BLOG.STROKESSUCK.COM

Why Be A Glass Half Full Person?

Bob Miller — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:27:12 GMT

You're familiar with the question, "Are you a glass half empty or half full type of person?"

You undoubtedly understand the question is meant to determine whether you are a pessimist or an optimist.

So which are you?

Do you look for the sunny side of things? The silver lining?

Or are you the type always waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Are you a follower of Murphy and his law?

Why be half empty or half full?

Why not choose a glass totally full?

This way you can forget Murphy's law and follow the law of Attraction instead.

My favorite saying is, "What we focus on and believe in is true to us and it expands to attract even more of the same into our life".

So why not attract more of the good and lose some of the bad?

When your glass is full and you have the law of attraction working in your favor,

you will continue to attract and receive even more blessings and your glass will begin to overflow.

This is perfect. This is the way the universe or God had intended for us.

In this way we are forced to continue giving.

It's the ultimate Win Win. The more we receive the more we give and vice versa.

It sounds good but you don't know how to begin?

Start with a very small glass.

A shot glass or even a thimble to get started.

Have positive expectations but keep your needs small.

Live within your means and when your tiny glass is totally full, immediately and graciously begin to give away your excess.

This way you will always be content. You can always get a bigger glass, just make sure that

regardless of it's size, that it always remains overflowing.

www.StrokesSuck.com

ABCD of Success

ABCD OF SUCCESS

Bob Miller — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:46:03 GMT

ABCD OF SUCCESS is a dynamic system of personal self development that I have created and have been practicing for several years. It is also the title of the book that I am presently writing.

So what is it? The ABCD OF SUCCESS is a basic and balanced blueprint designed to help people develop their true best self. Discovering your true self helps to lead you to self fulfillment and your life's purpose.

As the image shows, the process helps us to discover a balance in the important areas of our life.

Life can be so complicated but there really are only four major areas of our life that we need concern our self. Five if we count our spiritual self:

A-Mental/Emotional

B-Physical/our health and body

C-Our relationships with others

D-Finances

E-Spiritual

This process will help you simplify and prioritize your life in an easy to understand format.

The book is not finished and neither is the website but I am confident it will shortly with a little more discernment and evolution.

You will be included in mailing list however you will have the option to be removed while not affecting your subscription here on Strokes Suck.

In the meantime, please Like our page on facebook.

REMEMBER PAC-MAN?

Bob Miller — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 02:59:16 GMT

Bob's Blog

REMEMBER PAC-MAN?

What a great game.Is it still around? Pacman would travel through a maze gobbling up little dots that would accumulate points.
Sort of like our busy lives,running around doing things like working or making ends meet.
There were these 4 different colored monsters that would chase Pacman and try to eat him.
Just like our problems in life. If we just stand pat, something will come and attempt to bring grief into our life (We all have our own monsters)

In the maze there were little "power or energy dots" that when eaten by Pacman, it would enable him to turn the tables on the monsters and eat them.
This would give Pacman even more points. The problem was the power didn't last for long and the monsters would once again begin the assault when the power
wore off.
Another analogy to life, that's why we need to charge up our own lives every day. The food and rest we had yesterday only lasted us through yesterday.
Today is another day and we need to replenish our bodies so we can either eat the monsters or at least avoid being eaten.

What are your monsters? More importantly, what are your sources of energy besides food and sleep?

I only mentioned some basics here like food and rest. What about the other areas of our life?
What about our mental/emotional state of mind?
We eat every day but are you making sure your mind gets fed with the proper thoughts that will bring you closer to your goals or dreams?
Are you feeding your mind every day with positive empowering thoughts or are the monsters running around in there spreading negative self defeatist thoughts?
Are you judging yourself based on someones opinions of you or from your early conditioning?

What about your relationships?

Are you judging others? We're not the only one's playing the game you know. We all have have game boards.
Some people have bigger monsters some may appear smaller but it's not for us to judge.
We can't control everything and we certainly control other people.

We can however provide the necessary energy pellets to our minds and bodies.
We can also help each other by becoming energy to our family, friends and to everyone we meet.
If we decided to never become a monster to another but to always provide energy to each other, imagine how much more fun our game will be for us.

Our finances and spiritual connection are personal and should also be a great source of energy if we know how to tap into these resources.

These energy resources are out there. Let's all help each other play the game. We can grow stronger together.
There is no competition. Give Help Inspire is a concept that empowers us exponentially.

Bob Miller

www.Strokessuck.com

www.BobMillerInsurance.com

Heavier or Lighter?

Bob Miller — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 02:46:57 GMT

Bob's Blog

Depending on which media outlet or friend's facebook wall you encounter, you will find no shortage of "judgements" about every conceivable topic. Politics, religion, sports, finances, health or personal choices. We all make judgments.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could listen to the viewpoints of others without the preconceived notions that "the other side" is ALWAYS WRONG?

