today we are excited to have author Mike D’Ambrosio who elicits life through Science Fiction . The Science and Psychology used in this genre actually takes our conscious and subconscious minds to think and see beyond present time capabilities.

Michael's main character in THE EYE OF ICARUS, Will, makes a decision on his own that brings about a "powder keg" situation in the story of ICARUS. Will is really Michael using what he personally learned in the Gulf War, but was not able to exercise due to military control. Michael realized the same things his character Will does -- learn to trust your instincts and know what is right and wrong, even if there is a challenge, follow your heart. This is the epiphany Michael had out there on a cold night in the Middle Eastern desert as a soldier far from home and not knowing if he would return....he believed he would make it back and learned to trust his instincts and beliefs.

Author Mike D' Ambrosio and his dramatic remarks on how life's lessons and being put in a place of kill or be killed made him realize how fleeting life is and how it shaped him to become an author writing the book THE EYE OF ICARUS.

Mike said: ”Learning lessons in life (primarily for young adults): You can get anything you set your mind for but there's a price for everything."

”Life is precious. Every day you wake up and if you are healthy it is a good day and I am out to journey the world to see what I can learn."

On his Middle East experiences: "There were certain events I witnessed or was part of that taught me to value life and health."

What was the inspiration for authoring his new book: "There were times I felt strongly that different military actions should have been taken. Regardless of personal feelings, it's essential to work as one group. The body must function as a whole to survive and succeed regardless of what its components can do on their own.”

So feel free to listen and call in with your picture stories, questions, or ideas about this form of advanced communication within yourself and regarding others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is going to be fun and different.

Gary Gold’s thoughts on using Pictures to Communicate in Business:
Writing Screenplays and doing stand-up has helped my communication skills in Business and with a deeper understanding of how people relate easily to something being presented to them in story form.

If I am crafting a print ad or creating a website or preparing a marketing evaluation that is going to go to an institutional investor, I get my message across in story form. It will often include specific facts but it is the unfolding of a story that motivates people and even institutions to take action.

When you tell a story (a good one), the recipient visualizes the story. They take it in and sort it out logically and then download it to themselves emotionally. They sell themselves; you are out of the picture.

The old paradigm was the masterful pitch where you are trying to ram something down someone’s throat with force and self-will. The new paradigm is selling thru storytelling which empowers people to own the information and then they sell themselves more effectively then you ever could. It is elegant, dignified, and organic.

For more information or to contact Gary Gold go to www.SoldByGold.net

Call In 1-800-336-2225 Sunday Evening 7 – 8 p.m. PT/ 10-11 p.m. ET

Last week we talked about loving and understanding all mothers, even mothers that were not as natural at being a mom and especially those who passed their pain onto their children.

This week we are speaking to 2 very special moms in very challenging situations. Stacy Mowery is a mom with a beautiful son named Mason who has Polymicrogyria (PMG), a rare brain disorder. PMG has many types of disabilities or delays, seizures, feeding difficulties, respiratory problems, motor dysfunction and mental retardation.



My other mom is Julie Bihn. This mom is even more challenged. Julie's beautiful daughter is dying of Juvenile Tay-Sachs disease. Tay-Sachs disease is a progressive neurological genetic disorder resulting from a deficiency of the enzyme hexosaminidase A. Symptoms include blindness, delayed development, seizures, and paralysis. Tay-Sachs disease often results in an early death.



To hear more about Dakota courageous story visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/dakotabihn

Love is often tangled and twisted when life becomes painful. Then a type of survival guilt enters. Meaning you feel bad for "what is" even if it is not your fault or your responsibility. When life becomes challenging we go into this type of guilt, which creates a feeling of inner shame. Then fear of the feelings and judgments of an upsetting truth over takes our minds, hearts, and bodies.
Unfortunately, we are often left, stuck in the feeling of frustration.
So what is Spiritual love in these cases? How do we understand and let go of the painful outcomes when the truth hurts? Changing our perception of fear to faith in truth whether it feels good or not, determines how we travel and live through these life's journeys.

