Monday, April 22, 2013

WOPR Guest: Mare Cromwell





Today at 4:00 PM ET Mare Cromwell will be my guest.





To Listen: Please visit WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com. In the upper right hand corner is the logo. Click and the play page will pop up.

If you miss it, there are replays both 9:00 PM Friday night and 1:00 PM Saturday. But you don't want to miss the opportunity to call in.

I am really looking forward to this conversation and hope that you will enjoy it!














In addition, today Mare has arranged for her two books to be available via Amazon Kindle for free today. Messages from Mother....Earth Mother and If I Gave You God's Phone Number....Searching for Spirituality in America.

MareCromwell.com

Sunday, April 14, 2013

WOPR Guest Kathy Perry


Kathy Perry

Dates and Times

Live Air: April 15, 2013 4:00 PM ET
Replay W4CS: April 19, 2013 9:00 PM ET
Replay W4WN: April 20, 2013 1:00 PM ET

For all shows, please visit
WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Video

This will be going on the homepage of the 
not quite what I wanted, but it's a start.



The Perfect Gift

This was my first World of Perspective Blog. I had tried to change the format on it after changing the format of my blog, but Blogger just wasn't having it for some strange reason. So I decided to try another entry for a clear format, as I decided that for the record I wanted to keep the original and not delete it.

Enjoy.



I just read an article, the content of which came from Sweden (Click Here for ArticleNo longer available). It was an interesting article, as it spoke about analysis regarding Santa's Christmas Eve travels. I love how people take the time to figure out these things.

However, more importantly, to me the article provides interesting insight and perspective. It poses two distinct possibilities based on two different analyses of Santa and his sleigh, and his worldly, whirlwind travel over the course of one night.

On one hand, it is estimated that for Santa to visit every home, he must visit 2.5 billion homes and must spend no more than 34 microseconds at each location to be able to complete his journey in time. In addition to, of course, the reindeer moving fast enough.

On the other hand, a different study quoted says that if Santa was to be in a sleigh the size it would have to be, in conjunction with the related physics that go along with it, Santa and his sleigh and presents would be destroyed, and gone. The actual term used is - "vaporized" - within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Both studies are essentially using the same type of data. The difference seems to be the outcome based on the conclusions.

Out of curiosity, which option would you believe to be true, if you had to pick one?

When I thought about this, I felt it was the epitome of what defines an optimistic or pessimistic point of view. I would almost want to say an optimist or pessimist. However, a person's point of view does not necessarily make the person. Or does it?

Think about it for a moment. If what you do creates who you are, and what you think about affects what you do, which in turn creates who you are. Then what you think about is what you create yourself to be.

So if you happen to think that your world is depressing, and that you are always let down, and that you never get what you want, then you are likely to be a person with a life in which the world is depressing, you are always let down, and you never get what you want.

On the other hand, if you believe that the world is a better place for those in it. If you feel that others will always look out for you. If you think you will always get what you need, and/or better, you will likely be a person who makes the world a better place, and feels better about the world in which you live.

Now, if your thoughts were indeed you, it is likely that you never would be able to alter who you are. Notice how above I said, "what you think about is what you CREATE yourself to be." The key word? "CREATE". That means that you have a choice. There are many expressions that are something akin to "change your thinking, and change your world."

You might wonder why bother? What difference does it make? Does it really matter what you think, if you aren't a believer in Santa? The short answer is "YES." There is a much longer answer that can go with the YES. However, the mini version goes something like this: How you think about anything is how you think about everything. If you, in general, are a half full kind of person, your attitude will likely find you in a world that is a much better place than the world in which a half empty person resides.

The next time you are thinking about something that is something other than what you want it to be, here are a few steps you can take:

1. consider the facts of the situation.

2. analyze the different sides of the equation.
(Remembering that there is always another perspective).

3. pick which side you would rather be on.

4. step to that side.

5. pick actions in accordance with that side.

6. ACT.

The first few times, you may find it difficult, it may even seem like a complex mathematical equation. Getting your mind to be open to other perspectives can sometimes be like learning another language. However difficult it may seem, it is DO-ABLE.

In an extreme sense, the above theories leave Santa as alive or dead. In a way, that is like the life you live. Your choices will leave you alive or dead. In some cases, it might even be literal. Someone who is reading this might quibble about Santa's existence to begin with, and if you are one of them, may I gently remind you that Santa is symbolic of the life that you're living.

This is about your choices, the ones the disempower, and the ones that empower. I am empowered when I can see that I am able to alter my perspectives. A changed perspective has changed my world, on more than one occasion, and in more than one way.

