Category — Articles

Cinderella Stories, Baseball Victories and Love

- by Gina Parris

Have you ever witnessed a victory that was more than just a win? I bet you have.

Yesterday I watched the last game of Firstborn’s junior college baseball conference playoffs. I left at noon for a game that started at 2:00 pm in blazing heat, and ended at 9:30 pm in a flooded field, with freezing – but ecstatic fans!

At the end of four days of play, our underdogs were better than nine other teams, including two that are nationally ranked. They were undefeated tournament champs, and proved what we all love to believe:

Cinderella lives!

The post-game celebration had to be at least as magical as any fairy-tale Royal Ball. The players, coaches and parents laughed, played and lingered on the field in jubilation. The boys, who had worked so hard all year, sometimes in resentment, looked once again like Little Leaguers. The smiles were uncontrollable. One of the superstar pitchers clutched the giant trophy close to his chest as if it were a baby.

“Well you have no idea,” he whispered, “I DID go through nine months of hell for this!”

All of us who are mothers, laughed hard.

“Oh yes, we have an idea!”

I kept thinking about that scene on the drive home. What in the world would cause me to give up 12 solid hours one day, and change next week’s plans for baseball? Isn’t it just a game?

Well, yes, and no.

Yes. It’s a game. No, it’s not just about a game.

It’s about the lessons.

• It’s about setting goals and being willing to endure hellish moments of conditioning to reach them.

• It’s about overcoming the doubts of everyone around you, and the doubts inside your self.

• It’s about facing your own demons and errors and losses and choosing to still go on the field looking for victory.

• It’s about loving your coach one day, hating him the next, loving him again, and realizing that commitment is worth it in the end.

• It’s about trusting that ultimately, the Game knows.

• It knows that for better or for worse, what you do in private will show up before the crowd.

• It’s about character that is developed and that can never be taken from you.

• It’s a about taking talent that you are born with, and turning it into skill through hours and hours of dedicated practice.

• It’s about giving birth to the dream you’ve carried inside you for so long – and realizing that it’s never easy.

Baseball. Cinderella. Giving birth.

What else in life might those things remind YOU of?

I am reminded of so many things, but right now, it reminds me of marriage, of family, of commitment and pain and pleasure and anger and ecstasy.

I think of the days those boys signed their letters of intent to play ball. Surrounded by parents and coaches and athletic directors, the moment was full of hope and enthusiasm.

Like the bride and groom – surrounded by their wedding party.

The marriage begins.

The honeymoon is magical.

And then, Real Life sets in. There are good times and bad, for better or for worse.

Victory. Pain. Anger. Frustration. Victory. Loss. Victory. Happiness. Pain… and on it goes.

Finally one day the players, the lovers, decide that the commitment was worth it all. When that happens, they realize they will do whatever it takes. They will choose to keep playing to win.

That’s why we love a victory on a field. It represents more than winning a game. It speaks to the champion’s heart inside of each one of us.

I don’t know about you – but I certainly will keep playing to win! As I do, I’ll be right here…

In your corner!

Gina

Spiritual Keys to Your Own Royal Wedding Right Now

It is clear that the recent wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton was a sort of big deal. Millions of people watched  it live and all around the globe, the New York Times says perhaps as many as 3  billion people watched some of it in some way. (I know I’ve done the math on that one too and it really doesn’t add up!) Any way…

Whether you were among those who watched, who cared, or who could care less, a few things are certain.

1. We love a “Cinderella Story.”  Since we even use this term in sports, I know  it must  be true.
2. Most people see themselves more as the “commoners” watching the wedding, than as a royal bride or groom, or even an actual guest of the wedding.
3. Given the choice – most of us -whether male or female, would be thrilled to marry for love AND marry into endless wealth at the same time.

I say it is time to time to change our identity, enjoy our own Cinderella story and celebrate true Royal Love & Abundance right now. Here’s 3 tips to make it real:

There is no such thing as a “commoner.”  Every human being is extraordinary.

1.-Being a child of God is being the child of the King. That makes you royalty. You have nothing to prove and everything to give.

2 -If you are a follower of Christ, than you are already considered his Bride. I won’t  pretend to understand what all that means, but if he is called the Prince of Peace and you are his bride, then you are a Princess of Peace. Hey maybe once you are married you become the Duke and Duchess of Peace. How often do you walk around rejoicing that you are a Duchess of peace? We would stress out less if we knew we were of the household of “shalom.”

3-About marrying into love and endless wealth: There truly is not shortage of love for you. The unlimited God loves you., and his supply is limitless. Most of the limits we see in our life are totally self-imposed.

It seems a royal wedding is a Big Deal – You are royalty and to someone, you truly are a big deal.

Have fun!

I’m in your Royal Corner!

