Life Is......A Box of Chocolates!

2006-12-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

Hello, and thank you for coming to discover more about what makes me tick....Haagen Dazs ice cream, Belgium Chocolate (especially white).....!!!

Speaking of which, my philosophy of life is very sumptuous, simple, and summarised as:

Life IS a Box of Chocolates
How you may ask?

Well, think about it, have you ever met a chocolate you didn’t like at all?

Whether extra dark, milky brown, pure white ….each one has something uniquely sumptuous about it, wouldn’t you agree?

Just like people. And life. Every one is special. Every day is a unique gift. That's why it is called the 'present'.

As a 'Chocoholic Connoisseur', I have learned how to be like Forrest Gump and to view life and people:

"Like a box of chocolates and never know what flavour you're gonna get....”

.....then you can simply enjoy all flavours!

Isn’t that a ‘healthy’ philosophy?

Can you see how that may be the ‘Secret’ to living life to the full?

Instead of trying to ‘fit’ reality into your concept or perception of how things should be, you simply accept and enjoy what is. That way you avoid the disappointments, dashed hopes, unmet expectations, stresses etc of things not being what you want them to be.

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade not coffee! Or, to use the chocolate analogy.... if life gives you creamy, round toffee filled milk chocolates, make milk chocolate and caramel soufflé, not hard rock cakes!

It's proven fact: When you fight reality you loose.

So wouldn't you agree that it's better to embrace and enjoy life? After all, there’s plenty of time to be dead!

And, as that great sage Shakespeare said:

“Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”

Alas, it’s taken me most of my life to gain such insights. I’m a slow learner!

Learning which accelerated after a major illness helped me to make sense of a kaleidoscopic life of extremes and one mistake after another. Or, if I’m being indulgent, let's call these ‘mistakes’ ‘lessons’!

Life Is NOT Based on Universal Success Myths
You see, my lesson was a combination of ignorance and stupidity. I had bought into and believed the Universal Success Myths. These dictate that in order to succeed you need to:

• Work super hard
• Look and act attractive
• Be highly efficient and effective
• Make lots of sacrifices and suffer BEFORE you enjoy the fruits of your labour Can you relate to these?

Surprise. Surprise. Look how my belief in these myths actually became my reality....

By the age of 34 I had 2 degrees from Cambridge University, England, lived or worked in three continents, reached the top of my business profession, earned, and through stupidity, lost - $mega money, wined and dined with the elite, tasted crime, corruption and courage within the Military intelligence service, suffered torture and degradation by others....

Was I happy? No.

Frankly, I didn’t have the time to ask that question. I was too busy zipping around the world earning money. And my belief system conditioned me to accept that my life was OK because I had ‘conformed’ to the Success myths above.

You know how it is, right? You conform to others’ expectations and to Success myths, but you're fundamentally miserable yourself.

(I still hadn’t learned that while money talks….chocolate sings!!)

Then, imagine this…..

You’re plodding (or zipping!) along doing what you do and wham bam. Some major tragedy hits you. The death of a loved one. Serious sickness. Marriage bust up. Loss of job and earnings. It’s hell isn’t it?

You ask:

• Why?
• Why me?
• What have I done to deserve this?
• Etc...

Life Sucks Huh?
(Especially when no one seems to be able to explain why a two pound box of chocolates makes a woman gain five pounds!)

My life capsized nine years ago when sudden, inexplicable pain wracked my body. Shortly I was diagnosed with a progressively debilitating form of multiple sclerosis (Primary Progressive MS) leading to what the ‘experts’ said would be “damaging physical complications and likely death within ten years.”

The once successful, healthy, wealthy woman was soon to be a paralysed, pain wrecked, miserable wretch with a 10 year death sentence.

Well, to paraphrase George Burns...

"I don't believe in dying. It's been done. I'm working on a new exit. Besides, I can't die now - I'm too busy enjoying life and making my Fortune.”

Nine years later I’m happier and healthier than ever, and grateful for the learning opportunities I have had. Nine years ago there's no way I would have been able to climb to the top of high hills with my dog and enjoy beautiful scenes like those below.

Maybe it’s all that Haagen Dazs ice cream and chocolate! After all, as Elain Sherman in the Book of Divine Indulgences said:

“Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, go on, eat LOTS of chocolate!”

Yeh right!

Maybe too there are VERY good reasons why I was so swiftly struck down at 34. Call it a classic case of Burn Out: My body telling me "Slow Down!" You'll want to read my book to discover more.......

So, How am I "Enjoying Life and Making My Fortune?”

By understanding myself and helping others. As Zig Ziglar says:

“You can have everything in life that you want
if you just give enough other people what they want."

My passion is to share my knowledge and learning, especially about health, wealth and self.

I’m doing this by writing my book and setting up my related health site. Both will reveal the Truth about Health: how and why we are all part of a Massive Medical Conspiracy to make and keep us sick, and, critically, what you can do to beat the Medical Mafia and enjoy vibrant health and wealth.

Controversial stuff.

