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Podcast 112 Miami and your Vice Another dream come true!!  This message is about dreams and how important they are in our lives.  What we think will determine our outcomes because we are ‘energized’ by what we think about.  It is so important what we feed our mind thru our eyes, ears, and every other input facility.  In January and February, I met the woman I had been dreaming of, March I had the most amazing experience of bonding with my youngest daughter Monique while we toured Europe and just spent over a week with my son James doing things that bond a father and son for life!   Podcast 112 Miami and your Vice   Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.TerraCorpRealEstateServices.com/    

Podcast 111 What at Wonderful Wonderful Weird World!   I was at the swimming pool in my Home Town of Merritt BC today and got into a ‘broken’ conversation with a middle aged Korean women only to learn that here and her husband have been living in Merritt for the past 15 years as missionaries for Seoul Korea ministering to 5 Native Bands in the area as well as feeding the 100 or so homeless people on Tuesday out of the Anglican Church. Sunday attended the celebration of life of my best friend’s father who passed away and saw the most amazing expression of love I have seen in a very long time. Last Wednesday in Thailand, then home to Kelowna and now Paris France to share Spring Break with my 13-year-old daughter Monique – Life is Good.  (at least you have to find all the good among the other).  I too have challenges in my life that I am not happy with like failing health of those you love and legal action against those you had trusted. Now to France,  Monique and I have rented a student dorm near the Centre of Paris.  We walked and walked and enjoyed many great times together.   Podcast 111 What at Wonderful Wonderful Weird World!     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 110 Puppies, sushi and Lady boys!   Podcast 110 Puppies, sushi and Lady boys!     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 109 Pick your battles   Podcast 109 Pick your battles     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/

  Podcast 108 Facebook and Other Addictions     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 107  From FAT and a FAILURE to FREE AND  FANTASTIC! From FAT and a FAILURE to FREE AND  FANTASTIC! – Happy Birthday Sergio Lobato !!  I am witness to a miracle or at least a beautiful story of man who since 7 years old faced and was punished by the disease of obesity to the point of death.  I met with my friend Sergio Lobato as he shared his journey and some of the lessons learned. We all face ‘battles’ in our lives and Sergio’s was to look death in the ‘eye’ and deal with being 300Kg ( 662 lbs) and all the horrible things that come with that – physical, emotional, spiritual torture. I’m very proud of my friend and the world is a better place because Sergio Lobato didn’t give up.  He now helps people all over the world.  From FAT and a FAILURE to FREE AND  FANTASTIC! If there is one thing I learned from Sergio’s life it is – Don’t give up!       Podcast 107  From FAT and a FAILURE to FREE AND  FANTASTIC!     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 106 Beautiful Mess After almost seeing the end of my life last week in Rio de Janeiro life seems a little more precious now. It’s unfortunate that we have to have something tragic or frightening happened in our life for us to pay attention to what’s really happening.   Life is a beautiful mess because it’s imperfect from our vantage point but I can only assume that it is perfect from the universal Foundation. I’m not qualified nor have I ever met anyone who is qualified to argue that the universe and the happenings are in anyone’s control. If you are one of them that’s great, please let me know how your world is working out in your favour. Remind me that you have never been sad, you have never experienced loss, you have never been disappointed and you have the hair and body and bank account that you want.   I have come to see the beauty in life once I had recognized and acknowledged that life is a gift. Neither you nor I created it - it just is.  Life is even too precious to sit around and debate this issue.   Life is difficult and it has many challenges. I don’t know anybody let can suffer the loss of a loved one let alone the loss of a child. I don’t know anyone comfortable getting old and then dying. I don’t know anyone who celebrates the greatest moment in their life in marriage only to be shattered by a divorce.   It’s with this knowledge did I accept life as being difficult and challenging but the peace and contentment comes from how I deal with those situations. It doesn’t mean I can waive off a tragedy and walk away unscathed. What it does mean is that I have feelings and those feeling are sensitive to the environment around me. So when a little child even one that I don’t know hurts - so do I!    I have too many people from my life that have attempted or have ended their life prematurely. Now a great debate goes on whether or not we have the right to take our own life but there’s no real debate as to who gave us life. Often that is the question that is left out of the discussion.   I suggest that that is what we need to ponder most. Life and what it means. My life obviously is going to mean something different than yours and by no means should I be telling you or dictating to you how you should live your life. I would suggest that once you realize that life is a gift and that you can live the dreams,