More importantly what are the judgments that you have for yourself?

Do you have some programs running from your past conditioning that are keeping you in the "I'm not good enough" realm? example: "I'm not confident, I'm not good in relationships, I'm not good in..(fill in the blank)."

You get the picture

Just as bad and as damaging are "I am statements" when they are directed towards negative statements like "I'm an idiot, I'm too fat/skinny/ugly, etc. etc.

Where did these come from? Were we born with these or did we pick them up somewhere along the way and made these false statements our reality?

Very few newborns are born with an "I'm stupid or worthless label".

Wherever they came from really isn't important because blame is another one of those negative statements that will not serve us.

Here is a great little exercise the next time you are tempted to pass judgment on anyone, anything and especially yourself. Ask yourself if the thoughts that you are thinking make you feel heavier or lighter.

If they make you feel heavier, they are adding stress and anxiety to your life which is one of the leading causes of sickness and disease.

Do you really want sickness or disease? Probably not.

If your thoughts and actions make you feel lighter, you are being directed towards love and and all that is good.

The truth always feels lighter

A lie will always make you feel heavier.

Armed with this information, if your thoughts about yourself make you feel anxious and heavier, than they are simply a lie and they will ultimately lead to more sickness, disease and unhappiness. So why go there? Just don't.

Choose different words. Your words become your thoughts. Your thoughts become vibrations. Your vibrations attract more of the same into your life. If you are saying words of lack and unworthiness, you will surely receive more of the same.

Choose better "I am" words. "I am confident, I am worthy, I am healthy, I am abundant...."

Whatever it is that you want in life, say these words to yourself until they become habit and become deeply ingrained into your subconscious being.

Remember that little exercise about whether you are feeling heavier or lighter and it will help to keep you pointed in the direction towards your true self.

Bob Miller

www.StrokesSuck

www.BobMillerInsurance.com

My 5th Year Re-Birthday

Bob Miller — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:44:19 GMT

This week Oct. 20, I celebrated my 5th re-birthday. This made a huge impact on me as I did a lot of soul searching and reflection. Paulo Coehlo the world famous author of The Alchemist, released his latest book Aleph in which he describes a story about the Chinese Bamboo tree. The Chinese Bamboo stays only a couple of inches tall for five years while growing it's massive root system under ground. One day after all this time the tree grows to a height over 90 feet within a six week period. The day before my fifth re-birthday I created the poster below because Ithat I and many of the people here who I know and even those I don't know yet can relate to this message. The actual amount of years is not as important as the concept.

To see this and other posters visit my poster page

and give Bob Miller Biz on facebook a Like

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
ABCD of Success

WISDOM

Bob Miller — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:45:32 GMT

WISDOM

Seek, get, grow in... wisdom. I found these terms in the Book of Proverbs, one of the books of the Old Testament of the Bible purportedly authored mainly by King Solomon some 800 years before the birth of Christ.

Growing up I was never accused as being wise or smart, nor was I encouraged to even believe that wisdom was obtainable for me. I am not bashing on my upbringing, I am simply pointing out that our early conditing most often leads to a lifetime of belief or disbelief, Depending on the words spoken to you and the one's you say to yourself over and over, this often determines where our mental/emotional internal thermostat is set in life.

How many of you have heard and believed statements like,"you're no good. you'll never amount to anything, you're ugly,too fat, too skinny, too stupid, why do you always... etc"

That's why I am so excited and happy to have discovered the Book of Proverbs as I near my 60th year on earth. I've read parts of the Bible before but it wasn't until recently that I was re-introduced to the Book of Proverbs. I loved reading the words instructing us to seek, get and grow in wisdom.

You mean to say I can become wise if I seek it, even though I never thought that would be possible for a dummy like myself? Especially now an old guy with brain damage?

But who am I to dispute the words of God as spoken by King Solomon.

Here is an interesting short story about Henry Ford and wisdom during World War I.

In an attempt to discredit him, Henry Ford was once accused in a court of law as being ignorant. He was riddled with a variety of questions such as, "Who was Bennedict Arnold?" hoping to prove his incompetence. After a particurally offensive question, he leaned over, pointed his finger at the lawyer who had asked the question and said,"if I should really want to answer the foolish question you just asked, or any other of the silly questions, let me remind you that I have a row of electric push buttons on my desk, and by pushing the right button, I can summon to my aid men who can answer any question I desire to ask concerning the business to which I am devoting most of my efforts. Now, will you kindly tell me why I should clutter up mind with useless general knowledge?

So my friends rejoice in the good news and seek wisdom, it is available to us all.

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right"~ Henry Ford

Bob Miller

Strokes Suck

ABCD of Success

Create Your Personal Coaching Staff (Round Table)

Bob Miller — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:51:16 GMT

Create Your Personal Coaching Staff (Round Table)

In Napoleon Hill's classic book on how to succeed, Think and Grow Rich, he points out in the 13th chapter titled The Sixth Sense, how to employ some "invisible counselors."