-Gina

What Nakai Said:

“Gina, I listened to your Royalty Within Audio LITERALLY all night long on my mp3 player. I was leading a tour group in Italy and the next day we were checking into a hotel in Florence. When we checked in,  they upgraded me to the HUGE Princess Penthouse in the hotel that was over 1200 square feet looking over the river and every inch of this place was pure luxury. I was dumbfounded, and about to tell them it was a mistake (This room had to be $2,000 a night!) But they said it was mine, and I remembered that I am Royalty! I know that renewing my mind helped make that little miracle possible. I love that audio – and listen to it every day. Bless You!”

-Nakai Waynick, owner Celebration Travel – Shelbyville, TN

If you don’t have this audio then get it now: The price is going up next week: Royalty Within

A few weeks ago, I was the guest at the Local Kiwanis club.

A portion of their meeting consisted of the most delightful thing: They call it their “Happy Bucks,” and it’s a time when guys get to stand and give a few dollars in honor of something that made them happy that week. What a hoot! Many of the dollars were given in relation to football games, (and NFL cheerleaders) and the whoops and hollars seemed to grow with each gift. Two of the men were celebrating wedding anniversaries that week. One man gave forty bucks for forty great years, while his friend, who was a little less prepared, gave one dollar and sheepishly promised an IOU.

Over a dozen people donated Happy Bucks that night. My host leaned over and explained that at the end of the year they give the money to a charity. I figured that was a lot of money over a year of weekly meetings. By the time they were finished giving, my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. What a great approach to giving!

Giving in response to gratitude is one of the keys to prosperity, especially when it’s done with great joy! This morning on the way to school, I launched an impromptu “gratitude party” in the car. I was amused at all the happy ideas that poured from my kids’ mouths. They were interrupting each other with gratitude. As we drove, the happiness grew. Their day was off to a good start.

How can you implement this idea into your home? How might you bring it up as part of your date night? As you spend time with your spouse, think about ways you can give to others out of happiness.

Did I give any money away in response to such thankfulness? Of course! But money is not the only thing you can give. I encourage you to stop and count your blessings today, and as you do, just ask yourself, “What could I give in response to this?” It is a fun way to live.

2 Corinthians 9:7
…for God loves a cheerful giver.

So, we are continuing our series on how to get what you really want.

There is nothing I love more than seeing supernatural success take over our mediocre circumstances. This is the place where you can’t help but smile, and shake your head at the goodness of God.

What is the single biggest key to laying hold of the supernatural success? Well, after clearly seeing it with your imagination, the secret is to jump for joy with gratitude – before you see it with your physical eyes. Be grateful for the promise, and do not doubt.

Several years ago, Paul had a great job with a beautiful broadband company in Spokane, Wa.
At that time I heard a specific word from God in my spirit. “A famine is coming to this land, but don’t worry. I will take care of you. Do not go get a job when it happens.”

Oh boy. I was so excited to see what this meant. At the time I was staying home with our four little kids, and the finances, were a little tight, so I was sure it meant that Paul would get a promotion.

Instead, he got laid off. (this was shortly after 9/11 – Thanksgiving time.) Woo hoo! We both had faith, that promotion would come quickly.

The first month went by, what a time of amazing refreshing. But no new job. How strange. But we were thankful for what was coming!

The second month – same thing. Thank you! How strange that I was not to go work.

The third month – now, this seemed like an unfair vacation.

The fourth month – where in the world was the money coming from – we didn’t know, but we hadn’t lacked – not even through Christmas. Thank you!

The fifth month – we kept giving, and kept seeing supernatural provision. We were thankful.

The sixth month – this was amazing – having Paul home to help with the toddlers was a dream come true to me!

The seventh month – it began to feel like our ‘vacation’ was winding down. The anticipation was still building.

The eighth month – we kept rejoicing in the job to come, in the salary that would be at least a 20% raise, and finally…

Paul was hired by the company in Spokane that still employs him down here in Tennessee.
We were thankful!

Now, neither of us would have dreamed that we would have gone 8 months without a paycheck. The media was abuzz with the fact that there were no “family wage jobs,” in Spokane.” This made us all the more excited to see a miracle.

The idea that God would fail us was absolutely unthinkable. We had such a special grace for this time.

If it makes you feel any better, the day before Paul’s new employer called, he did feel a crack in his faith! He slammed his Bible shut and hollered “It’s not working. It shouldn’t take this long!” Still I was able to stay strong for him, as he would for me in the next test we faced.

lesson – find someone to stand with you!

In the end, we enjoyed eight months together during a very special time in our children’s lives. We never failed to give away ten percent of our little income, never paid a bill late, never went without a good meal, and we did not incur any debt. Paul’s new job brought the 20% increase we were expecting. (yes, now we believe bigger.)

Several months later when we did our taxes, we looked at the numbers and I shook like a leaf. It was then that I felt a sickening wash of fear.