Podcast 105 What is your life worth?  What is your life worth?  Would it be a good deal if you could sell, barter or even give it away?  How strong is your will to live?  Is it the exact inverse of your desire not to die?  Tough questions.  I had time to ponder these thoughts while LOST in the Jungle in Rio last evening.  Stop laughing.  Okay my sense of direction sucks at best but my stupidity trumped everything as I attempted to race the sun down a mountain – the Sun won and I lost. Long story short, climbing thru jungle grass 5 feet high with no idea what was underneath by the beam of my flashlight on my phone and yelling for more than an hour “HELP PLEASE”.  Falling constantly, dropping my phone and get cut and bruised I refused to stop or give up. In the distance, I saw a light and pushed my way for what seemed forever but the hope of help kept me going.  I finally reached the light but it was just a spot light on the back side of the tallest wall I have ever seen (think Jurassic Park) with cameras, razer wire on top and sensors and electric fence wire too. I still didn’t lose hope even though there was no way I could climb the 40-foot wall.  I reasoned that if I followed the wall and the stream/swamp down hill that should lead me somewhere.  I have never been so scared in my life.  Afraid to touch the wall and not wanting to get in the creek/swamp I continued yelling HELP me PLEASE and although I was on the edge of civilization NOBODY could hear me.  To the world, nobody nor anything existed beyond the wall. I did say this was the short story – I ended up in the water from knee to neck depending on what I tripped on or fell over.  Next thing I realized I lost my phone.  No light, no GPS, no nothing but the desire to push on. Finally, I reached a gate that was only 8 feet tall and kept yelling.  An old lady heard me and opened her window.  Cut, bruised and bleeding I pleaded with the old lady but she refused to come and open the gate.  I had gone thru enough, I climbed and jumped down from the gate and I was back in civilization! Laying on my back on the road way panting the son in law came out and I tried to explain what happened.  I had asked for a ride back to Copacabana about 12km away but Rio de Janeiro is known for its crime and violence and the mother in law refused to allow him to drive me (mother in laws’!!!) I could hear them arguing inside and

Podcast 104 A Father’s Love Letter to Sabrina, Sophia, James & Monique MAASKE 2015 This time of year is very special because it reminds me of what my life is all about and how I can be content with it even when it does not always give me what I want but rather what I need. Christmas is the time that I reflect on the Gift of Life and that God sent HIS son in the image of man to show us how to live and to die. Christmas is also when I remember the other gift that I have received and that is of 4 beautiful children.  I now begin to feel the pain of loving someone when they don’t love you back the way you want.  2015 has been a year of growth as what I think has been challenged and the sooner I ‘let go and let GOD’ do I see His blessings. So many people have ‘touched’ my life and you may never have known.  I understand that I don’t need to fix anyone but rather exercise compassionate listening.  Sabrina, Sophia, James and Monique are a gift to remind me what unconditional love is………  I don’t seek greatness, power, fortune or fame ….I seek to love unconditionally. Merry Christmas and BE still and know that HE is with you!   Love ALLways and forever,   Raymond/Dad   Podcast 104 A Father’s Love Letter to Sabrina, Sophia, James & Monique MAASKE 2015     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/