This is taken from his book:,"Long before I had ever written a line for publication or endeavor to deliver a speech in public, I followed the habit of reshaping my own character by trying to emulate the nine men whose lives and lifeworks had been most impressive to me.. these nine men were Emerson,Paine, Edison,Darwin,Lincoln,Burbank,Napoleon,Ford and Carnegie.

Every night, over a long period of years, I held an imaginary council meeting with this group whom I called my invisible counselors."

Years ago, I attempted a similar strategy but did it only part way, part time. In other words it was a half ass attempt. And you know the kind of results one can expect with that type of attitude, you're right, half ass results.

But it stuck with me and as I focus my energy more and more on the ABCDE framework of Success, I had begun to realize the value and power of implementing such a strategy.

I now have a host of the highest paid personal development coaches as well as some great masters of history, now deceased as members of my personal "Round Table."

Using my ABCD blueprint, I have assigned some of these well respected leaders to assist me in each area of my life.

The A represents our mental/emotional state of mind.

The B represents our physical body and our health.

The C represents our Caring and Concern for others-Social.

The D represents our Desire, our financial life

The E represents our Eternal Energy, our spiritual connection.

Every morning before I see or talk to anyone else, I have a 5 minute meeting with my "Round Table". I do the same at night while retiring. I highly recommend this tool. It is amazing how you can even communicate to a lost loved one this way as well.
http://facebook.com/abcdofsuccess
http://abcdofsuccess.com

ABCD of Success

Bob Miller — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:12:24 GMT

ABCD of Success

For years now I have been attempting to make sense of life and why certain things happen to us both good and bad.

The more I become aware and supposedly learned, the more I realize just how little I truly know. I have concluded that I will never have the answers in this lifetime.

My father used to respond when I would say that I was unaware or didn't know something that "they could fill a small book of the things that you don't know, Bob,"He of course was being super sarcastic, but think about the truth and profoundness of that statement. Our capacity for knowledge in even one field of study is miniscule. (At least that describes myself pretty good. )

It is for this reason that I created a framework using acronym's to try and simplify the learning process for myself.
I wanted to create something that even I could understand and remember, so I used the first letters of the alphabet, ABCD and eventually added the letter E.

Each letter represents a section of our life. Each letter is of equal importance and each is dependent upon each other. When combined together they create a complete circle, much like a wheel or tire or even a pie.

Have you ever heard the expression "a well rounded individual?"

If even one section of the wheel were missing,it would be impossible for the wheel to roll properly.

This is what each letter represents:

A= Our Mental/Emotional state. Our Psychological self.
This is the starting point and without a proper mental attitude, it is impossible for us to achieve any measure of success or happiness, or even to know who we are or want to go or to be in life.

B=Our Bodies. our Physiological self. We need our bodies to perform our daily tasks. We might be a complete physical wreck but there are steps to take for us to become healthier.

C=Our Caring for others, our Social skills. Our Personality or ability to persuade and relate to others. The first two are all about us. But we don't live in this world by our self. We could have a sharp healthy mind and a healthy body but we still need to relate to others. The best way to do this is to truly care about others. People don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care. It might seem like it is all about us but we will go much further in this world when we put the needs of others first.

D=Our dollars, finances or resources. Whether you like to admit it or not, we need or resources in this world. Even if your income is limited like it is for most of us, there are strategies and resources available to help us cope better in our environment.

E= Our spiritual connection to the Eternal Energy that exists. This is also our essence connecting to our spirit. Some call this God, the universe, mother earth or the Tao. Either way there is an energy that exists, the same energy that turns Winter into Spring and night into day. For me this is God, but it is not my intent to push upon anyone my religious or spiritual convictions.

All this is just a very brief explanation of the ABCD of Success system.
I have been working on a book, a workbook and website on this subject but for now I have created a facebook Page called:
facebook.com/ABCDofSuccess

Are you living up to your potential?
Are you living a life on purpose?
Why are some people high performers and others not so much?

Does it seem like your life is out of control and that you are simply overwhelmed at times?

As stroke survivors there is a great chance that we lost a great deal in every section or letter.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the very best, where do you rate in each category?

Have you ever thought about breaking your life into easy to manage stages that you can take on step by step in an easy to do sort of way?

The good news though is that regardless of where we stand Mentally/emotionally, physically, socially, financially or spiritually, each one of us has the ability to improve even if it is just a little at a time.

How would your life be impacted if you could improve each section of your life by just 10%?

I am not suggesting that I have any answers, on the contrary, what works for me in any of those fields might be totally foreign to you and vice versa, The ABCD of Success is simply a framework that I have developed after years of studying personal growth. This is something I work on each and every day.

