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10 Things I Know to Be True: Bob Mueller

February 17, 2015
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Our featured columnist is Bob Mueller, Vice President of Development for Hosparus, of the non-profit Community Hospices. As a priest of the United Catholic Church and a member of the Federation of Christian Ministries, Bob brings a rich understanding to the spiritual and emotional dimensions of life.

He is a highly requested speaker for our clients and their families, and we are honored to have him share his encouraging messages.  In his presentations, Bob offers ways to renew the spirit and mind as well as the body. We encourage you to learn more about Bob at his website, www.bobmueller.org

 

10 Things I Know to Be True

For me, strength and peace of mind come from several different areas of life. I hope they will do the same for you.

1) Recognize our mindsets. I used to save everything. Now my mindset is to simplify and make room for abundance in my life. I used to make negative, cynical comments about things. Now my mindset is to make positive, grateful remarks.

2) Recall your memories of courage. When I lack confidence or feel overwhelmed in a situation, I recall times when I exhibited courage. I remember personal success stories that give me strength in the present.

3) Remember your models, mentors, and spiritual guides. Over the years, there are many people who have inspired me and some who continue to do so. They are guiding spirits I have known. Some have been hospice patients I have visited. Others have been teachers, coworkers, leaders in the nonprofit world, and even individuals I have met only once.

4) Use your favorite quotes as daily affirmations. I am a collector of quotes that I refer to as daily affirmations. It’s an easy process. There are so many great things said that it’s worth taking note.

5) Volunteering can take you outside of yourself. I have volunteered for many different organizations over the years including Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville, Home of the Innocents, Rotary and various churches.  Each time I do, I receive far more than I give. We have some 400 volunteers at Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville. They constantly give thanks for being a hospice volunteer because of all they receive from the experience.

6) Take time for meditation. So much of life is about hustle and bustle. Every day I take at least 10 to 30 minutes to quiet myself and meditate.  You can do this in so many ways: transcendental meditation, centering prayer, a walk, sitting quietly in a chair, etc. I need this time to center and to focus. This is more important to me than constant activity.  It brings me inner peace, self-confidence, and optimum results.

 

7) Get involved with a cause. My cause is hospice. It’s about living and dying. One of our hospice volunteers always says, “With hospice you can be a person’s last best friend.” It’s awesome what we can do during a difficult time in life by just knowing what to do and then taking the time to care and listen. I have received more from patients’ last days and words than I have ever given. This is true of so many of the wonderful causes in our world.  Find your cause or causes and see what strength this brings.

 

8) Use humor. I always look for the humorous side of life.  I am a collector of jokes and am always sending them to various publications. One of my favorites is the one about the preacher who was talking to the church organist. “When I finish my sermon,” he said, “I’ll ask for all those in the congregation who want to contribute $400 toward the church mortgage to stand up. In the meantime, you provide appropriate music.” “What do you mean, ‘appropriate music’?” “Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’”

 

9) Foster an Attitude of Gratitude. The secret of happiness is an attitude of gratitude. Children are far better at this than we grownups are. We can learn much about gratitude by watching how excited and joyful children become and try to incorporate those feelings into our daily lives. I am amazed that when I say, “Thank you,” consciously and from the heart, it changes my day. I have seen how total strangers will respond differently to my words of thanks when I speak to them consciously, with real meaning. People need to be appreciated for the good they do. And when you say thanks to others it has a positive effect on the one giving thanks. I am inspired by grateful people. Once you take the philosophical stance that everything is a gift, then no matter what happens, you will look for the positive lesson, outcome, or potential inherent in any situation you face. It’s your looking for the gift that makes each experience a gift.

 

10) Be the Boss of Your Habits. One can say, “We live by our habits.” We constantly perform acts unconsciously. The greatest accomplishment in life is the mastering of oneself, and there is no deeper joy than to realize that we are living life at its very best. In reference to any enslaving habits, we need to face the question, “ Who’s the boss?”  The realization that we are improving brings self-confidence, maturity, strength and happiness.

 

10 Things We Know to Be True is a series of posts sharing the accumulated wisdom of our partners, peers and colleagues, as well as members of the Investment Answers team.  

If you are interested in learning more about several events in February 2015 where Bob Mueller and Travis Terlau are speaking about the Gentle Art of Caregiving and Legacy Planning, see our Calendar of Events.

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