Podcast 103 Save the world Stay home What do you mean save the world stay home? Well let’s come back to that a little bit later. For now, let’s start talking about this week’s message of introspect and change once you realize that you want to change.   As I mentioned last week I realized that after the breakup of my marriage and no longer having to take care of a wife and children on a 24/7 basis I had more and more time which became freer and freer which ultimately led me to focusing on myself.   Sometimes the greatest things that happen in our lives are those things that we are not even looking for. That is the case for me as I was introduced to a global charitable organisation that serves the needs of children at risk. I have always loved children and have four them of my own and from home schooling to traveling around the world twice as a family I see the value of the interconnection between parent and child. However not everybody has that luxury or opportunity. I’ve been wanting to serve others in a great and meaningful way and perhaps this has been presented to me.   I love traveling and love coming in contact with other cultures and learning about them and integrating my love for the world and God. There was an is an opportunity to serve in other countries around the world and I was excited to do so until I was presented with a recent report on the level of poverty in my own home province and in my own neighborhood.   I’m probably like you (in fact I’m sure I am) that if you knew there was a problem you would want to do something about it. Well there definitely is a problem. In my province of British Columbia there are 1 in 5 children living under the poverty line which represents 167,810 children. And even worse that one in two children of single parent families live under the poverty line.   Now with this knowledge it is difficult for me to take the position and go and try to solve the needs internationally when there is such a great calling locally. I have offered myself, my talents, my training, and all of my expertise to work at solving and reducing the level of poverty amongst our children right here.   I strongly believe the many people want to participate and contribute to helping those in need right here. Many of us know and/or have friends and neighbors that are affected by the effects of poverty amongst our

Podcast 102 The Monk that threw up on my Pillow Life is Rich It’s like living in a ditch I get up each day Wondering which is the way?   I say it does not matter For we all still hear chatter This is the way! Or that is the way!   Again, I say to you What else is new? I have 3 new Facebook friends today… Oh hip hip  Horray! Horray…   If I have over 1000 Facebook friends And my Father’s words are to make amends Either He is wrong and not the boss Or I’m existing, not living but lost.   The gift a true friend of these past seven days Have shone bright with rays of light Gaining understanding that now guides my way Today seeking, changing and making things right.                 Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE Podcast 102 The Monk that threw up on my Pillow Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 101 If I had your problems I would throw mine away   My father used to say “if I had your problems I would throw my problems away”. Let me repeat if I had your problems I would throw my problems away. So what that meant was that my father was saying that if he had my little problems he would throw his away. I often repeated that in my mind over the years and always thought about it until recently.  I now want to use it to apply to perhaps the lesson that we are learning now.   If we have a problem, we never see someone else’s problem the same way that they feel and internalize their pain. It’s like if someone cuts their thumb peeling an apple we go oh that must hurt but we really don’t feel it the same way as we do when we cut our own thumb.   So goes it with problems in our life that we feel those to a greater extent than we do feel others. It’s not to say that we’re not empathetic and sensitive to others but it reiterates that we feel and sense and are affected by our own problems and challenges more so than anyone else’s.   Putting attention on and sensing our feelings that then becomes our focus and than that draws us away from perhaps what we really want to achieve or feel in our lives. So the challenge now would be not to focus on what is either our hurt or anxiety but focus on really what we want more and move forward regardless of what we anticipate as the cost.   Let me give you an example that is a real life example for me. I live in a beautiful part of the world however in the winter time it’s not as warm and sunny as I would like. So for many years I used to get down and grumpy and slightly depressed and complain more and more and be the worst person to be around until I decided to do something about it.   Many years ago I decided that in the winter times I wanted to be where the sunshine was so I began living my life and our family’s life such that we could enjoy the sunshine in the winter time when it wasn’t available here. In this case we use to rent our house out for a couple weeks in the summer time and that would give us enough money so that we could go away for a month in the winter time to where it was sunny usually Florida or somewhere like that. So 15 years later I'm still working on that same thought process and am now preparing for my trip to Brazil, Thailand and then Europe over the winter.

Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary Podcast 100 Part 2 Shit that messes with your brain and hiking thru the night. Learn as much about yourself as you can because you're going to be with yourself for a very long time.   Be comfortable with yourself and love yourself. None of us are perfect but we can be the best we can be! Welcome to the second part of this podcast with my time in Panama. The second part continues the climb up the tallest mountain in Panama but more importantly it was the lessons learned and the brain stretching that went on. I find when I am challenged physically or mentally that my senses of awareness are heightened and that values are determined and lines are drawn as to what I believe and what I don’t believe. I have been proven wrong over and over again to the point that I’m hopeful that I’m faster at changing my mind and therefore changing my life.   Hiking with a man 10 years my senior who smokes 20 cigarettes a day and can out climb me was a real stretch! Humility aside it gave me the opportunity to realize that what I think I think doesn’t necessarily have to be right. The whole idea of right and wrong is what gets us all into trouble. Just look at the conflicts around the world and specifically this past week in Western Europe with the bombings of Paris and the senseless killing and murdering. On one side as the victims of the aggressors we are filled with hatred, confusion and complete and utter disgust as to how anyone who calls themselves human could do such a thing.   However now on the other side we see victims in the Middle East who are constantly being attacked by whoever and whatever factions and they see that and those attacks as attack on their freedom and their liberty exactly the same thing we see from our vantage point. How does this all end? Is there a solution? Why is our world so filled with hatred? Where is love? These are all very challenging and difficult questions but questions we should all address.   My two weeks in Panama opened my eyes up to international, national, and local events as they are shaping me and those that I come in contact with. I think with gratitude we can open our consciousness to love and allow that love to spread faster and to eradicate the hatred that naturally comes from people who are afraid (that fear when pressurized becomes anger). That anger there

Podcast 99 Shit that messes with your brain and hiking thru the night.   Anything worth having ever comes easy!  My experience over and over again has been the harder to achieve or the more difficult something was the greater dissatisfaction and contentment.     Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE Podcast 99 Shit that messes with your brain and hiking thru the night. Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/    

Podcast 98 Non Practising Gay, Jew who doesn’t believe in God, Christian who discovered Tinder and the Turtle that holds it all together while Couchsurfing.   Welcome this week from the great country of Panama South America. Or is it? I’m learning more and more every day as I spend the next two weeks here exploring this country. South and North America are split and separated by a bridge here in Panama that extends over the Panama Canal. We probably all heard about the Panama Canal but the significance of it is huge and you realize that when you’re here.  Sitting outside or walking along the beach at night time you can see the lights of ships and boats for miles and miles and miles waiting to enter the Canal to get from the Pacific to the Caribbean or vice versa. Because of the Canal it’s saved thousands and thousands of dollars in time and resources.  This podcast was uniquely titled which just represents both the uniqueness of every day that we have been given. For me this week I was introduced to the quasi gay community or just for me a better understanding of it; traveling with a young Jew who just completed 3 years of mandatory service in the Army who has great insights and ideas but lacks in other areas of understanding.   Don’t get me wrong here: I don’t know everything either that is why I’m on this journey called life.   I try to live everyday with a clean slate, a clean conscience and the desire to love my neighbor as I love myself. One thing I love about traveling is the global conversations you can have with people that come from all areas of our wonderful world and share their perspectives. The more I desire to learn, understand and appreciate “the reality” that goes on around me the more excited I am to understand myself and my relation to this world better.   Well the main reason I came down here was twofold; first of all, I got a “smoking” great deal on airfare out of a small town in Western Canada. The second reason I came down here was to check out what I’ve been hearing and reading about Panama as a place for retirement and or a place to stay for an extended period of time during the winter months. For many, the southern United States and then Mexico became a great destination for many so-called snowbirds. Belize is also high on that list. I am NOT looking to retire nor do I consider myself a snowbird in the sense that I have no more work and I’m