Becoming my best self and helping and sharing what I learn has become my purpose and passion in life as I know it is for many of my dear Facebook friends.

This facebook Page ABCDOfSuccess will be where I will add, edit ,create and hopefully discover all the material for this continuing project. Please feel free to join, add and share.

Bob Miller San Diego
Strokes Suck
Bob Miller Insurance

Not Your Typical Insurance

Bob Miller — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:50:17 GMT

Not Your Typical Insurance

Certainly I am not your typical insurance agent either.

I re-entered the industry when I learned that there was a company that would grant a person who had a stroke. heart disease, cancer or some other tragic event up to 91% of their death benefit BEFORE THEY DIE if they become unable to work.

Imagine the reduced stress many of us would have had if we received a check for a couple hundred thousand.

7 out of 10 people alive will suffer either or/and heart attack, cancer or stroke before age 65

The average age of onset is 43

The average age of bankruptcy is 44

(See a correlation here?)

62% of bankruptcies are caused because of medical events.

78% of these people had health insurance.

Why did they go bankrupt?

Why did I go bankrupt?

Why can't I make the Cane Burning Event?

Loss of income, pure and simple.

It's too late for us but it doesn't have to be for our loved ones.

This is why I am so passionate to save as many people as possible BEFORE something bad happens.

Us stroke survivors are not eligible for this coverage because the underwriting is tougher than usual.

You might qualify if your stroke was over 5 years ago and you are healthy.

But we all know someone who is currently wasting money on the old fashioned insurance, the kind you have to DIE TO COLLECT.

Wouldn't it make sense to tell them about this game changing new form of life insurance while they are still healthy?

Not Your Typical Insurance
New Life Insurance
Not Your Typical Insurance

Certainly I am not your typical insurance agent either.

I re-entered the industry when I learned that there was a company that would grant a person who had a stroke. heart disease, cancer or some other tragic event up to 91% of their death benefit BEFORE THEY DIE if they become unable to work.

Imagine the reduced stress many of us would have had if we received a check for a couple hundred thousand.

7 out of 10 people alive will suffer either or/and heart attack, cancer or stroke before age 65

The average age of onset is 43

The average age of bankruptcy is 44

(See a correlation here?)

62% of bankruptcies are caused because of medical events.

78% of these people had health insurance.

Why did they go bankrupt?

Why did I go bankrupt?

Why can't I make the Cane Burning Event?

Loss of income, pure and simple.

It's too late for us but it doesn't have to be for our loved ones.

This is why I am so passionate to save as many people as possible BEFORE something bad happens.

Us stroke survivors are not eligible for this coverage because the underwriting is tougher than usual.

You might qualify if your stroke was over 5 years ago and you are healthy.

But we all know someone who is currently wasting money on the old fashioned insurance, the kind you have to DIE TO COLLECT.

Wouldn't it make sense to tell them about this game changing new form of life insurance while they are still healthy?
Bob MillerHttp://BobMillerinsurance.com
Http://BobMillerinsurance.com
http://facebook.com/TheNewLifeInsurance
http://StrokesSuck.com

Are You a Handle or a Hole?

Bob Miller — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:32:40 GMT

Are You a Handle or a Hole?

Think of your life, your family, community, friends and everyone that is in your life as a bucket.

Your whole life neatly or not so neatly contained in one large container.

You do not control everything in this bucket but you do exert an enormous amount of influence as you yourself are part of the contents.
You have a choice of how you want to interact with the bucket and it's inhabitants.

You basically have three choices:
You can be a handle and help to carry the bucket, giving support and helping all the others who are trying to make life easier for others.

You can blend in with the others and just kind of go where the bucket goes. This is where the vast majority of the population resides and there is nothing wrong with this option.

We may have even been a handle but now find ourselves being carried around. Things happen, circumstances change.

Or you can be a hole in the bucket like the old nursery rhyme. There's a hole in my bucket dear Lisa, dear Lisa.
The hole is something that requires others to put more in because the hole is emptying the contents and needs constant refilling.The hole acts like a drain and we can do that by making life difficult for others by complaining, being angry and basically choosing to exercise emotions that are on the bottom of the ledger.

I think in our life at some point we may have been all three.
Hopefully if you are not yet in the position to be a handle, you are at least not (an) A- hole.

So which are you? Which do you aspire to be?
The choice is yours dear Henry, dear Henry.

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
ABCD of Success
Give Help Inspire
Bob Miller Insurance
The New Life Insurance

Save A Family or Friend (and make a few bucks)

Bob Miller — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:12:45 GMT

Q.Okay, why do I keep talking about life insurance in a stroke support community?

A. Because we felt/feel the pain of a lost income. We know what it's like not having enough money at the end of the month. By sharing the news of the New Life Insurance with your friends or family members, you just might save them from the financial tribulations that we are experiencing.