“Oh my gosh,” I gasped “We were poor!”

By then, it was funny.

Now I know that money is just energy. It is spiritual. It comes in response to faith and gratitude, as does every good thing.

Today, our annual income is several times more than our “poor” year, but looking back, that may have been one of our richest seasons ever.

What is it you are believing for? Do you have a promise for it at all? If so, rejoice in the promise, forget about the problem, and you will see miracles.

Assignment:
Finish this sentence as specifically as possible, and then look at it constantly:

“I am SO happy and thankful now for…”

Put all the wonderful things you enjoy – past, present and future – and declare them all in present tense.

When it puts the smile on your face – you know you are in the right place to receive.

Until next time,

Gina

Phil 4:6 (New Life Version)
6 Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need.

The above video demonstrates one Peak Performance technique that I use with great success for our athletes as well as business professionals. This is the Flow On Demand Energy Therapy that is written about in my Book. The Book is called Flow On Demand-the Athlete’s Edge, and it is being downloaded every day on the internet with wonderful feedback.

Enjoy, and feel free to write with any questions:
Gina@BuiltToWinCoaching.com

Until next time – Keep playing hard and enjoy your game!

Could you use more high-caliber friends and mentors in your life? Then think about this:

“The relationships we have with the world are largely determined by the relationships we have with ourselves.” – Greg Anderson

Did you know that this world is full of fascinating, intelligent and generous people who want to cheer you on and see you succeed? It’s true, there are winners all around you, ready to stand by your side. What is it you would like to learn this week? What would you like to do better? If you could talk to someone who was very successful, what would you ask?

“But I don’t have any friends like that!” you may lament. This may seem true, but in reality, if you will be that kind of friend to yourself and others, you will attract just the kind of people who will pull you up higher too. You will attract true winners into your circle.

This week, be a friend to yourself. Acknowledge your weaknesses, and affirm your unconditional self-love anyway. Look at others with grace. Believe in their strengths, and let them know it.

What you tend to see in yourself is what you will tend to see around you.

We’re all in this together – let’s keep climbing higher.

In your corner,

Gina

Peak Performance Speaker and Coach Gina Parris is passionate about seeing people move from frustration to freedom in their lives and livelihoods. Whether your game is

Athletic, financial, or personal, she can help you win it.

To hear this blog instead of reading it, click here: (It is less than 5 min. long)

How to have great gain. That is my subject today. Not how to have “weight gain,” which is an unatural result of the slippery slope between Halloween Candy and New Year’s Resolutions. We’ll talk about that later.

No, today, I want to share some good news about great financial gain, relationship gain, and happiness gain, because today, I woke up very rich – several times, I might add. Once at 1:00 am, exactly one hour after lying down for the night, again at 4:30, when the heat from all Paul’s cast aside covers finally caused me to swelter into wakefulness, (This happens nightly, and I must admit that my response is not always a smile.) and again at 5:00, when I decided to go back to sleep for another hour. The funny thing was, each time I woke up, I was acutely aware of the prosperity all over my life, and my desire to stir up abundance in every one I meet.

What made me so rich? Was it the checks I’ve been getting in the mail? I don’t think so, but that’s a part of it. Was it the great deals I found on my kid’s Christmas gifts? Nah. Was it the fact that I spend my days doing what I love? Why yes! And just what do I love? The small stuff!

I love to look back to all that I ever dreamed of when I was younger – finding a fabulous husband, having a home, and kids of our own, and having a career where I get to speak and write and help people, being able to do what I want, when I want. And alas, those days have been upon me for years. I am living my dreams. And here’s the funny thing – most of the time the fulfillment of those great dreams is quite – daily.

There was nothing spactacular about one single thing that happened yesterday or today. In fact today, there was even some irritated squabbling as the two older kids looked for missing clothes. Few things are as irritating to Jordan as losing his expensive undershirts, except of course, losing all his sweatshirts. Some days I imagine he’ll have nothing to wear to his winter baseball practice except his pajamas. And Kristan, well, she had her own issues surrounding her basketball game tonight, while Nathan nearly forgot his backpack, and poor Matthew was staying home with some stomach flu… No. The morning did not look blissful for about ten distinct minutes.

That is when I saw our riches in action. It is in the daily stuff. If you can embrace the daily-ness of every day life, then you can be rich indeed. None of us really has any guarantee of tomorrow, so why wait to be happy?

Why did I wake up rich? Because each time I awoke, I was aware of all the love that fills our home – even when we get on each other’s nerves. I was aware of the fact that the worst sicknesses we’ve ever faced have been gone in 72 hours and I was aware that we have never gone without food and warm shelter. I was aware that my worst days are a hundred times better than most of the world’s best days.

