Are you living

Wide Awake?

The long-awaited collection of Kate and David's life-altering experiences shared in short stories designed to inspire, enlighten, encourage and challenge. You're life will never be the same. Find out more at:

callthecoach.com/18.html

This is one of the projects I completed this winter. Enjoy!

David Larson joins Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, & Dr. Denis Waitley in a new book,

Stepping Stones to Success!

Goals & Proven Strategies from the Industry’s Leading Experts

SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE— David Larson, keynote speaker and author, has been selected from a nationwide search to be featured in Stepping Stones to Success; a highly successful book series from Tennessee based Insight Publishing. The book features best-selling authors Deepak Chopra (The Power of Purpose), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul), & Dr. Denis Waitley (featured in The Secret). Larson, Chopra, Canfield, and Waitley, are joined by other well-known authors and speakers, each offering time-tested strategies for success in frank and intimate interviews.

Larson is a psychologist, life fulfillment coach, and prominent workshop leader.

In this book, Larson describes the exciting elements of his Essence Leadership Program, developed with business associate Kate Sholonski.

The Essence Leadership program focuses on tapping into the strongest leadership qualities in each CEO or manager. “The uniqueness of each authentic leader is the gift he or she brings most powerfully to any organization,” says Larson. “Essence Leadership Training is about helping each leader become fully appreciative of the skill sets only he or she can bring to the table, emphasizing his or her priceless value to the company.”

To order a copy of Stepping Stones to Success, you can do so at his website, http://www.callthecoach.com/18.html

or from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Stepping-Stones-Success-David-Larson/dp/1600136052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301245393&sr=8-1 .

Larson is known for his ability to help people capitalize on personal growth quickly. His easy-going, insight-generating style enables each client to see their own magnificence and perform at the top of their game. 


A specialist in the management of anxiety and panic, Larson is the author of the popular anti- anxiety e-course, How To Stop Your Anxiety Now, also available in soft-cover from his website, www.callthecoach.com .

His recently produced relaxation training CD, Serenity: Guided Imagery for Health and Life, provides meditations for balance and clarity of mind for his students and clients.

As a motivational and inspirational speaker, David provides workshop experiences to audiences of all sizes to promote exceptional connectedness in relationships and extraordinary productivity in business environments.

A book-signing event is planned at Book World in the North Bridge Mall in Albert Lea on Saturday, April 16, 11am - 2pm.

Direct any questions to davidlarsonleadership@gmail.com or to David at this office, 507-373-7913

Where the Rubber Hits the Tarmac

Delta flight 4204 took off from Detroit International Airport for Elmira, New York without a hitch. The stewardess was pretty. She looked something like Barbara Streisand with sharp jawbones and blond hair shaped to accent her face. A guy up front flirted with her while asking for some drinks. I was sitting in row 7 of the Regional Jet, already reading my book, excited to prepare for next week’s study group.

About 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot came over the loudspeaker. “We’re having some trouble with the landing gear. We are going back to Detroit where they have the fire trucks and personnel available to handle our situation.”

Handle our situation? What was our situation? Couldn’t they handle this in Elmira? They don’t have enough fire engines there?

Some time passed and the pilot came on again. “We need to burn off some more fuel before attempting to land back in Detroit. Please remain seated and keep your seat belts buckled.”

The passengers looked at each other with confused faces. What does he mean “attempt to land?” Doesn’t he think we are actually going to land? What could be the reason to burn off more fuel before touching down?

A buzz was building throughout the cabin, and I realized I was making eye contact with nearly every other passenger I could see. It seemed we were all checking out each others’ faces, trying to get clues of how serious the situation was. I remembered what the flight attendant had said about each of us noticing where the nearest emergency exit was. Mine was right behind me.

My seat partner cracked a joke, trying to ease the tension. I, too, turned back to the fellow behind me in row 8, the exit aisle. “Looks like you may get some action,” I said, suggesting he may need to actually do something with that 40-pound exit window the flight attendant had told him he may be needing to handle.

“I’m ready,” he fired back with confidence.

I could see the stewardess up front, talking periodically on the phone, presumably with the pilot, and each time hanging up and managing to look quite relaxed. She knew we were watching her for clues. Was she trained to look calm like this?

I pulled up a few pictures quickly of my wife and daughters on my iPod, and smiled with awareness of my love for them.

I looked at the cover of my book, almost laughing at the irony of its title, Your Immortal Reality. I must admit this was comforting to me in that moment.

I remember being asked one time by a friend if I was ready to die. I found it challenging to answer that question. I didn’t think I was afraid to die, but sometimes I wish I could do some things over, with another chance to get it right. How does one know until you are actually faced with it? After all, none of us knows for sure when we are actually going home.

We could see the flashing lights of the fire engines and ambulances lined up on the runway now.

I noticed the calm in my body and the peace I felt inside. I thought with gratitude about the vast experiences of my life, and realized I had learned a lot this time ‘round. If it was my time to go, I was grateful for the chances I had been given to leave the world a better place than I found it. I had loved, and I had been loved. What else could be more important? There was nothing to fear. I knew I was safely in God’s hands.

As we braced for impact, I was still at peace, and smiling, thanking the Lord for His many mercies.

When the wheels finally hit the runway, it took us only a few seconds to realize the tires were rolling! The landing gear held! The plane came to a stop and we all exited onto the tarmac.

Delta assured us we would be put on another plane as soon as possible. We were. And we were grateful for the care that each employee of Delta Airlines took to assure our safety.

And then I smiled once more, realizing I had been given yet another chance to love again.

(David Larson, M.S., C.P.C.C., is a licensed psychologist, life coach, and leadership trainer. He can be contacted at the Institute For Wellness, 507-373-7913, or at his website, www.callthecoach.com.)