Q. How does life insurance help someone sick or disabled?

A. Most life insurance only pays when the policy holder dies.
The New Life Insurance is creating a revolution in the life insurance industry. If someone has one of The New Life Insurance policies and they experience a critical illness or a severe accident, they have the option to receive an "accelerated benefit" while they are alive.

Q.Isn't it too late for stroke survivors to buy insurance?

A. There are plenty of life insurance products I offer that are available for stroke survivors. This particular product probably wouldn't be underwritten for most of us though, unfortunately.

Q. What are the conditions that would trigger an "accelerated benefit"?

A. Heart Attack, Stroke, Blindness, Paralysis, Major Organ Transplant, Invasive Cancer, End Stage Renal Failure, ALS- Lou Gehrig's disease, Accidents where you were unable to perform two of the activities of daily living, other conditions will be considered case by case.

Q. How much of a reduced benefit would the policy holder receive if they applied?

The actual benefit payable for any given occurrence of a covered illness or condition will not be known until the time of claim.The amount will , in significant part, be dependent upon any change in mortality of the injured person in question between the time the policy was written and the time when the claim is filed.
Claims can not exceed 90% and the policy can not exceed one and a half million dollars.

Q. What company offers this benefit and how are they rated?

A.the company is AMERICAN GENERAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. They have an A+ rating with Standard and Poors.

Q. Won't this be cutting into the companies profits?

A. Yes. Therir underwriting criteria will be more strict than the traditional old "fashioned insurance". Plus the agents working for them will make less in commission.

Q. Will other companies be offering this benefit?

A. This concept was first introduced in the UK in 1995 and is widely popular. Some of the biggest insurance companies in the US have been fighting this for years but soon they will have to join this new revolution or else who will buy their "old fashioned insurance"?

Q. You mentioned making a few bucks. How?

A. If you refer someone to me or my website and they buy ANY insurance product from me or my associates in the various states, I will send a 25.00 cash gift card for each person you refer. Refer 10 friends and make 250.00
You can also consider getting your insurance license in your state and come to work with me.

Q. How much money can be made?

A. Even though you will make less commission than selling the "old fashion insurance", you should make more because until the competition shows up this is a "no brainer sale."
Every person who presently owns an insurance policy and is reasonably healthy should simply switch over to the New Life Insurance with the living benefits. For the same price that they are currently paying, why wouldn't they switch?

In the end making money is fine but more importantly you are doing the right thing for people. It's simply the right thing to do.

I have faith that you care for others as much as I do.

Visit my Facebook Page for The New Life Insurance

SAVE A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE

Bob Miller — Sat, 28 May 2011 22:13:13 GMT

Most of you reading this know first hand how difficult of a road it is to recover from a stroke(s)

Our brain turns to mush. Up is down and down is up.
Lives are shattered personally, mentally/emotionally, physically,socially, financially and unfortunately sometimes even spiritually.

Those who know me know that I have dedicated my life to doing what I can to help empower other survivors to strive to become their best selves in spite of their strokes.

Happily I am not alone as many of you are on our Pages every day following our motto to Give, Help, Inspire.

We do our best and I think we do a darn good job.
We can and do offer help Mentally/Emotionally, Physically. Socially and even Spiritually.

The one area where we can offer very little at best however is financial.

It is truly heart breaking watching people struggle financially with deciding whether to buy food or meds.
What goes first the cable or the cell phone?
The children's education or your retirement?
We see people having to live in places they would rather not be with people who are not good for their recovery.
We see relationships crumble.
We see bankruptcies.

Poverty does provide us with many valuable lessons, however.

One good lesson is that we learn that can do more with less.

But that's about the only good thing I can say about poverty.

Basically poverty sucks

This is why I have a new mission along with maintaining Strokes Suck, and that is introducing as many healthy people (our love ones and friends) to a brand new life insurance product that pays the insured a percentage of the death benefit BEFORE they die.

That's right, The New Life Insurance will give you the option to collect up to 90% of the death benefit when the insured suffers something major like a stroke, heart attack or cancer and they can no longer work.

I don't know about you but a couple of hundred thousand dollars would have come in pretty handy four and a half years ago when I had my first stroke.

It's too late for most of us because you must be healthy to be approved for this product but we all know someone in our family or circle of friends who would benefit from having this policy in place before something bad happens.

And we know it can happen don't we?

7 out of 10 people will experience one of the big 3 before they reach 65.

The average age of stroke, heart attack or cancer is 43

We know the pain first hand.

It's our duty to save our loved ones from the ravages of financial and personal ruin by simply telling them about this New Life Insurance.

The beauty of it is that it does not cost any more than what they are presently paying.

But they do need to be healthy

Simply ask them if they suffered a stroke, heart attack or contracted cancer what would they rather receive.

A GET WELL CARD OR A CHECK?

Have them ask me about The New Life Insurance

the kind that you don't have to die to collect.