Here is Stacy & Mason's story. "Mason was diagnosed with (PMG) Polymicrogyria when he was about 9 months old back in April of 2002. We took him for an MRI when he wasn't reaching his developmental milestones. We were told at the time that the PMG encompasses 75% of his brain and that no one knows his full potential, all we can do is as much therapy and support at home and see what happens. We were told he may never walk, talk, or do anything more than he was doing at 9 months old or he may be able to reach some developmental achievements. It was all up in the air. Mason is now 6 1/2 years old and is walking with a walker. He can walk on his own if you are right behind him, crawls everywhere, uses some limited sign language and an augmentative communication device to talk to us and is full of hugs, kisses, and smiles galore. He loves adaptive aquatics, baseball, bowling, and video games. He hates to lose and will point to you then his butt meaning he will kick your butt in a game and laugh when you say "You're going to kick my butt." He is in half day kindergarten and loves it. "

I asked Stacy to do a writing exercise and here is what she shared with me and now you.

"Dear Mason,
When I look at you...
I see... innocents,
I feel... great love and great sadness, I remember the phone call from the doctor that changed our lives.
When I look at me...
I see... guilt for the things I should be doing different in your life.
I feel... anger towards the life you were dealt and I remember my dreams of my normal boy before he was 9 months old and diagnosed.
I'm angry because... there is no operation, pill, or cure for PMG. It's just an injury to his brain during pregnancy and that makes me feel frustrated.
I'm angry because... for Mason's future. Will he ever love a woman, have children, hold down a job, speak, walk on his own, drive a car, and thousands of other things we take for granted.
I feel bad because... there is nothing I can do to "fix" him and again I feel frustrated.
I am sad because... that he has to go through his life with stares and judgments from other children and adults who, by no fault of their own, don't know what to say or how to act with him on a one on one basis and once again I feel frustrated.
I am scared because of... the 'what if' something happens to me or his father. Who will take care of him and love him like we do? This makes me feel sad that something could happen to us and I am scared for Mason and Sarah. How unfair that would be for his big sister to have to take care of him if something should happen to us.
I am afraid because of... the unknown future. This scares me to no end.
I am guilty because... I feel there is so much more I should be doing for Mason. There are too many easy roads I've chosen and now Mason and Sarah are suffering for those choices. Many are simple parenting ones to make the day go smoother but in the end I'm realizing these choices are making my children make bad choices. It hurts to see my daughter so full of anger, hurt, and resentment because of the way I've raised her with a brother with special needs.
I love you because... Mason for your innocents, your hugs when you see me sad, your laugh, and your smile. You can brighten up a room just by being there. You have such empathy for others and you always think of the other guy and will share whatever you have. I'm a better person for having you in my life!"

I asked Julie to do the same writing exercise and here is what she shared with me and now you.

"Dear Dakota,
When I look at you...
I see... a pure soul, innocence, perfection
I feel... peaceful, in love, joyful
I remember... the way you stuttered when you spoke, your big innocent blue eyes, your joyful laugh, how hard everything always was for you, yet you soldiered on, always happy, smiling, and sweet.
When I look at me... I see... a mom trying to keep it all together
I feel... frustrated by the disease Tay-Sachs, like screaming at anyone with any money to please give it to our foundation so we can find a cure, blessed to have two beautiful, loving, caring little girls
I remember... life before Tay-Sachs disease, how I felt like I had a perfect, lovely life, how content I was and how I blessed I felt.

I'm angry because... There is no cure for my child's disease-yet!! and that makes me feel... frustrated!!!!!!
I feel bad because... I used to get so frustrated with Dakota because she was so slow and clumsy.
I am scared because... my child is going to die, and I have no idea what my life will be like then.
I am afraid because... I have no control over this situation.
I am guilty because... I don't always do everything I probably could to help Dakota keep her skill sets. Because she got this disease because of a mutation in my gene
I feel sad because... so many children are suffering from this disease and money is the biggest thing holding us back from finding a cure.
I love you because... Dakota, you are a perfect angel here on earth. You are my Cody-Mody and you own my heart."

For more information on Tay-Sachs disease or to see how you can help fight Tay-Sachs please go to: www.curetay-sachs.org , www.ntsad.org

What is Tay-Sachs Disease
Tay-Sachs disease is a progressive neurological genetic disorder that appears in three forms:
Classic Infantile, Juvenile and Late Onset or Chronic Tay-Sachs.