Podcast 97 Don’t Catch a falling Knife Failure = Feedback Failure + acknowledgement = Opportunity Opportunity = Life Now, Go live!   Have you ever heard the expression don’t catch a falling knife? Well the image that it creates in our mind is one of movement, danger, as well as confusion. What do you do with a falling knife? If it’s an egg well, we know that it’s not going to hurt us too much so we can attempt to catch it. But what about a knife - sharp heavy and moving fast? However, that may be our natural reflex which is exactly what I want to talk to you about this week.   I am the case study. I have a very bad habit of holding on too long, hoping for something that I even know will never happen, and expecting a successful or happy result at the end. Einstein didn’t have to be so smart to recognize this basic flaw of human character. In his now famous quote of the definition of insanity that being “continuously doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result” is absolutely apropos here right across the board.   In the past week or two I have finished two separate relationships. A personal relationship and the other a business relationship. Interestingly enough both these relationships had continued far too long and were stretched beyond any possible value, happiness, success, or positive outcome. My fatal flaw in character trait and disability (and it may be some of yours as well) is that I hang on too long or I under the Act.   Take that falling knife for example. If I was fast, sure and focused I could have probably grabbed the knife immediately before it had flight. I could have probably solved my problem much much earlier, caused a lot less pain and suffering as well as reduce the amount of stress and been further ahead today had I taken immediate action.   However, as that was not the case you must now deal with the reality of what is happening. And myself in particular like any good procrastinator or thinking that I have the best interests of others and wanted to ensure I did everything possible to make sure that the damage is minimized.  But the opposite of what was intended happened – I am now up ‘shit creek without a paddle’.    Well as I was told and now have learned that just because I think something should be a certain way, or I expect a certain outcome, does not

Podcast 96 Two words that will help you find your Purpose:  Be Useful    Why are the shortest and sometimes the simplest questions on the surface turn out to be the most difficult? Why should our purpose be so difficult? Do you ever stop and think about what your purpose is? Can you tell me right now without hesitation what your purpose is and why you’re here? Now this is not a philosophical or religious discussion it’s really of practical discussion of how to get from A to B. “A” would be the start of our life and “B” would be the end of our life. So don’t you think it would be a good idea to figure out what to do between A & B? If you’re tracking with me now then you’ll see the reason why we look at the question of purpose. Now I’ll be the first one to say that my purpose is most likely not going to be the same as your purpose and vice versa. Why would it be any way? We may have general similarities of purpose but living out our lives will be completely different because we are two unique individuals with their own perception and understanding of the world around us. No two people see the world exactly the same and therefore now you know why there is conflict, wars, divorce, and other issues between two people, two families, two communities, two countries etcetera!   I can’t speak for a lot of other people but I know for myself the clear understanding of my own purpose the more focused and successful at accomplishing goals I become. Some may argue that goals are not important. However, I would argue to the contrary only based on my own experience. I know that when I do not have goals I reach and succeed at fulfilling every single one of them! It is also true when I do set goals I achieve them or get closer and closer to fulfilling them. So why wouldn’t we set goals so that we can achieve what we want?   Again this may seem like a simple question but one that very few people live out in their lives. What does it mean to live on purpose? To live on purpose would be the culmination of understanding what you are here for and the action required to fulfill that understanding of your purpose.   No I said at the outset that this episode was about two words that would help you find your purpose. Those two words are BE USEFUL. Now these would be ambiguous to anybody other than our self so we are the only one capable of answering the q

Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE Podcast 95 How do you do with what do you do?  After meeting someone and exchanging ideas or answering a need and then reaching into my wallet and pulling out several different cards searching for the ‘right one’ the next question is ‘what do you do’?  I sometimes think I have multiples personalities living several different lives all at the same time because when asked that question it makes stop, think and even ask myself that same question.  After being asked so often then not really coming back with an easily understood answer I tested myself and challenged myself to come up with a ‘one liner’ – well here it is!  “I help people get:  physically, financially & spiritually strong.”  Whew!  I feel better already! I find now when I look around at my peers (30 years older or younger than me) it seems that most live a life of what they think other people think that they should be living their lives. I have to catch myself often not falling into that trap of living a life of what I think others think that I should have or should be living my life. What I need to do is ask myself what do I want to do? What do I want to feel or how do I want to feel? It's only when we asked those very specific directed questions will the answers resonate within ourselves that once inspired we can gain motivation and determination to achieve those goals. My goals will almost certainly be different if not much more different than your goals.  The important thing to know is it my goals are my goals; my dreams are my dreams - yours are yours! Don't ever let anybody manipulate you into thinking that what you want is not what you really want. If you let that happen then your focus will be lost and you will just be wasting time.  Time is the most important commodity that we have at risk. In order to focus you must quiet yourself and have a realistic and honest conversation with yourself. (Just a side note you might not want to be doing this verbally out loud while walking down a busy street because others may draw different conclusions about your mental state.) So what is the solution? The solution is to live listening to yo

Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE Podcast 94 Fear Facing the Fear – Step into it Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/   Podcast 94 Fear Facing the Fear – Step into it   Ni Hao from the People’s Republic of China! Fear is not only a great motivator it is also a great disabler.  The sooner we acknowledge the strength and weakness of fear the sooner we can begin to put life into perspective.  Facing a fear is the only thing that we cause and create the change necessary in our lives to gain real advances in our own personal development. I have always been afraid of the dark and this morning I walked in total darkness (other than some assistance from my mobile phone) into Quingping and then climbed one of the tallest mountains closest to town with the intent to catch an amazing sunrise on my last day in China.  It was a very difficult climb and it turned out to be a cloudy day so the sunrise was not that spectacular.  However, the message is not about the sunrise but stepping into fears and seeing the results of that ‘movement’ and growth in one’s life. Had I not stepped into my fear today I would never have got the view from 1000 feet above the city, experienced one of China’s most iconic landscapes and met a Russian model.  Today I feel/felt fully alive and I think that is because I’m living with the end in mind.  I know that I only have so much time left on earth so I want to make the most of it.  Many time I have been called ‘too intense’ by those really not achieving what they want in life and sometimes I feel like I’m doing something wrong. Am I?  Thinking back to when I was a boy I remember thinking to myself, ‘why do people look so bored with life’?  I couldn’t believe it.  I am very excited and seek to challenge myself to pursue whatever I’m interested in.  I have found that my intensity comes from knowing ‘it ain’t’ always going to be there.  That intensity helps motivate me thru the ‘low times’ of my life which I believe all of us experience. After 47 years I have come to realize that ‘doing what I fear the most’

Live Life Like You Stole It (nOT Sold it)! From Ordinary to Extraordinary www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com  raymondmaaske@gmail.com  Raymond MAASKE Podcast 93 China Now and Then, Consistency over intensity. Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/   Raymond MAASKE reminds us that we have been given the gift of LIFE and that we are to live it fully and completely.  The limitations we place on our lives are usually those we place in front of ourselves.  MAASKE throws caution and complacency to the wind and remind us that we are extraordinary if we just accept ourselves as ‘ordinary’ and follow our heart’s desires.   What did you sell your life for?  Did you get what you expected?  Be inspired, encouraged, reminded BUT never be the same after listening to http://www.livelifelikeyoustoleit.com/ Sponsored By http://www.valentusprevailcanada.com/ Podcast 93 China Now and Then, Consistency over intensity.   READY, FIRE, AIM ! I’m in my second week of travel in the People’s Republic of China visiting with my University roommate who has been living and working in China for the past 4 years.  I spent a few days checking out Shanghai including biking 85km throughout the city and spending a couple hundred dollars at the Shanghai Fake Market (exactly what the name implies) before exiting the city ahead of the week long national holiday. I joined Shahram on an economy first class flight to Guilin and that is where we bring in this week’s podcast subject and title: Consistency over intensity.  The journey of a 1000 miles no doubt begins with a single step but the key ‘take away’ is the ‘step’.  A step is a motion or movement and to get anywhere we must move.  In my case, I know I love to travel so I will look for every reason to travel.  Two months ago, I had arranged an all expense trip for my girlfriend and I to assist a friend in China promote his restaurant.  Two weeks before our departure my now ex-girlfriend decided not to go and then the arrangements I had made were no longer valid.  I faced a decision