Bob Miller

Strokes Suck

Strokes Suck on Facebook

Bob Miller Insurance

Two Types of People

Bob Miller — Fri, 20 May 2011 21:34:44 GMT

We are always attempting to place people in separate categories.
Trying to identify their personalities. This is actually a great practice if used as a means of understand and communicating.

We even give them different colors. Depending upon the profile or the different test you take the colors may be different but the meanings are basically the same. Below is one such example:

Yellow: Amiable. 35% of people fall into this category. This is symbolized by the Koala Bear.

Green: Analytical. 35% of people fall into this category as well. Their animal symbol is the Owl.

Blue: Fun, Fun, Fun 15% of people fall into this category symbolized by the Monkey.

Red: Driven 15% of people are in this category, symbolized by the Shark

Most of us have a combination of all however we do generally have a prevalent trait.

I personally like this observation by Ella Wheeler Wilcox in her poem "Which Are You?"

There are two kinds of people on earth today.
Just two kinds of people, no more I say.

Not the sinner and saint, for it's well understood,
That the good are half bad and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,
You must know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud, for in life's little spats,
Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.

Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years,
Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.

No the two kinds of people on earth I mean,
Are the people who lift, and the people who lean.
Wherever you go, you will find the earth's masses,
Are always divided in just those two classes.
And oddly enough, you will find too, I ween,
There's only one lifter to twenty who lean.

In which class are you? Are you easing the load,
Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?
Or are you a leaner, who lets others share
Your portion of labor and worry and care?

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
Strokes Suck on Facebook
Bob on Facebook

CELEBRATE ALL SUCCESS

Bob Miller — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:56:00 GMT

CELEBRATE ALL SUCCESS

A long time ago I learned the truth about celebrating all successes even if it seems that we are in no way connected.
The reason explained to me by someone much wiser than myself was that if we get our self in the accepting celebration mode, our subconscious mind picks up the signals that we are in fact celebrating and it doesn't matter who we are happy for as long as we in the celebration spirit.
This might sound like a bunch of new age mumbo jumbo but if you stop to think about it, it really does make sense.

We live in a very competitive society. We see that all the time in sports, politics and business. Competition was taught to us at a very young age in school. Our parents and teachers and even other students judged us on our grades and accomplishments.
While forcing us to become better it inadvertently fostered the culture of scarcity. If we didn't receive a certain grade or score we were unworthy. Sometimes it was ok to not score real high as long as some of the others especially your peers you were judged against didn't score higher than us.

So began the competition. No one wants to be last. No one wants to be left behind. But that was then and this is now. We've grown up. We realize now that there is no lack of anything really. There is plenty of money to go around for all of us. The accomplishments of another do not in any way diminish what I am striving to achieve. In fact just the opposite is true.
If we become jealous or resentful in any way, my wise old friend explained, we are now opening our mind and subsequently our subconscious mind to the lower end of our emotional guidance scale. (I wrote a blog about that once)

We simply can not function at a high level when operating in the lower end of this spectrum.
My friend explained that it is similar to tuning into a certain radio frequency. By turning the dial to 600 AM we can never hear 98.1 FM.
I was always pretty thick but that somehow made sense to me.

It is for this reason that I have learned to set my emotional guidance thermometer at a high setting like happiness, joy and jubilation. When there is a chance to celebrate the success of another, it in no way can possibly to anything other than make my own success more obtainable.

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
Strokes Suck on Facebook
Bob@strokesSuck.com
Bob Miller Insurance Agency

It's Us Against The World

Bob Miller — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:54:00 GMT

It's Us Against The World

We're not in a battle against the world but the world in general is designed for so called "normal folk", that is people without any challenges
Having a stroke while not exclusionary in the world of disabilities certainly qualifies as one of the most prevalent.

Every 3 seconds someone in the world has their first stroke.
In the developed countries stroke is the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer.
Stroke is the number one leading cause of permanent disability.
It is not necessary to list all the various ways in which we are separated from the main stream day to day activities of our society.
You are well aware of the trials that we face on a daily basis.

Heart disease and cancer statistically kill more people but in many instances people with these two dreaded diseases can resume somewhat normal lives through the advances in medicine and lifestyle changes.

We stroke survivors in most cases are not as fortunate.
In addition to dealing with the effects of our strokes, we also are left to deal with the same and often time more physical ailments as our cancer and heart disease brothers and sisters.

While not intending to make this sound like a woe is our plight article,
we not only have to deal with things like paralysis, loss of speech, blindness, blood clotting disorders, broken relationships, our livelihoods, financial ruin and shattered dreams, but also we need to try and make sense of a fractured world with a myriad of mental, emotional and cognitive issues that we did not have before we were struck with the fateful stroke monster.

What do we do? How do we do it? Initially we are left to find the answers from those who have never experienced anything even remotely resembling such an affliction. Oh sure, doctors and other medical professionals have been trained in how to treat stroke patients, at least some have anyway, but they can never fully understand.

