Entitlement Attitude

          It seems to me that there is a growing change of attitude in this nation. It used to be that  the American way was to work hard and earn a living. People were proud of what they did. If it earned them material things, they treated those things with respect. For example, my grandfather worked for a radio station and was able to buy a pickup truck. He washed it all the time and always had the fluids checked and full. It was his baby! He was proud of the truck because he earned it. The nation's attitude is now one of expectation.
          People think that they are supposed to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. For example, I work at a retail store. We sell food as well as many household items. I see people that are wearing really nice clothes pay for food with food stamps. Then I help them purchase a huge flat screen tv with cash. When I go help them load the tv in their car and they are driving a Lexus! Example number 2, I go help a lady in her 60's buy video games. As I ring up her items she says that she is buying this for a grandson that has a birthday. I say he must have been good to get 2 games. She says no that one grandson has a birthday but  the other gets a game too. She buys both a gift so the one not having a birthday won't feel left out! I cannot wrap my head around this concept! When I was young I went to sibling and cousin birthday parties all the time. You knew the routine. The birthday kid got a gift and you were lucky if you got a piece of cake. That is normal. Example 3, I am sitting in the breakroom at work and a lady tells me that her kid is in middle school. The kid just tried out for baseball. He made it on the team and he is good but there is a problem. There is a boy on the team who stinks. He doesn't want to play but his parents make him. He is no good but the couch has to put him on the team. Naturally I ask why he has to put this boy on the team. The lady says that the couch has to put all the boys who try out on the team! I am dazed but I ask why. She says because they don't want to hurt any of the boys fragile self-esteem! Ok I thought the idea was for you to build the confidence of the boys that made it on the team. I thought that those who didn't were supposed to be aware they need to improve and be challenged to improve before the next tryouts! Example 4, The government issues bailouts to failing companies. I pull into my drive way and see my neighbors car. There is a decal on the rear windshield. It says, "Where's my bailout?" Example 5, I'm ringing up latin cd's for a latin man. His total is $20-30. He pulls out a wad of bills and pulls off a $100 bill. I say, "Wow! I wish I made that kind of money. What do you do?" He says he works construction. I ask if he is an engineer. He says no he puts on roofs. I laugh and ask if he needs help. He says, "You can't do it, you have to pay taxes." Last example,  I have a display of movies out that are all $15. The price is made with these big numbers that slide into the sign. A customer takes out the 5. Now it reads $1. The customer grabs a stacks of dvd's. There are probably 10-12 dvd's. They plop them down on my counter. When I ring the first one up it says $15. They say no all these are supposed to be $1. I say no this whole display is $15. They walk me over and show me that it says $1. I find the missing number and put it up. They make me call a manager to complain so they can get it at $1. The thing that makes me mad is the the manager doesn't want to deal with them. Instead of walking back there they just call. They make me explain on the phone in front of the customer. Then they say, "Well just give it to them!"
          As a nation we have changed thought processes. We need to change our internal speech. We need to remember the ideals on which this nation was founded. We need to speak more pride and integrity into ourselves! America is not supposed to be a hand out but a hand up! We need to speak confidence and an others centered perspective into our children. The future of the nation is the children. We need to speak them into bold, confident, and creative leaders! Not a cry baby who didn't get an I-pod on his brothers birthday! If we are going to be a nation with an attitude of expectation, let's be one of higher expectation! One that sets a standard of what the power of positive words, thoughts, and actions can do!

It's Not A Lie

          There are three parts of speaking that are hard to grasp. One is to always talk about where you are going. Talk about what you have, not what you want. The second part is to talk in the present tense. The last part is not just hard to do but essential. Let me explain.
          Some people can't understand speaking they are in shape when they are out of shape. I had trouble with this when I first started speaking against some of my worst demons. People would coorrect my speech and I would cry, "But, it's a lie!" I have since realized that speaking is not a lie. It is a prayer. It is you having faith in God and in yourself that things will be.
          Speaking in the present tense is really important. Suppose you say, "I will be active and healthy." You just implied that you are not healthy now. You also just put the completion of the goal off another day. You have given yourself a free pass to eat unhealthy today. How many times have you said you will do something and never got around to it? Now suppose you say, "I am active and healthy." You are more likley to say yes when asked to go for a walk. You are likely to eat healthy. You will act healthy now and get healthy faster.
          These two parts of speaking are vital if you want to speak things to life. But the last part is the most difficult to grasp. FAITH. If you don't force yourself to believe what you speak it won't come to be. Get mad if you have to! Yell it in a mirror! Just beat it in hard and loud enough to drown out any doubt or negative voices! Consistancy is a key. Say it over and over to yourself till it jumps off your lips. Then you'll see exponential results!