Juvenile Tay-Sachs
Children with Juvenile Hex-A deficiency usually develop symptoms between the ages of 2 and 5 years that resemble the symptoms of the Classic Infantile form. Though the course of the disease is slower, end stages generally occur in late adolescence or into the 20s. If starting after age 5, symptoms may be milder than those that characterize earlier onset forms. Mental abilities, vision and hearing remain intact, but affected individuals develop ataxia (lack of coordination), dysarthria (slurred speech), muscle atrophy (weakness), muscle cramps, tremors, unsteady gait and sometimes mental illness. Again, the differences in age of onset and severity of symptoms shows the broad range of this disease and why it continues to be a mystery to even many seasoned medical professionals.

History:
The disease is named for Warren Tay (1843-1927), a British ophthalmologist who in 1881 described a patient with a cherry-red spot on the retina of the eye. It is also named for Bernard Sachs (1858-1944), a New York neurologist whose work several years later provided the first description of the cellular changes in Tay-Sachs disease. Sachs also recognized the familial nature of the disorder, and, by observing numerous cases, he noted that most babies with Tay-Sachs disease at that time were of Eastern European Jewish origin. Today, Tay-Sachs occurs among people of all backgrounds.

Cause:
Tay-Sachs disease is caused by the absence or insufficient level of a vital enzyme called Hexosaminidase A (Hex-A)1. Without Hex-A, a fatty substance or lipid called GM2 ganglioside accumulates abnormally in cells, especially in the nerve cells of the brain. This ongoing accumulation, also called "substrate," causes progressive damage to the cells. In Classic Infantile the destructive process begins in the fetus early in pregnancy, although the disease is not clinically apparent (symptoms do not start) until the child is several months old. By the time a child with Tay-Sachs disease is three or four-years old, the nervous system is so badly affected that life itself cannot be supported. Even with the best of care, all children with classic Infantile Tay-Sachs disease die early in childhood, usually by the age of 5, although some do live longer.

Tay-Sachs is caused by the absence of a vital enzyme called Hexosaminidase-A (Hex-A)*. (Like most storage disorders, Tay-Sachs disease occurs along a continuum. From infantile, the most severe form in which there is virtually complete absence of Hex-A, to Juvenile, which affects older children to Late Onset Tay-Sachs (LOTS), impacting even older children or teens and adults who have very low or moderately low levels of Hex-A. Without any Hex-A, a fatty substance or lipid accumulates abnormally in cells, especially in the nerve cells of the brain. This ongoing build-up causes progressive damage to the nerve cells, gradually leading to their degeneration and death. Individuals who have low levels of Hex-A, have a slower onset of symptoms and progression of disease, compared to those with Classic Infantile Tay-Sachs. It is important to note that within each form of Tay-Sachs disease, there is a range of severity and each person's experience with the disease is distinctive.

For more information on Tay-Sachs disease or to see how you can help fight Tay-Sachs please go to: www.curetay-sachs.org , www.ntsad.org

Warm Hugs,
Mona

People in many ancient cultures celebrated holidays honoring motherhood, personified as a goddess. So I asked myself to check on what a goddess is.

A goddess is a female being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in, and worshiped by a people. Thus creating an image of a female supernatural being…. to be an idol. No pressure here. Is this why mother’s self beat and pressure themselves? That’s a lot of responsibility and rarely is there training.
A goddess/mother is a female being, believed to be the source of life and being. Is this because a woman can bear children? She is then worshiped as a woman for great beauty or grace………… assuming she has become aware of herself and owned her good, bad and ugly truths and feelings.

To translate the concept of supernatural, I would say a Women/Mother, who is in touch with herself, is Psychic, Intuitive, and Telepathic. These deep energies are then the transmitters to connect and communicate with a child.
Warning moms and children!!!!!!!!!!!!! If anger, fear, guilt, or shame is put atop the Psyche, Intuitive, and Telepathic Energy it rapidly turns to Paranoia, Phobias and Projections therefore, twisting a child into a reflection of the Mother’s unprocessed pain and confusions. This is why connection to the Mother becomes a Bond or Bondage! And this attachment either way is so strong.

