Well, yesterday Yazzie finally got up her courage and went over. Now, she loves thing! She plays and plays with it, and bell is virtually forgotten. What did I learn, you ask, other than that it pays to give average parakeet time to adjust to something new? I learned that we are all pretty much like Yazzie when it comes to something new in our lives. We can easily get nervous and let fear take over.

Instead of just strolling right up and checking new thing in our lives out, many times we will hang back, try to ignore it or get angry and try to let it know who is boss. And I think that lots of humans would not be as brave as Yazzie and overcome a new challenge within 48 hours.

So, next time a challenge comes up in your life, why not ask yourself if you aren't braver than a little parakeet, stroll right on up to it and look it squarely in eye. You may find out, like Yazzie did, that it is just a mirror, and nothing to be afraid of.

A tycoon? Walk like a trillionaire. Get chemicals of a magnate coursing through your blood and bones and you will become a magnet for riches -- Midas method turning all to gold.

A jewel of joy? Put on a happy face, add a bounce to your step, and open your arms wide to life. To paraphrase some song I heard long ago, say loudly when you open your arms: “I’m big! I’m glad! I’m nationwide!” Those chemicals of delight will soon stream through every cell.

“Acting as if” lets you design a new life. Shall we hold an Oscar night? You can turn your role into a day-to-day reality. You will win much more than an Oscar.

AND TODAY . . .

Decide who you are going to be today. Confident? Optimistic? Vibrant? Playful? Patient? Successful? Loving? What do you really want?

Sit for a while and imagine how you would act if you were that person. Make notes on posture, gestures, tone of voice, manner of dressing, way of walking, enunciation, expressions, sound and action of laughing, topics of conversation, you’ll think of more as you wholly and completely and fully imagine this new you. Take time with this exercise, no less than ten minutes.

Then stand up and begin to play part. Go to mirror and perfect your acting. This will be fun. You are doing what you loved to do as a child -- make believe. You have not lost that skill to make believe. You just need to let it out on stage today.

Your acting will change every molecule in your body. Not to mention your life.

Today you are director, actor, and producer all rolled (and “role”d) into one transforming performance.

Ready? Roll those cameras. The first scene starts now. Action!

©Copyright 2002 Stephanie West Allen