Am I perfect in this regard? Hardly. However, the more that I see that I can alter my world with the perspectives I bring to it, the more that I am willing to "play with" altering the perspectives I bring to my life and its situations.

This holiday season, give yourself the perfect gift. Whatever happens in the next few weeks, allow yourself to analyze the situation in a way that empowers you, and act on it. If what you think about is what you bring about, you will be doing yourself a great favor.

And do you know what the best part of this gift is? It is one that will continue to be with you well into the New Year. It could even help with those "pesky" New Year's Resolutions you're thinking of making.

One last thought: You may be wondering if what I am saying is "true." You may be wondering if there is any point in what I have said. I did, after all, say there is always more than one perspective. If you are that person, and you think I could be wrong, I have three questions for you in regard to trying out what I have suggested:

What have you got to lose?

What is the worst thing that could happen?

Is the worst thing that could happen something you could live with?

If you can live with the potential outcome, then consider what your life would be like if "Santa" was alive and well all year round.

In the end, the "facts" will always be tainted by someone. Are you going to use their perspective, and make it your own, or are you going to make and use your own? The difference between the two is a world apart, and the choice you make can make all the difference in the world.

There is a a good chance that if you change your perspective, you will likely experience changes in the world in which you live. Don't take my word for it, though, try it out. See if what I say makes sense for you, and makes a difference for you.

I would love to hear your experience with this mindset. If you decide to take this on, or already have, I would love to hear from you what your experience has been. Write me Here, or feel free to post a comment.

Happy Holidays! (and long live Santa!!)

Do We Really Want a Society of (Imperfect) Clones?

(I have seen the graphic below in several places, but have not seen any attribution. If it not meant to be freely shared, and you are the owner of it, please just let me know.)


"Everybody is a genius. 
But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, 
it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
Albert Einstein

I find this image and idea interesting to consider. We often act like we are all very much the same, and we have this idea that life should be "fair." So if we are all the same, and we need to be fair, we must define some sort of standard that works for all of us.

The inherent problem to this belief is that while we may all be human we do not have the same strengths and leanings so whatever one picks as the "standard" is already biased and even if someone doesn't feel "stupid" for it, he or she certainly might feel like they don't "fit." In the process, it may also give the illusion to those involved that they need to be the same as everyone else.

It would be great if we could find a way to allow each individual to be an individual and let them flourish in the way that they would flourish. A rose and a carnation are both flowers, but they will not bloom or smell or look the same way - and, more importantly, it would be silly for us to expect them to.

Somewhere along the lines I would suggest that our need to "control" things is what brought this way of thinking about. It isn't about fairness, at all, as the process such as it is is inherently unfair. But in the process of calling it that we gave ourselves the illusion of control and given how we desire fairness, who would argue with that?

Interestingly, I saw an article recently about how similar weddings were becoming, due to sites like Pinterest. Apparently people have mimicked what they have seen, whether it fit them, or not. While there is nothing about fairness in this article, it does speak to the nature of human beings to want to all be the same in some way.

The "funny" thing is that when everyone starts to be the same, then there are those who want to strike out and be different. Striking out to be different first requires an awareness and then a boldness and sometimes bravery. The minute you stand out there is a possibility you will become a leader and others will follow, or you will be ostracized. 

Standing out in the middle of no where is generally no fun for those who are by themselves or for those who would want to corral everyone in a certain direction. And when we do not respect others for who and how they are, it seems to me that it is a potential recipe for conflict and disaster.

Why would it be a surprise that people are unhappy at the moment? Some might say it is because they aren't able to have a job or a relationship, or any number of things that (our) society says are important. Are these things universally important? No. But we act like they are, and until we can act like ourselves, we are going to be unhappy trying to be someone we are not, by living by someone else's standards, likes and desires.

We set ourselves up for failure when we seek to be a clone or a society that seeks for its members to create clones of themselves. No one likes to be told what to do or how to do it, and yet many will try to drum our unique qualities out of us for some idea of a "greater good." The only chance we have to truly succeed and be happy is to know what makes us tick and follow the beat of our own inner drummer. 

Yes, I mixed metaphors. 
But you know what? 
I like it like that. :)

One last thought: What if the only thing that is "fair" - and truly works - is when every person gets to be how they truly are and who they are meant to be?


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Making Things Easier? (Or More Complicated?)

Do you think you can remember the name of my show and the domain name? Of course, I would hope you could, but just in case it's not the easy, and you want an easy way to find the show, now you can just type ElizabethAlraune.com and it will take you to the show's website. Now you just have to remember how to spell my name.