Many of you are touched and excited for this show. Others are triggered and upset because a mom turned connections into the bondage of their unprocessed childhood. How do we understand, empathize, forgive and love these mothers again and see it as a cycle of life?
Mothering Sunday, also called "Mothers' Day" in the United Kingdom and Ireland falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent (exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday). It is believed to have originated from the 16th century Christian practice of visiting one's mother church annually, which meant that most mothers would be reunited with their children on this day. Most historians believe that young apprentices and young women in servitude were released by their masters that weekend in order to visit their families.[1] As a result of secularization, it is now principally used to celebrate and give thanks for mothers, although it is still recognized in the historical sense by some churches, with attention paid to Mary the mother of Jesus as well as the traditional concept 'Mother Church'.

United States celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. In the United States, Mother's Day was loosely inspired by the British day and was imported by social activist Julia Ward Howe after the American Civil War. However, it was intended as a call to unite women against war. In 1870, she wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation as a call for peace and disarmament. Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace. Her idea was influenced by Ann Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who, starting in 1858, had attempted to improve sanitation through what she called Mothers' Work Days. She organized women throughout the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and in 1868 she began work to reconcile Union and Confederate neighbors.

When Jarvis died in 1907, her daughter, named Anna Jarvis, started the crusade to found a memorial day for women. The first such Mother's Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on 10 May 1908, in the church where the elder Ann Jarvis had taught Sunday school. Originally the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, this building is now the International Mother's Day Shrine (a National Historic Landmark). From there, the custom caught on — spreading eventually to 45 states. The holiday was declared officially by some states beginning in 1912. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day, as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

Sometimes being a mom is a thankless job, huh?....... and sometimes, bizarrely rewarding. My mom told me that I was her greatest joy and her deepest pain. I guess when the love runs so deep and the connection is so strong mom's ride our rollercoaster with us. I am desperately trying to step away and still stay connected to my 17 year old son everyday. God, I would rather work 80 hours a week than feel his pain for 5 minutes. I will be playing excerpts of a song I wrote for my mom when we were not getting along. I finally stepped into a position of understanding her point of view while in a struggle with her. One segment is of my newest version and the other segment is one with my son, JJ singing when he was 4 years old. It kills me. I fight those tears even today when I hear this song, Momma To Momma. Love is understanding not judgment. There are many truths and perceptions to every experience. The heart does not care about the facts or the truth sometimes.

Share Your Stories...
Please write your stories and share them with us. We want to hear all stories; the struggles, the triumphs, the heroines. We'd love to share your story on air and if want to, you can personally call in and share your story on air. Just e-mail your stories to info@MonaMiller.com What a wonderful Mother's Day present for a mom!

Come on the air with Mona...............Mother's yourself, adult children and little children as well.

Warm Hugs & Happy Mother's Day!
Mona

Why do we have plastic surgery?
Is there a healthy balance in beauty health care?

I’m sure this topic will interest many of you, especially given the holistic views that are talked about on this show.

Why do we have plastic surgery?
What is okay?
When are cosmetic enhancements unhealthy?
Why are you having beauty procedures?
Are you chasing youth?
Are the judgments of society feeding your choices of too much cosmetic work?

First of all, check-in with yourself and see how many times you call someone else or yourself fat, big nose, bad skin, thunder thighs, bushy eyebrows, etc.
How many times do you gossip about how old or bad someone else looks?
How many times do you look in the mirror and talk bad about you and how you look?
How much do you judge others who choose to do healthy cosmetic procedures…and why, if they are not hurting themselves or you?
Guess what? Judgment hurts!
Words can hurt our spirit and inner child. It affects our self talk and sarcasms to others.

Although we are learning to be stronger inside and relaxing our own self beat/judger voice we are also learning to filter other’s judgments as well.

We say kids can be so mean to each other. Hey, try a mean kid/adult. I personally have been killed on my looks, clothes, how I decorate my house because I’m a bit artistic, and even my big personality, vocabulary, singing voice, etc.
Did any of these qualities above personally hurt anyone? If not, why are they judging me?
Ouch, ouch, ouch!
These kinds of judgments make you want to quit, run and hide doesn’t it?!

So as we are learning to calm down the judger/self beat inside and filter the judgment coming from the outside…I ask…is there a healthy balance in beauty health care?
Let’s see!

I will be “shot” live by Nurse Jamie. Yes, physically “shot” with needles while talking to you “live”. We will take before, during and after pictures to see if this experience is like buying a nice outfit, wearing make-up, and feeling young and fit for as long as we are alive!

Join me and Nurse Jamie and see what you think!
Ahhh! She comes packed with shots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it too late to change this week’s show?!!!!!!!!!!!!