Proven too, by many more knowledgeable than I. Indeed, you will be amazed at the nonsense we are being fed. Nonsense compounding our ignorance about our health, while pharmaceutical and medical ‘experts’ line their pockets at our expense.

Here’s just one example from Dr Allan Greenberg M.D. of what many unconventional doctors now agree is a Scandal in Health Care:

“As a retired physician,
I can honestly say that unless you are in a serious accident,
your best chance of living to a ripe old age is to avoid doctors and hospitals and learn nutrition, herbal medicine and other forms of natural medicine.
Almost all drugs are toxic and are designed only to treat symptoms and not to cure anyone. Vaccines are highly dangerous, have never been adequately studied or proven to be effective, and have a poor risk/reward ratio.
Most surgery is unnecessary and most textbooks of medicine are inaccurate and deceptive. Almost every disease is said to be idiopathic (without known cause) or genetic - although this is untrue.
In short, our main stream medical system is hopelessly inept and/or corrupt. The sooner you learn this, the better off you will be."

You Have Been Warned! Watch this Space.

Until the book and site are ready, you can benefit from two other areas I have knowledge about: online Business Opportunities and Personal Development as follows:

First, if you would like to know how to avoid the pit falls of online Business Opportunities, please see my free report at: http://www.SickOfScams.info

Second, if living a life of Passionate Self Belief interests you, please see my free article at: Passionate Self Belief

Can You Trust Me?

Only you know that! Trust yourself to know. References available on request!

For now, please know that I feel immensely privileged to have had such a rich and varied life encompassing:

• 23 years + of successful business experience, including Military Service. I lived or worked in three continents as a Mentor, Trainer, Manager, Director, Managing Director (CEO) and Consultant for Global companies like IBM, ICL, Philips, British Telecommunications, Hitachi, BASF, Panasonic, Hays Plc, BMW, Global Bank of Commerce and Hartley Computer Ltd in such diverse areas as Human resources, Marketing, Sales, Logistics, Quality, Business analysis, Business improvement, Strategic planning, BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) and Manufacturing.

• 7 years helping to design and market a unique online lottery, including research into the psychology of wealth and happiness. Our lottery has now been ‘put on hold’, and we are looking for buyers because of the USA sanctions against online gambling transactions.

• 8 years of living with and learning how cure oneself of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (CPMS)

• 7 years of medical, nutritional and personal development study, and review of empirical research from many others. This was focused on understanding the causes and cures for disease and how to empower people to lead fulfilled, healthy, happy and wealthy lives.

Such experience has taught me much, and I'm still still WIP (‘Work in Progress’). To paraphrase Carl Rogers: “I may be the Architect of myself”, but sometimes I feel as if I’m still learning how to build the foundations!

Especially when the ground keeps shifting! Challenging and exciting? Or frustrating? That depends on your perspective, like Oscar Wilde’s:

“Two men look through prison bars. One sees mud, the other stars.”

So what's my perspective as 'WIP'?

My Perspective......

1. Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy with what you have or where you are.

2. The wealthiest people are not those with the most money, but those who need the least. In fact, the real measure of our wealth is how much we would be worth if we lost our money.

3. Making and having Money are temporary financial states. Acquiring and having Wealth are permanent states of mind and being.

4. Mastery of life is not about being in supreme control. It’s about letting go, being grateful for what is and loving unconditionally.

5. The pursuit of happiness is futile. True happiness, like beauty comes from within when you are in harmony with your persoanl flow...your natural path.

6. Find your flow, your purpose and passions and your Fortune will surely Follow.

7. Success in life is less about what you gain or accomplish for yourself. It's more about the value you give unconditionally to others. After all, as Albert Pine says:

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

8. Your life, health and wealth are your choice. As Dr. Wayne Dyer says:

“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself, or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing.”

9......and much more to come I’m sure. After all, do you really think I have any intention of honouring my ten year death sentence?

Yes, I'm a rebel with a cause, eh!

Now you know more about me....what next?

What Now?
The choice as always is yours. You can:

• Discover how a life of Passionate Self Belief gets great results at: Passionate Self Belief

• Educate yourself about on line Business Opportunities at: http://www.SickOfScams.info

• Prepare to be blown away by The Truth about your health and well being (watch this space).

• Communicate with me about any of the issues in this blog, especially if there's some way I can help you.

Or....

You can continue doing what you’re doing now. Remember though what the author Rita Mae Brown said:

“Insanity is when you keep doing the same things expecting different results.”

Or, far better....

You Can Think, Feel, Taste, Touch, See, Hear, Dream, LIVE and LOVE Chocolate!!!

Here's Wishing You All That's Great and Bon Appetite!

Caramia Hartley

Perhaps by now you're wondering: "What does True Happiness mean for Caramia? After all there's only so much Haagen Dazs ice cream and Belgian chocolate one person can eat, huh?"

OK. To paraphrase Maya Angelou, true happiness is when I am in this state:

“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination true to herself and only to herself.”

Life Is...A Box of Chocolates!

Life Is......A Box of Chocolates!