If we are fortunate enough to make the transition from patient and if we are fortunate to have access to some local or online support, only then are we able share our experiences with others who have gone through similar experiences.

For this reason we need to unite and support each other. It saddens me when I see or hear of stroke support groups at odds or competing with each other. As if our life isn't tough enough, some find it necessary to attack each other.

Personally, I think that it is usually based on misunderstanding or communication breakdown. But isn't that usually the case in life in general?

Anyway for this reason we need to ban together to become a foundation of support for each other.

We need to be a beacon of light attracting those who are lost and are searching for any semblance of normalcy in a crazy and even more confused world.

We at Strokes Suck have perpetuated that culture of cooperation since our inception. Heck we even have our own lingo in words like strokie(s) and terms like re-birthdays in place of anniversary dates.

We have been and intend to be a place for all survivors, caregivers, and supporters to Give, Help and Inspire.

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
Strokes Suck on Facebook
Give Help Inspire

The Seven Wonders of the World

Bob Miller — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:01:42 GMT

6:06pm Apr 27

.
Re print from Andrew Coady of the Stroke Awareness Group on Facebook
Stroke Awareness supports raising awareness and was formed to help a lovely young stroke survivor, Dane Lewis
The Seven Wonders of the World

Junior high school students in Chicago were
studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At
the end of the lesson, the students were asked
to list what they considered to be the Seven
Wonders of the World. Though there was some
disagreement, the following received the
most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...)
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!

we take a lot of things for granted and some people don't have these gifts...

To read hundreds of more inspirational stories and videos visit our website

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck.com

THINK

Bob Miller — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 20:25:00 GMT

THINK

There was
a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She
hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always
there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see
the world, I will marry you.'

One day,
someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages
came off, she was able to see everything, including her
boyfriend.

He asked
her,' Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The
girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The
sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected
that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life
led her to refuse to marry him.

Her
boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her
saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before
they were yours, they were mine.'

This is
how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a
Gift

Today
before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before
you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat..

Before
you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone
who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today
before you complain about life - Think of someone who went
too early to heaven..

Before
whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who
walks the same distance with their feet.

And when
you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the
unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

And when
depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on
your face and think: you're alive and still around..

I PRAY
THIS MOVES AROUND
THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.....

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
Strokes Suck on Facebook

QUOTES

Bob Miller — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:28:00 GMT

Quotations will tell the full measure of meaning, if you have enough of them. ~James Murray

It's such a pleasure to write down splendid words - almost as though one were inventing them. ~Rupert Hart-Davis

A quotation at the right moment is like bread in a famine. ~Talmud

Quotes are nothing but inspiration for the uninspired. ~Richard Kemp

I hate quotations. Tell me what you know. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals and Miscellaneous Notebooks, May 1849

A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a witty person, but a pebble in the hands of a fool. ~Author Unknown

Am I a fool feigning wisdom and wit under the guise of inspiration?

Or am I a student traveler searching for signposts?

Well I am definitely a student searching for answers but I may also be the fool with the pebble.

I love the first quote in this article because I believe it captures the essence of the intent of our daily quotations on our Strokes Suck community pages.

As you can see with three quotes each of positive and negative connotations.

As in life there are always two sides of every story as there are two sides of a coin.

Our intent on S Strokes Suck Pages,, Give Help Inspire and on my personal wal l on Facebook is to always accentuate the positive.

There are enough things, events, circumstances and people who act as gravity or anchors around our neck that if left by their own devices will permanently keep us from ever rising to our full potential.

As an optimist, I realize the importance feeding the fire of our minds the fuel that will perpetuate our passions.

It is one of my greatest joys to see others don this mantle of service to others.

Posting quotes of life's masters that teach and offer service has been and continues to be one of my most valuable lessons of learning.

I highly encourage you engage this rewarding activity.

Always look to find both sides of every story.

Don't believe everything you hear and only half of what you read.

Make up your own mind.

What you focus on and believe in is true and expands.

Bob Miller

http://StrokesSuck.com

Strokes Suck on Facebook

Climbing The Mountain

Bob Miller — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:05:00 GMT

I've been on the mountain before. Though I have never been to the top I heard the view is spectacular.
I have also been at the very bottom of the abyss below.
I am now on my journey up the sometimes steep and slippery slope. Some pass me and offer tips others rush by without a nod or concern. I appreciate the lessons I learn from both.

I see others stumbling in front and behind me. Some are resting and others have gone as far as they want to go.

I don't know how far it is to the top nor am I sure exactly which path will take me there. I may might not even make it but I am heading up nonetheless.

I will do what I can to help others wishing to climb. I will offer support and tips I learn to those I pass or who are resting.

You are welcome to take this journey with me.