E-mail me with your questions and ideas

And call in Sunday at 1-800-336-2225.


ABOUT JAMIE SHERRILL:
As a published author, licensed pilot, and Registered Nurse, Jamie Sherrill is a woman of many talents. Upon first meeting her, her sense of humor and beauty belie her stature as cosmetic nurse to the stars in one of LA’s most elite medical spas.

Pursued by medical spas across the country; however, exclusively employed by Belle Visage-- Nurse Jamie has performed countless injections, laser treatments and all forms of minor cosmetic surgeries both in her medical suite and on-site at the homes of the rich and famous. She believes she is doing her part to make the world a better place one hair and one wrinkle at a time.

From housewives to A-list actresses, models to Hollywood’s leading men, Jamie’s scientific and research background has been tapped to provide an honest assessment of the latest trends, do’s and don’ts and red carpet secrets.

In fact, Nurse Jamie has been sought after by every major media outlet for her cover girl looks, approachability, and years of unparalleled expertise. She has the unique perspective of having watched the industry grow from its infancy to a multi-billion dollar business and coupled with her contagious enthusiasm, she has been tapped by shows such as Extra! Fashion Team, KTLA, Good Day LA and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to give a sneak peek into the hidden world of celebrity cosmetic treatments.

Encouraged by her celebrities clients and producers who recognized her natural on-camera persona, Jamie also began to pursue her love of acting, appearing in movies such as Dragonfly and a recurring roles as a nurse on Days of Our Lives, Untold Stories of the ER and most recently as a series regular on The Simple Life and a recurring role on Days of Our Lives.

Nurse Jamie entered the world of plastic surgery when she was handpicked for training as a teenager working for a plastic surgeon. Since beginning to perform treatments at a tender age, Jamie has been placed on the short list of go-to experts laser manufactures rely upon to test the latest technology and evangelize treatments to her high-profile clients. A pioneer in the industry, Jamie has also been chosen to lead multiple alpha test sites for laser manufacturers where she develops parameters for laser effectiveness, as well as safety usage guidelines for doctors. Jamie has over 10 years of injecting experience and is a trainer for CME Scholar/ Allergan—she trains others nurses and doctors on how to skillfully inject Botox and Juvederm.

As the youngest of three girls raised on a farm in Southern Indiana who made her way to Beverly Hills, Nurse Jamie makes the world of Hollywood style accessible to everyone from stars to those who only read about it in the magazines. Additionally, she is author of Nurse Jamie’s Botox Diaries: Real Stories from a Fake World, a tell-all book that documents her medical spa experiences from the inspiring to the bizarre.

For more information check out: http://www.nursejamie.com

ABOUT NURSE JAMIE’S BOTOX DIARIES:
From A-list actresses to housewives, runway models to Hollywood's leading men, "The Simple Life's" Nurse Jamie is medical spa nurse to the most beautiful people in the world. Pursued by celebrities across the country, Nurse Jamie has performed countless injections, laser treatments, and all forms of minor cosmetic treatments. She believes she is doing her part to make the world a more beautiful place one wrinkle and one hair at a time.

Now, for the first time, the pages of her beauty diary are open for the world to see, revealing what really goes on behind Hollywood's closed doors. Obsession, excess downright insanity, and a whole lot of laughter and tears are plentiful in each chapter page and entry.

A Special Treat:
Here is poem that was written by a listener, Pamela J. Breunig. Pamela sent us the poem after listening to the radio show on Sunday. Thank you Pamela for allowing us to share your words!

I look in the mirror and what do I see?
The face of a woman that seems strange to me.

Hair now mixed with some white and some gray,
The evidence that my youth is slipping away.

I gaze and wish there was some way to refine,
A face now marked with creases and lines.

Eyes that no longer see with optimal clarity,
So I put on bifocals that seemingly mock me.

I laugh at these changes and try to be witty,
But secretly want all to still see me as pretty.

The passage of time brings wear I cannot erase,
So let me show wisdom and ageless grace
and look without judgment upon my own face.

  
Remember, the realms are:    
   1. Spiritual
   2. Mental
   3. Emotional
   4. Physical
   5. Sexual
   6. Financial 
   

Welcome live ..... a man hit by this financial crash and hit hard! John called in to say, “Mona, can you help me understand what just happened and help me get my head out of my ass?"

