Book signing blessings

January 19th, 2012 by Regina Brett

What a joy to meet so many miracles.

 

My new book "Be the Miracle" has only been out for two weeks and it's already been an amazing journey. People are blessing me in so many ways.

 

Last week, 300 people showed up at the library in Independenc. On Monday, 200 came to The Plain Dealer. On Tuesday, 200 more came to the library in Strongsville.

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Tonight, more than 400 people braved a snowstorm to come to St. John Vianney Church in Mentor. One man gave me a thumb cross, a little wooden cross to keep in my pocket to remind me to be grateful.

 

Tony Stroczynski, a master wood carver from Mentor, originally carved them for the sick and dying. His wife, Lottie, was a nurse who gave them out to patients. They have both passed on, but others have continued their ministry.

 

A woman named Alice handed me sticky note with a prayer she uses every day:

 

"Dearest Lord, I love You with my whole, whole heart.

Not for what you give me, but for who You are...

Take my heart and fill it full of love for Thee.

All I have I give to Thee,

Give Thyself to me."

 

Two friends who hadn't seen each other in 30 years rekindled a friendship tonight.

 

What a journey.

 

What a joy you all are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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50 Lessons to Be the Miracle

January 12th, 2012 by Regina Brett

If you want to be the miracle, where do you start?

 

Here are 50 tips, all from my new book, Be the Miracle:

 

1. Start where you are.

 

2. Get busy on the possible.

 

3. You can make a big difference, no matter how little you make.

 

4. Magnify the good.

 

5. Do your best and forget the rest. It could simply be too soon to tell.

 

6. We all do the same things. It's how we do them that makes the difference.

 

7. Interruptions are divine assignments.

 

8. Adjust your own oxygen mask before helping others, or you'll be of no use to anyone-- including you.

 

9. Instead of treating people the way you want to be treated, treat people the way they want to be treated.

 

10. If you want to see a miracle, be the miracle.

 

11. Everyone matters to somebody.

 

12. Speak up for others, especially when they aren't present to speak up for themselves.

 

13. Give birth to yourself every day.

 

14. Sometimes it's enough to make one person happy.

 

15. The secret of life is no secret. It's sprinkled all over your life.

 

16. If you can't be the rock, be the ripple.

 

17. Give as if the world is your family, because it is.

 

18. Everyone is either your student or your teacher. Most people are both.

 

19. Pray like you mean it.

 

20. Arrive early.

 

21. Dream big.

 

22. Consult your own soul. Deep inside you already know the answers you need.

 

23. Get in the game.

 

24. God doesn't always call the strong. Sometimes you have to be weak enough to serve.

 

25. When you have nothing but faith, you have enough.

 

26. Be a good monk. Make your life a prayer.

 

27. Believe in abundance.

 

28. Shine your light, no matter how dark the world around you appears.

 

29. Comfort the sick. When everyone else flees, be the one who stays.

 

30. You have an endless supply of abundance from a wealthy Father who loves you, and so does everyone else.

 

31. Carry as you climb.

 

32. Be an original. Forge your own path.

 

33. Harness the power of hope.

 

34. Watch well your words. Practice restraint of tongue and pen.

 

35. No matter what happens, don't take it personally. Take it spiritually.

 

36. The world needs your Yes!

 

37. Empower your power by joining forces.

 

38. You are a child's most important teacher.

 

39. What you think about, you bring about.

 

40. Aim higher.

 

41. Make someone else's dream come true.

 

42. Triage.

 

43. A saint is someone who knows how much God loves them.

 

44. Don't quit before the miracle happens.

 

45. Make amends as soon as you can, while you still can.

 

46. Silence the noise. In times of doubt or indecision, pause and make room for God.

 

47. To be a channel of peace, you have to stay open.

 

48. God will not have His work made manifest by cowards.

 

49. Leave a legacy time can't erase.

 

50. If you woke up today, God isn't through with you yet.

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Book Excerpts

January 9th, 2012 by Regina Brett

Be the Miracle: 50 Lessons for Making the Impossible Possible has officially launched.

 

The Plain Dealer ran a week of excerpts. Big thanks to my publisher, Terry Egger, and my editors, Debra Adam Simmons, Thom Fladung, Chris Quinn and Barb Galbincea.

 

If you missed the excerpts, here are all seven:

 

Start Where You Are. That's lesson one.