How cool is that?

(Like, I really want to know. LOL. Is it cool? I hope so...)

I guess time will tell if it is a good thing, or not.

:)

But I am trying!

Working Diligently - Part III

I have put together a sheet for those who will be on my show. It is rather lengthy. I think for some it might even seem to be overwhelming and a bit much. I might change it in time. But the thing is that while I am not one who likes to always have boxes, I find sometimes they can be helpful to accomplish something. And what I am looking to accomplish is a successful show not only for me, but for my guests and those who wind up listening - and - dare I say - perhaps even becoming fans. :)

If you want to be a guest, and you receive the paperwork and you have any questions or concerns, we can talk about it. I do my best to be flexible, and if you require some flexibility, I will do what I can to make things work for all concerned. I believe in WIN/WIN/WIN situations (a win for you, for me, and for anyone who interacts with us) and will strive to always create that at the core of this adventure.

I will be doing a lot of things to help support your presence on my show. It will probably even be more than before. It will take a lot of time and energy, and quite frankly I am a bit concerned I might be offering too much given that I am not fully recuperated. But I am going to try as I have often wished that those I interacted with had the same type of investment in me when we interact.

Above everything I appreciate - and ask for -  your patience. I will do whatever I can to make things right if they ever go wrong. Which of course that will NEVER happen. Well. In some alternate universe perhaps, LOL. But in this one, I have no doubt life will be its eternally creative, unpredictable and at times uncooperative self. If that happens, let's try to have fun with it, shall we?

I don't know about you, but I know *I* need to minimize my stresses these days and just like Christina in a previous blog, I know the people that I will work best with - and they will be people who at the core work from their heart, too, and will work with me and my limitations.

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

Working Diligently - Part II

In addition to the site, I have been trying to think about other things. I have been thinking about a show format, about segments, about how I will approach the guests, about a number of things. All of which take - you guessed it - time and effort.

In the past when I did the show I put a lot of effort into it, and was not paid for it. I would like to say it was a labor of love, and I could. But the thing was, that in the back of my mind I knew I either had to one day start making money or find a sugar daddy so I didn't have to worry about the fact that I was spending so much time doing something I loved and not making money.

No sugar daddy showed up.

And at a point, I temporarily folded up shop. I didn't know for how long, but there was just no way I could do it. (I go into more of the details in a previous blog).

But now I get to be back in business. And I am making it about business. I HAVE to. At the same time, I want nothing more than to create value for anyone who interacts with me. I am invested in it. I want to do what I have always done so freely and be able to pay my bills. I want people and businesses to succeed. And I want people to be engaged, to listen and to find the things that are of value to them. I am uninterested in selling anyone anything, but if there is something someone wants to buy, then I would love to be a conduit for making that happen and make a living in the process.

While this may be a "business" at the heart of it are the people. At the heart of it is heart, and I want to keep that in mind with every transaction - whether it is an interview, or an advertisement or any other aspect of my show.

Continued...

Working Diligently - Part I

So Monday is the day. It seems like just yesterday I signed up to do the show. But "just" yesterday was something like 5 or 6 weeks ago - or even more. I really don't remember for sure at this point. And for as much as things don't seem to be moving too quickly in regard to making things happen, the list is long.

I have loved working with Christina Aldan of ThisLuckyGirl.com. She created the awesome logo you see and is working on the WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com website. It has been difficult for me not to be the one to make the changes and create the design. But since I am mostly a hacker when it comes to code, the idea of someone creating a really good, search engine friendly site is something that I didn't want to pass up.

I am also a bit nervous about the learning curve, but I feel like Christina is going to help me and hold me hand moving forward, and her creative mind has ideas of things we can implement, and I am excited about that, too. At one point it seemed she may not be the right person for me, as I wanted a much more creative style and look to my site. From what I understand sites like that can take extensive programming and may not be the best in terms of optimization.

Christina Aldan, Lucky Girl Designs
Perhaps one day I can reconsider what I am doing, or the web will figure out a way to be more friendly to those who are creative, but until then I am happy with what is being created. Christina was concerned that I might not be, and told me so.

I love that she did that. I love how she knows what she wants, and is unwilling to compromise because it would ultimately compromise her and the project. While it might be good if she was able to bend to another's perspective, if the cost is too great, it is not worth it. Just because someone can do something doesn't mean they should.

I run into this sometimes as a hypnotist, so I know how difficult that can be.