So……… John is coming on “Live” to discover where he missed truths and boundaries as did the rest of us! You do know, we all miss boundaries… all the time. And through talking about “it” with the goal to understand and change, not judge “it”, a Miracle can happen. Once wisdom hits mistakes and pain we get instant worth, and with clarity and change re-enters peace. And the rebuilding of our new thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviors comes an even better foundation. Walt Disney went bankrupt somewhere around 11 times. Ford had its moments and went broke 5 times. I think he got it. I think they got it.

Donald Trump, financier
Michael Jackson, singer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer
Elton John, singer/composer
Mike Tyson, boxer
Mark Twain, humorist
Thomas Jefferson, patriot and president
MC Hammer, rap singer
Willie Nelson, country singer
Charles Goodyear, inventor of vulcanized rubber
PT Barnum, circus promoter
L. Frank Baum, author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”
Oscar Wilde, playwright
Jerry Lee Lewis, rock singer
Rembrandt, painter
Henry Heinz, ketchup magnate
Milton Hershey, chocolate magnate
Henry Ford, auto magnate
John Connally, former Texas governor
Mick Fleetwood, rock singer
Ulysses S. Grant, president and Civil War general
Larry King, talk show host

Are these bad people? Losers? Evil? I think not! Yet they all went bankrupt at least once and some multiple times. First step, release shame and start learning.

Let’s start with what happened with Bear Stearns. Bear Stearns was founded in 1923 and in recent years was best known for its aggressive investing in mortgage-backed securities — and what was once a cash guarantee turned into the investment bank's crash. Bets on investments were made from a lack of boundaries such as subprime mortgages — loans given to customers with poor credit history — manipulation of truth crippled Bear Stearns, the nations' fifth-largest investment bank. Manipulation often comes from desires and feelings…. and do not judge or throw the first stone…. because I can find this behavior in anyone, including me. Hard to believe, I know.

So far, global banks have written down some $200 billion worth of securities slammed amid the credit crisis.

JPMorgan's acquisition of Bear Stearns represented roughly 1 percent of what the investment bank was worth March 1, 2008. The deal marked a 93.3 percent discount to Bear Stearns' market capitalization as March 14, and roughly a 98.8 percent discount to its book value as of Feb. 29.

Wall Street analysts say the bid to rescue Bear Stearns was more than just saving one of the world's largest investment banks — it was a prop for the U.S. economy and global financial system. An outright collapse could have caused huge losses for banks, hedge funds and other investors to which Bear Stearns was connected. So now we work together as a community or we all go down. Should we not be working as a whole at all times?

Now, what happened to John and people like John?
John said, "It all started the day I was laying in bed with my wife saying, “Wow!” we are so incredibly blessed. We have a beautiful family, all the money we will ever need, we all like each other... And we are all madly in love with our relationship and the kids!
It seemed that Life was perfect.

Little did I know I was undermining the whole incredible thing.

I was asked to lead a company that was about to go public. They promised me the moon and the first thing I received was an Aston Martin...” This is a very high end car. So was this company smart? Did they go right to John’s ego? Did the thrill of this image take this man out of his comfort zone and move him at a very fast pace? “The car was beautiful. The promise of money and the ability to run a public company, finally the world was about to be blessed by my genius in marketing and advertising.” No ego here.
“I love developing projects and companies so, this job was for me. I was also on my way to selling my video production company to free up time to spend with family and the new job wasn’t going to take much time, as they told me.

My other company was going great too, and it was being run by a very good guy that I trusted. Oh, and along the way, I taught myself to trade in the stock market. My understanding of business and being a visual person helped me fly in this business too... I could chart stocks with the best of them. I, in a very short amount of time, 7 months to be exact; I turned a $30,000 portfolio into roughly 2 million dollars.” Is going too fast an issue? Can that ensure our egos are making our decisions and we may be coming from a manipulative place? Especially, a self manipulative place if the feelings and image are stronger than our insides.

“I was kickin’ life's ass and taking names. All was perfect until it all started to crumble.

The dream job…but, I could never seem to work out a concrete deal with this company, so I stayed away mostly. I would peek in on them almost everyday to see the people, but the deal never came through...” Was John going passive? Did he want this deal and car so badly that he turned a blind eye ignoring truth and boundaries? Uh oh!