 

Get Busy on the Possible. That's lesson two, one that cancer taught me.

 

Speak up for others especially when they aren't present to speak up for themselves. I'm still working on this one.

 

Watch well your words. Practice restraint of tongue and pen. I'm doing better with this, but still have a long way to go.

 

Don't quit before the miracle happens. This lesson still amazes me. 

 

Make amends as soon as you can, while you still can. Do it now before it's too late.

 

To be a channel of peace, you have to stay open. No matter what, keep your heart open.

 

And finally, this excerpt ran in VIV magazine:

 

Adjust your own oxygen mask before helping others, or you'll be of no use to anyone -- including you.

 

I hope you enjoy the excerpts and the book. Wherever you go, wherever life takes you, Be the Miracle for someone.

 

 

 

 

 

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Speaking Up

January 5th, 2012 by Regina Brett

I'm not the only one who has failed to speak up for others.

 

After the Plain Dealer ran Lesson 12 from my book Be the Miracle, I heard from dozens of readers who also regret not speaking up for others. Here are a few of their emails:

 

"Many years ago we lived next to a divorced mom with three small children. For quite a while my husband and I witnessed many things that concerned us, child neglect as well as awful living conditions.

 

This was a middle class neighborhood...stuff happens everywhere. I finally could not watch what was happening and could only imagine what I could not see. I called authorities and it did not take long, the children were taken away to live with their father. I never regretted what I did knowing those children went on to a better life."

 

Another one wrote:

 

"I worked in amusement parks for many years, and I have seen people at their worst. But I saw a young man reprimand a woman passing by for yelling at and hitting her young child repeatedly, and I always respected that man for his small participation.  He inspires me to speak up, though fortunately I haven't had to very often.

 

"I wanted to tell you about my silence that I regret, just to get it off my chest.  Several years ago, I attended a soccer game at Brush High School, as my sister's guest.  Her son was playing for Brush against Cleveland Heights High. The crowd rooting for Brush was mostly, if not all, white, and the supporters of CHHS were a mix of races, but predominantly black.  It was a fun game, until Brush lost. As the CHHS crowd celebrated with cheers and applause, one white woman from Brush stood staring at them with hostility. Then she shouted at them, "Go back to the ghetto where you belong!"  I could not believe my ears.

 

"This couldn't be acceptable in this day and age, in this town!  I badly wanted to yell back at her, but I didn't. No one did. I kept my mouth shut, because I didn't want to make my sister uncomfortable, since this was her community.  All I felt I could do was glare at the woman.  Had I been alone, I like to think I would have said something to that racist, though I'm not sure what.  

 

"It's hard to know when or how to respond to someone who does or says something really offensive when one has something to lose for speaking up: a relationship, a job, etc.  But no matter what the circumstances, not speaking up always leaves one feeling regret."

 

This last one touched me. I love the quote from Robert Kennedy, one of my earliest heroes:

 

"My conscience still nags about some of the times I haven't spoken up. What you are talking about is 'moral courage,' the 'willingness to speak truth to power despite disapproval from one's own community.'

 

Robert Kennedy once said: "Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality to change a world that yields most painfully to change."

 

 

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Resolutions

January 3rd, 2012 by Regina Brett

Resolutions are made to be broken.

 

At least that's what happens to most of them.

 

I gave up making long lists of things to change in my life. Instead, I started choosing a word for the year. Joy. Love. Believe. Hope.

 

This year, I'm planning to focus on finding joy in the present moment. Instead of daydreaming about some better experience, I want to fully immerse myself in what is.

 

Yoga helps develop that skill. I've dabbled in it but haven't yet commited to a real practice. It's all about breathing through various positions, which helps you breathe through whatever life hands you.

 

On Wednesday at 7 p.m., we're going to talk about breathing and yoga on "The Regina Brett Show" on WKSU 89.7. Judi Bar, founder of HeartLight Yoga, will break the myths we all believe about yoga and help us get started changing our lives from the inside out. She's a yoga teacher, therapist and yoga program director for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Lifestyle Medicine.

 

She'll talk about yoga, its benefits, the differences in styles,  mindfulness, behavior changes that can come with practice and yoga therapy.  She will offer breathing and yoga poses and guided relaxations.

 

Call in with your questions or comments at 888-957-8897 or email regina@wksu.org

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