It is awesome someone else is doing it in some ways. In other ways it is a bit frustrating for me, a bit scary and STILL a lot of work. I have spent hours on the phone with Christina with copious amounts of notes of how I want things to look. From what she tells me, she likes it that way. The more I am specific, the more likely she is to give me what I want, and the less likely I will be disappointed. Sounds like an all round winning situation to me.

Continued in next blog...

Coming Monday!


For local time, visit Timeanddate.com/worldclock

Friday, April 5, 2013

A Work in Progress

I mean this blog.

But it could apply to me, too.

I just noticed it has been about 2 1/2 years since I last posted here. So much has happened in that time. My world has changed significantly in a number of ways. The me I used to know is wondering how we got to this point. In some ways grateful and in some ways, in pain.

Life is "wonderfully" unpredictable (note sarcasm).

Every time I think I have found "the" thing that I am "supposed" to do, live tells me uh-uh. There's something more. Something different. This moment, this thing, was only a stepping stone to the next moment, the next thing.

It doesn't give me much of a choice or an ability to settle in. Even the nomadic life of sorts that I have lived works that way, too. At one point I figured out I averaged a move every 4 years, or so, and that trend seems like it may be close to holding.

I loved doing my radio show WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com, but I was finding myself limited for several reasons. There wasn't much that I could do advertising-wise on BlogTalkRadio. They were very restrictive in their conditions. I also didn't know the kinds of things people say advertisers want to know.

So while I loved doing the show, I was spending a lot of time and energy talking to people and creating it and not making any money. I had to make money so it became something I did once a month with someone I knew. In that way there was no energy spent. It was just something I would get on and do and the rest would take care of itself.

But something still wasn't right.

I didn't know what. And then one day we did a show and there was a blow up - of sorts - at the end of the show and it created a huge brouhaha amongst this woman's followers. We talked about how it could be a "good" thing that it happened, and we were going to discuss what transpired. But then, radio silence - on her end.

I decided at that point that I wasn't going to do any more shows - for the moment, not knowing how long that moment would last. It was always in the back of my mind, but couldn't seem to make it to the forefront. I was working so hard at trying to make a living and make something happen, I just didn't have the time or energy to figure it out.

Then May of 2012 happened. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Work of any type came to pretty much an abrupt standstill. I had thought about kicking up the radio show again given the fact that I wasn't doing much else, but I just didn't have it in me to do it. I was so often tired and never knew how I would feel from day-to-day, moment-to-moment. I didn't know that I could do it. So I didn't.

December of 2012 came and I needed to get back to work. Funds were running low. When I was diagnosed with cancer I had a goal to get to the end of the year, but the thing was that I was now effectively out of business and had to figure out what direction I was going to take. That, in and of itself, is not the easiest thing to do, but then I also found myself still at the mercy of chemo.

What they don't tell you in the media is how your story of cancer doesn't end when chemo does. They don't tell you going in to treatment that odds are good you will be affected by chemo a good 6-12 months after treatment. They don't tell you that it will be difficult to do things still. They don't tell you any of these things.

In a way, it is good. I say that because maybe each person's experience is unique. Maybe it won't be the case for everyone. I didn't want too much info myself about things, as I didn't want to create things for myself. If you know what can happen, you can sometimes create it. But because of that I was often shooting in the dark.

Things happened (and still happen) that I don't know what to do with. Is it something I should be concerned about? Is it due to the chemo? Is it due to cancer? So many questions and in the middle of dealing with the physical issues, I need to live life. I need to pay the bills.

I need to beg.

I have so hated that last one. None of the pieces have been particularly pleasant, but begging has been the worst. If only I could find the "magical" way of making a living. If only one of the many talents I am told I have could net me an income.

If only I was a better businesswoman.

So as I have dealt with these issues, I have blogged elsewhere (Relatetocancer.com). I didn't blog here because at first I wasn't sure I wanted to be so public about my situation. It was extremely uncomfortable to have to come out of the "cancer closet." I so didn't want to do it, but decided to so that people would know who they might consider helping. If I put a name and a face on things and they knew that I was legit, perhaps it would help.

Well. Maybe. But I am not so sure. Many still look at me with a skeptical eye. My blog was on Blogger. Because of that, my legitimacy was called into question by someone. The last thing a person dealing with cancer needs to be concerning themselves with is how to to do a blog on a platform that is considered "legitimate."

I realize that people will be skeptical. I realize there have been some really good scammers out there. At the same time, all I have ever asked is for someone to use their gut feeling when interacting with me. All I have ever asked is for them to read my blog, view my videos, talk to me, get to know me. Not everything all the time, but to get a sense.