“And along the way… I was signing documents as the CEO without proper contracts that protected me and my family. Also, being the creative genius that I was, worked on a proposal for a potential client for a national campaign – and WE GOT IT!” Is John's right brain dominant? Meaning, feeling and creative but missing the left brain’s logic, truth and boundaries? Is it important to develop both sides of the brain like the Senate and House of Representatives? Do not move until both sides are in some type of agreement?

“I stuck around to work on that national campaign with the promise of profit sharing and salary... It never happened.” Oh oh. No truth or boundaries.

"Cut to current day... In October my $2M trading account started to crumble before my eyes. We didn’t know it, but it was the start of a bear market. A Bear market is not a bad thing if you are positioned for it... I was not! My position sizing was the size of most small country’s income. In just 4 days, my account was decimated. But I ended up rebuilding it back, mostly in the next couple months. Stocks were performing as expected, then it all started to happen again. Then I went on a much needed vacation leaving my position for over a week.” Is this a good time to leave? Was John doing the three fear words? Running, freezing or attacking? Fear makes 4 things; more fear, anger, guilt and shame.

“I checked my account from the beach, but you can’t trade from an iPhone...

When I got back, I roughly had what I started with, that I had worked so hard to get. A few days later, it was all gone.

After attending traders anonymous, just kidding... I was attending a trader’s conference and I got a phone call from my wife. She said, you are never gonna guess who just left the house. I said hesitantly... Whooo?
She said - It was law enforcement. And they wanted to know what my involvement was with “that company".

I invited them back and got the story. Because I signed my name on documents without an agreement, and without control of the company – which I asked for numerous times, but never got the reigns.” Is John feeling like a victim? How did John feel about his life as a child? How low was his ego originally, to need this image without protection of contracts and lawyer’s guidance? Remember, high ego is nothing more than a defense for low ego.

“The guys who originally owned the company were up to something fishy... This hasn’t been proven on either side, by the way – but I was in the middle of it because my signature was everywhere. Not to mention that well after I left “the company” defaulted on a very sizable loan and my signature was on that as well.

In any event people called me looking for the money and I wasn’t part of the company any more so I said – what are you talking about?” As John gave away his power he was stuck with responsibility. Being fair or true no longer mattered. He is lost in twists. It’s like having your name on a loan for a house, which makes you responsible, but your name is not on the title, so you have no rights.

“My video production company was failing with the economy too – my biggest clients – all at the same time either went out of business or scaled back and didn’t have meetings scheduled for ‘08.
My business was down well over 60% and I am working round the clock to try to get new work in.

I then put another 30k in a trading account and was trading for 2 other people’s accounts and we managed to get into the Bear Sterns trade... I managed to lose all of our money and then owe the brokerage more on top of that because the CEO lied. I followed and took the trade.

I am now living on savings with no income at the moment and haven't had income for a few months. Savings is running out. I closed the office and fired my awesome staff except for one guy.
It seems that all I touch is going against me and I have never been in this much debt and now I may have to find A LOT of money to defend myself in court.

I can’t get a good trade going to save my life. I actually had a stock go UP 30% in 2 weeks to knock me out of a trade and that just doesn’t happen. Bear Stearns went basically out of business and that never happens to multinational companies with a strong name.

My golden touch is gone and I didn’t protect myself along the way.” This is like a drug high with no truth or boundaries stopping the train with no track.
“I was in fear which drove me into some bad trades that knocked out my accounts and other peoples account as well.

My business is lame and I got law enforcement coming after me.

The video business owes me money and looks like I am going to have to take them to court and I lent “the company” some money which they promised to pay back in 90 days and it’s been over a year and it still isn’t here, no matter how much they promise that it will be here any day now.” So truths above feelings and words and behaviors have to match!

“I feel terrible for all my actions that led to this. ARGH!”

The sad part is John has asthma. And unfortunately we have learned that stress makes the body’s immune system weak and has been getting very ill. He is having terrible asthma attacks, pleurisy on top of pneumonia and lung problems.
He can’t sleep or eat because his head is spinning 1000mph. He is on prednisone, steroid inhalers and many anti-biotics which also break down his immune system.

Don’t worry he is about to contact Dr. Group, last week’s guest, to take care of some of this physical stuff and we are going to learn to live in prevention.