My friend Bill says that a man’s prosperity is not shown by what he accumulates, but by what he is able to give away. You don’t have to be rich to have that mindset. I’ve seen people in 3rd world countries, smile exuberantly as they give away one of their only chickens, and I’ve seen wealthy Americans in pain over giving away a hundred dollars. The contrast is remarkable.

Are you rich today? If you are reading this on your computer, and you know where your next meal is, you are richer than most of the world. The secret to great gain is to tune in to it – and enjoy it!

In this crazy, commercial season, I encourage you to slow down, count your blessings, and find something to do for somebody who is not in your immediate family and who can’t pay you back. Your gift does not have to be about money.

If you have something to give, and you can give it with a happy heart, than you have great gain, for sure!

Have you ever dreamed of success, taken steps towards that dream, and then wondered who in the world you were kidding?

I see it all the time.

I work with all kinds of people. People who have great success and those who have seen success turn to turmoil.

It matters not the arena – business, sports, relationships…you name it, tests and trials follow the dreamer.

Sometimes a struggler looks at a winner and thinks the other guy never faced failure. That is rediculous.

In fact, there is a regular pattern to winning – it goes like this…

1. Dream - Every great accomplishment began with a dream, a vision of what could be.

2. Distress – Some people call this the “death of the vision.” I call it distress. It is the point where your experience has yet to catch up with the vision. The conflict can tear at your emotions and make you want to quit, give up. Cynicism rears its ugly head.

Maybe during this time, the bills pile up, the relationship goes sour, the team who counted on you suffers a loss because of you…and you feel sick.

Some people indeed, throw in the towel during this critical phase. It’s heartbreaking, it really is. Because every successful person came out of that phase with a spirit of…

3. Determination -
This is where you say, “To stop me, you’ll have to kill me.” The determined individual can look at the pieces, learn from what worked and what didn’t and move forward, in spite of fear and doubt. In those actions and renewed vision, faith is born, and the “mess” becomes their “message.”

The answers were there all along, but it is this process that allows an individual to stand up and receive his good reward.

Abundance doesn’t come on the one who dreams only, but the one who works out the dream. The individual through distress and determination is able to receive…

4. Divine Strategy -It is all the experience together that teaches you what to do next. At this point, the struggle is over, and you see yourself victorious before anything even changes physically.

You realize that the steps were ordered before hand, and now you can just walk in them.

Where is the battle? Ultimately, it is in your head. That’s why the Bible tells us to “labor to enter into rest” because “faith has rest.”

Success is not about striving, but more often about allowing.

If you are feeling stuck in any kind of distress, then I encourage you to see what needs to die.

Were you basing your identity on an external factor? Let it die.

Were you looking for happiness in another person? Let it go.

Was the feeling of freedom supposed to hit you after a certain dollar amount? Give it up.

Was your success tied to everyone else doing their job correctly? So what? Set them free.

It hurts to relinquish control, when we are used to holding all the reigns.

However, it is by laying them down in the moment and walking in the finished success that it becomes easy.

Yes, that is the true battle. To cease from striving so you can see the Divine strategy. You know, you were made to win this game, to enjoy…

5.Destiny-
This is where you look around and say, “I was born to do this!”

It is where you look at your business and realize that you’re getting rich doing what you love.

You look at your relationships and say, “I never knew it could be this great,” and you look at your game and say, “I knew I was a winner!”

Does success come raining down on every area all at once? Not usually. There will always be opportunity somewhere to refuse to be moved by what you see.

But it is a good fight.

Do you ever feel your dream has turned to distress? Congratulations! You’re right on schedule, now…don’t quit.

Until next time…

Keep playing hard, and enjoy your game.

Gina

Several years ago, there was a battery commercial where a super tough (and fairly young) Robert Conrad set an Eveready battery on his shoulder and growled into the camera. He snarled, “I dare ya to knock this battery off my shoulder. Go ahead – make my day!”

To tell you the truth, it was years before I even understood the commercial. (Shoot, I was only ten!) But I never forgot the line, “Go ahead, make my day.”

I’ve learned something since then: There’s a better way to live then waiting for someone to pick a fight so we can beat them up and make our day.

Instead, the real fun comes when we live to “Make their day.”

Imagine for a moment…

Imagine a business, where the aim of every employee is the “make the day” of each person who comes in.

Imagine a classroom where the teacher is looking for excuses to praise the students, rather than humiliate. She knows she has the power to “make their day.”

Imagine a household whose parents forget their own stress for a moment, while they honestly invest 15 minutes to listen intently to their child. They choose to “make his day.”

Imagine a world where we no longer obsess over ourselves, but we look at the people around us and take up the challenge: “Go ahead, make their day.”

Oh yes, it will take imagination; but we can do it. I’m up for it. How about you?

Go ahead…I dare ya!

Until next time – keep playing hard, and make their day!