We live in a world that is often swayed by others dictates because we are not in tune with ourselves and our own inner drummers. I suspect we would have less issues if we could be better in tune with ourselves and the things that suit us.

Even if someone didn't want to do that in relation to me, if they could at least learn to stop being reactive to labels and associations in their day-to-day life, they might benefit in some way. At least, by my way of thinking.

And if you know anything about me you know that the way I think tends to often go against the prevailing tide. I often feel like I am standing alone. Some would say that is a leader. Others would say that means I am in the wrong place.

I don't know what I say, other than for some unknown, often frustrating, reason I am often left standing alone. In the midst of cancer, it has made me wonder more than once if there is a reason for me to be here.

And yet, when given the opportunity, people have told me how valuable they have found my words, how valuable who I am is, how much I have to offer. So I must be doing something right. Those times I call my "It's a Wonderful Life" moments. If you know the movie, George Bailey only gets to find out all of the difference he made for others after he effectively was removed from their lives.

So many times we do things, but have no clue what we have done, or know what impact we have made. We may never know.

And, it sucks.

When you are deciding whether you are going to live or die, it would be nice to know that you matter. As I write this, I think it also applies in a "metaphorical" sense, too, as we live or die in a way every day. I think many people would be helped by knowing how much they matter in the world.

So...

Back to the radio show.

At some point in December or January I reached out to a radio show about being a guest, and then I forgot about it. For a while I didn't hear anything. When the call came in response, it was not about being a guest, but about me having my own show on the network.

After speaking with the person who called for quite some time, I asked what it would take to be on the network. It was a hefty answer: $1500. Apparently it was a steal of a deal. I gulped. That was a lot of money. I was barely surviving; there was no way I could legitimately spend that kind of money. That was almost 3 months of health insurance premiums.

But I was told that if I did have a show, I would have a lot of freedom around how I handled it, and that I could get sponsorships in a different way than BTR would allow, and better yet, I could keep it all. The wheels started to turn. I wasn't sure I was ready to make the move, but this was a good deal. I had to do it.

But how?

I thought of a person who might be able to assist, and I approached him on it. To my delight, he agreed. But I didn't get the money right away. I was holding my breath a bit while I waited. Too often lately things have not happened the way that they were "supposed" to. I was hoping I would not again be disappointed.

Thankfully he came through as I started to make plans to go forward. I wanted a logo for the show and I had someone in mind. I sent her a message, and while I waited for a response, I put out other feelers, as a back up plan. That is when Christina Aldan showed up (Lucky Girl Designs). When the other person said she was willing to help, but couldn't for a few weeks, Christina and I began to work together.

And in some ways, it could not be more perfect. She created an awesome logo, and thanks to a design choice on her part she gave me the inspiration for a tagline that I could never seem to come up with.


In the process of talking, we also came to an agreement about a website. When she said she could build a site for me, I knew there was an obvious choice: WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com. At this writing, the site is not yet up. However I am hoping to have the beginnings of the site up by the premiere date of April 8th.

In the midst of all of this, an aunt that I was very close to while growing up, and aunt who in many ways was like a mother to me, passed away. Everything in my life was put on hold as I went to NY for the funeral and to deal with the emotional tidal waves of being around my family.

I still have a lot more to do. And nothing is perfect - or ever will be. Nothing I ever have done has ever been, for that matter. As I said, a Work in Progress. And yet, I continue to move forward. I continue to do. I continue to be tired. And this is where my path now takes me.

There is more to do and more to come. *Fingers crossed* that this is the point that all paths have been leading to and that an income will soon come. I am very excited about all of the things that I am thinking and creating, and extremely excited about the possibilities.

While I will continue to post on Blogger, it will also simultaneously be posting on the WorldofPerspectiveRadio.com site so you will be able to keep up in either place. In addition, I will be continuing to post on Relatetocancer.com. It would be nice to one day be all in one place, and maybe that will happen. But in the meantime, I am going to be doing my all too usual creative dance of being a  little bit in a lot of places.

If it helps at all, my intention at the moment is to have this blog be about the show and its guests. The Relating to cancer blog will be more about me and what is going on, in addition to things about cancer and the experience of cancer.

I will do my best to make sense...but that may be asking a lot of me at the moment, LOL. If you have any questions, though, please do ask!

Thanks for your time and attention, and I hope you can (and will!) join me live:


Podcasts will be available on an individual - or subscription - basis. This is something else I am excited about, as it will be a way that people can help me and get something from it for themselves. I may wind up with some sort of business model after all. LOL.

I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Thanks for being a part of it.