High on Life

When I made my transition from “miserable human” to “almost tolerable to be around again,” my wife asked me if I had gotten back on anti-depressants. I was not on medication. I was not taking anything at all. I was indeed high on life. This is something that is written a sheet of paper that I carry with me always. “Bring the Joy!” I have to remind myself daily to be joyful in all I do. This is part of living a life of intention. I’m not going to lie and tell you it is easy. We create a great deal of perceived misery in our lives. We do this because we fail to show gratitude for the mundane things that we have in life. The mundane really isn’t mundane at all. I think it just comes down to what we believe we are entitled to or what is routine. We should be grateful for those things.

If you want to develop joy, learn to be grateful.

“No Law” is an Attitude, Not a “To-Do” List

If you have, or are planning to read my book, “No Law;” I hope that you do not see these principles as some list of “to dos” that you can just knock out day after day. There are tactics that you can use daily to improve your life and work your way into living the No Law principles. However, the No Law life should be viewed more as an attitude than a list of things to do.

Every morning we have the opportunity to wake up and make the day great or make the day lousy. Life is way too short to feel lousy all of the time. Here in Texas, it is common for someone to greet you with “how are you doing?” I have tried to work the following line in on a daily basis: “I woke up on this side of the dirt today, so I’d say I’m doing pretty good!” It typically gets a response, and it is just so different and a little dark that people give attention to it and a conversation typically ensues. What I mean by it is that I am pretty damn lucky to have another day to live and be with the ones that I love. I have another opportunity to reach out to others and maybe light the road that leads them to Christ.

Another thing that I have begun to encourage others to do is to “win the dang day!” I wish that I had thought to use that phrase on a major stage first. However, I must give credit to Coach Chris Klieman, head football coach for Kansas State University football team. In his first address to the players after taking the head coaching job, he asked his players to show up every day and “win the dang day!” I love this idea. It gives us control on how we get to live the day. It gives us permission to do something well. It gives us the control that many of us are looking for.

These two phrases display an attitude of gratitude and fulfillment. It allows us to live with intent and that is precisely what I have hoped to do with the book. Show you ways that you can live with intent. Embrace the No Law attitude.

Symbiosis

What a fancy word right. Symbiosis is the interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. Nothing to do with concepts, right? What you will find though is the fact that once you start to employee these concepts, they will start to work together for your benefit. Think a little love mixed with some joy won’t change your life? Who wouldn’t want to be around someone that is full of joy and always showing their love to others?

Once you start to live your life intentionally, you will notice things just seem to work out in your favor. You will treat others with greater kindness. Utilizing self-control will open more doors for you, and will certainly help you avoid burning bridges. Your personality will become more magnetic. People will want to spend more time with you. Typically, people that will move you to a whole new level.

Every one of the No Law principles work together hand in hand. It is very difficult to live by only one of the principles. Once you start living by one of them, you will see that the others start to follow. For example, it is hard to show someone love without kindness and gentleness. It is hard to be patient without self-control. I think you see what I am talking about. The No Law principles truly are symbiotic.

My Mission as the Author of No Law

I want to help you do these two things:

• Live life intentionally
• Live a life of fulfillment

Living life intentionally sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Yet, so many of us are content to just allow the world to happen around us. We just sit back and watch others do things. We think that action should be taken, but taken by someone else. We wish someone would do something about all of this.

Well, the time is now. And the person that needs to do something is you. Are you truly fulfilled by just allowing the world to happen around you? Are you content with everything that you feel happens to you? There is a word for people that allow things to happen to them. It is called being a victim. I too, have dealt with the “victim” mentality lifestyle at some point in my life. “Why do these things always happen to me?” Things happen. They don’t happen to you. They don’t happen in spite of you or despite you. They just happen. I hope that reading this blog or picking up a copy of my book, No Law, will get you off of the sideline, and start living with intention.

Once you start living your life intentionally, you may notice that you start to feel more fulfilled. Fulfilled is when you feel as if you are living for the purpose that you were created. This is much different than happiness. Happiness doesn’t last. Fulfillment does. As things start to come together for you by living intentionally, your self-esteem will increase. Your self-confidence will increase. Your self-awareness will increase. A fulfilled life can provide all of this for you if you choose to live intentionally and embrace the principles listed in the book.

I hope this blog and/or the book challenges you in a way that you have never been challenged before. In the book you will find many stories from my life where I try to illustrate my points. Some of the things I share in the book, I have shared publicly before, but most of it has not. And to tell you the truth, I was a bit terrified to go public with some of the stories. But they are there for you. Thank you if you have picked up a copy of my book. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it helps you to live the type of life that you want to live. In addition to reading the book, I hope that you will take the time to answer the questions at the end of each chapter. Do not feel that you have to address each one of the questions before moving on. I put them at the end of each chapter to give you guidance on how to make the changes you desire. If the goal is to live with intent, and have a more fulfilling life, then the No Law principles are the strategy, and the questions will serve as the tactics to get you there. These are quite specific and will help you identify areas of your life to improve, and give you guidance on what to do next. Education without application is a dull form of entertainment.

Please know that I am open to feedback and questions. Feel free to contact me via email at cdhawley@hotmail.com. Please use the words “No Law” in your subject line.

 

I look forward to you enjoying your new life. A fulfilling life lived with intent.

We All Have Choices

I hope something about my book, No Law, has convinced you to make a choice to pick it up and read it. The key is: you make the choice. The principles that I describe in the book are all about choice. You get to choose whether or not you adopt the No Law principles. You get to decide how you adopt the No Law principles. We all have it within ourselves, but we must choose to do something about it.

Salt of the Earth

One day while I was at work, my wife sent me the bible verse Matthew 5:13-16 via text message. I knew that it was directed at me. I was completely offended. I felt as though she was preaching at me. I completely took it the wrong way. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It’s a beautiful verse. So positive. And one that I have come to embrace and try to lead my life by. The only thing that I could see were the negative statements within the verse. I felt like the salt that had lost its flavor and was being thrown out to be trampled under the feet of others. I continued down the spiral of depression. Today, I realize that she wanted me to be the light. She knew there was light in me, I just was not “putting it on the stand” to share with the house and those around me. I was not using my “saltiness” to provide spice to the lives of others. My wife is wise.

How I Grew Up

Who am I to write a personal development book? Probably more like you than you might think. My “rock bottom” was a great deal milder than other personal development authors. My childhood was normal. I grew up in a sleepy West Texas town. My parents never divorced. No one in my family had issues with the law. I’ve been married over twenty years and I have four wonderful children. My career path has not been what I imagined, but then again most probably have not. To this day I have not had a “near-death” experience. So, who am I to write a personal development book?

I through a difficult time in my life and realized that I have some real-world experience in pulling myself up form rock bottom and continuing on with life. A life of intention and fulfillment. I often hear people ask why celebrities commit suicide. “They have tons of money, fame, and friends,” people say. One thing that most of them lack is fulfillment. A purpose. I was lucky enough to turn my life from tumbling along like a Texas Panhandle tumbleweed and start living life with intention. And through living intentionally I have found my life to be more fulfilling.

Why would I keep that information to myself? To be honest, I take it personal when I hear another story of someone taking their own life. I feel like I should have started the process of writing my book, No Law, years earlier. This is why I will be publishing it soon.