If you want to go with me and you can't keep up, I will put my arm around you.
If you are tired, I will rest with you.
If you are too weak, I will carry you.
If the burden is too hard, I will find help.
If you refuse to go, I will understand.

Whether you decide to come or stay, I ask only that let me continue and please don't pull me back back down.

Bob Miller
http://StrokesSuck.com
http://GiveHelpInspire.com

Manifesting my Destiny

Bob Miller — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:29:00 GMT

Those who know me will probably agree that I am a positive person. I've had some people and friends ask me why after what I have gone through in the last 4 years.
Lately, I've been doing more reflection than usual as I approach my one year anniversary(re-birthday) of my second stroke.
I realize that my life is blessed but not everyone would welcome losing everything that I lost in the past 4 years in my mental (brain damage from hemorrhagic stroke)
Physical (paralyzed left side)
Relationship/social(wife left after 2nd stroke after 33 year marriage)
Financial (Lost the ability to continue with any of my 3 businesses that I operated pre stroke- went bankrupt from medical bills and the inability to work or make a living. Relegated to scraping by on Social Security Disability. I still owe some personal debts that gnaw at me.I know what it is like to be hungry and not being able to buy new shoes. There is nothing dignified about being broke in this or in any society.

To lay a foundation for myself I created a system for myself called the ABCD of Success
A=Mental/Emotional
B=Physical
C=Social/relationships
D=Financial
E=Spiritual
I lost them all after my first stroke, with the exception of a slight connection to my Spiritual and Emotional state.
I knew that if I was to have any chance to crawl back from the abyss that I was in, that I would have to create the belief that my success was even possible in my own mind first.
That's why the mental/emotional is given the letter A in this success system. A comes first in the alphabet. This even came before spiritual because unless you decide to open yourself up to the source of eternal energy or pure love which I call God, this power will not be available to you.
I believe God exists but He has given us the freedom to choose whether or not to believe.

It has and continues to be a difficult journey but I am so blessed in so many ways, especially in my A- mental/emotional (I simply do not allow negativism to to take hold in my mind any more)

B-Physically- I am continuing to improve from both strokes and still have a lot of improving and recovery to come.

C-Social/Relationships- I have moved on and still have a lot of improving to come.My belief that you need to give before receiving has been strongly reinforced. I have been blessed with the wonderful relationships I have forged through Strokes Suck on Facebook.

D-Financial-My weakest link- I have a long, long way to go but I know I will succeed.

E-Spiritual- Beaming- My strongest asset because it's not mine at all but is available to us all. It is like electricity in a house. It is always there but you need to plug in or turn on the switch. Either way, it is there whether we choose to tap into it or not.

Being weak or deficient in even one category can adversely affect the others. For example I'm certain that many people can relate to the mental stress that accompanies not having enough money to pay a bill that is due.Imagine having to donate plasma for 25.00 for dinner and gas money only to discover after 4 hours of waiting that for some reason your plasma will not flow but that you can try again in a few days. Imagine finding a pair of sneakers left outside on the side of the house for four years because they were too beat up back then, only to become your best pair.
Imagine not only being unable to buy a Christmas present for your granddaughter or children but not even being able to afford a Christmas tree.

Yes the lack of money can definitely affect the mental/emotional segment of your life as well.

I'm not complaining because I realize I am blessed. I'm just glad it happened when my children are grown and no longer dependent on me

Moving away now from the doom and gloom of the financial picture, over the past four years I have devoted my life to finding ways to improve my life and to share this with others. Strategies and techniques to improve my cognitive, physical, social, financial and spiritual self.
As I previously mentioned, I have a way to go in most of those areas, especially financial
I guess it took two strokes, 59 years, ruined physical, social,and financial life for me to learn what my true purpose is in life.

I certainly wouldn't have chosen this method of awakening in the buffet line of life.
It is however the hand I was dealt and I will continue to play until the game is over.

One of the best techniques that I have discovered to date is one that I already had in my possession for nearly a year now. It is my movie maker called Mind Movies. This is the tool that I have been using to create all of our Faces of Strokes Suck movies.
Mind Movies was created as a visualization tool for manifesting.
It combines the users imagination with visualization, affirmations, the emotion of music along with the power of repetition. Very powerful stuff.

I'm taking this manifesting journey. I have a long way to go, but I am determined to create a new happy and abundant life. I'm ready now, I already feel the effects of following my own Mind Movie after one week. I can't wait to see the effect of daily use in one month, then three. I'm excited to be on this new path. I welcome anyone who would like to take this journey with me.

Here is the link to listen to what John Assaraf, Bob Doyle, Bob Proctor, Dick Vitale and Nick Ortner have to say about Mind Movies.
http://www.mindmovies.com/mm21/bobproctor/bobdoyle.php?18690

Bob Miller
Strokes Suck
Strokes Suck on Facebook
Give Help Inspire
ABCD of Success