What To Do With $100,000,000?

In a recent interview with Howard Stern, a reporter asked the radio icon about his wealth, “How do you spend $100 million?” He responded, “You don’t spend it, you hang onto it.”

Our country’s leadership had already proved how common Stern’s attitude was when they instituted the deep tax cuts of 2000, giving 50% of the tax breaks back to the top 5% of those who already had the most.

The stated philosophy was also a familiar chant: The wealthy need the tax cuts because they will spend it investing in our economy, creating jobs, and moving our country forward (trickle-down theory). The true result was that our country lost 8 million jobs, increased the national debt by nearly $5 trillion, and suffered the worst economic devastation since the Great Depression.

Big Business has also clearly demonstrated they are also in Stern’s camp. Businesses have now have amassed $1 trillion they are not spending but saving idle in bank accounts. The money didn’t trickle down. It was stored in their pockets.

By recently renewing the tax cuts to business owners making more than $500,000 per year, and those on a salary making more than $250,000 per year, Congress chose to deepen our national debt by an additional $500 billion. Instead of applying the critical wisdom we learned from the previous administration’s economic experiment, we chose instead to repeat the behaviors that have brought our country to its knees in the first place.

There is no doubt that some great things are being done by the very wealthy. This, I celebrate. However, I wonder if more great things could be done for our country by responding directly to the needs of the other 95% of Americans as well. If we took that $100,000 a year tax break given to the average millionaire, and put that money into the hands of those who need it most, they will spend it (not keep it) because they have to to survive. Customers then purchasing more products increase the need for manufacturing and services, allowing businesses to create more jobs, reducing unemployment, and bringing our economy back. Rather than just assuring the descendents of the wealthy can have their American Dream, this would assure that the majority of Americans have a shot at it as well.

Will you pray fervently with me this year, and get involved in the political process in a way that’s meaningful to you by promoting and encouraging our elected leaders to cease combating one another, and focus on what’s best for all the citizens they represent? America will move forward most effectively when egos, lobbyists, and political self-interest take a back seat to unity, cooperation, compassion for all, and a reminder we are our brothers’ keeper.

David Larson

Great Hope for the New Year!

Most European countries have experienced enough suffering that they are very slow to go to war, as evidenced by their lack of support for our attack on Iraq several years ago. At the time, many of us felt they were shirking their responsibility to support freedom. Since then, we have gained perspective that they that they were supporting freedom; they just weren’t promoting violence as a response to grief and fear.

Paul Harvey once said, “I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.”

This challenges our temptation to hurt back when being hurt. Harvey hoped that what we will learn from those who hurt us that it hurts to be hurt. He hopes we’ll get it that the appropriate response to being attacked is to experience how awful it is to attack someone.

My New Year wish is similar to Paul Harvey’s, that we will see every offending behavior as a teaching tool on how not to offend people. That we will see every disagreement as an opportunity to understand someone better. That we will replace our fear of being hurt with trust that others don’t want to be hurt either. That practicing forgiveness is what we’re here for, and pardon is what turns blemishes into blessings.

What I want for us in the coming year is that we will see our neighbor who belongs to an opposing political party, also belongs to the same human race. I want us to be mindful that the ones whose religion is different from ours is loved just as much by our God as we are, and that He expects us to treat them with compassion and respect. I would have us remember that differences in skin color and cultures are beautiful, that diversity is growth, and that being challenged to give up our old patterns that aren’t working is a gift, not an assault.

I want us to see beyond people’s reactive behavior to the scared person behind the reaction. I want us to see we’re good people even when we act bad, and others are the same.

I agree with the bumper sticker I saw recently that said, “I hope that my child doesn’t kill your child.” May we join our petitions in prayer and our voices in song, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

For me, it could begin with me slowing down to express appreciation to my family. It could begin with me by asking someone who thinks differently than me, “How did you come to that conclusion?” Perhaps it will begin with me refusing to bad-mouth elected officials, even when I abhor what they’re doing. Perhaps it will begin with me remembering the innocence of a baby in a manger, who came to demonstrate peace over winning, understanding over judging, compassion over condemnation, and mercy over punishment.

Then, we will truly have a brand “New Year!”

(David Larson, M.S., C.P.C.C., is a licensed psychologist and the founder of the Institute For Wellness. His column appears on alternate Sundays. He can be contacted at 507-373-7913, or at his website, www.callthecoach.com.)

Lessons of Christmas Learned

Circa 2110

“Tell me a story about the old days, Papa,” asked Jeremy, who Grandpa liked to call ‘Snapper’.

“OK, Snapper, let’s see…I know it may be hard for you to believe now, but there was once a time when people depended on war to settle their disagreements.”

“What’s a war?” Jeremy asked curiously.

“A war is when people use guns and bombs to destroy their enemies in order to get their way” responded the old-timer.

“But, Papa, didn’t they know that loving others is what helps people heal their differences?”

“I know it’s obvious to you young people these days, but we hadn’t learned the way of love yet. Many years ago there was a time when we grown ups got so angry at each other, we judged, attacked and hurt one another.”

“But why?”

“Because we were afraid. We didn’t understand that when someone harmed us, it was because our friend-to-be was hurting inside himself, and needed the understanding of a compassionate soul to free him from his pain.”

“You mean like when Peter pushed me?”

“Yes, Snap. I remember he shoved you in the hallway, and you fell and broke your ankle.”

“Ya, he had just failed another math test and he was really scared of his dad’s reaction. Besides, he was lonely, and didn’t know how to make friends. I think it just built up in him.”

“Yes, that’s the way it is with all people,” summed Papa. “Many years ago there used to be terrorists who would attack our country, and we thought they were bad people. So we wanted to kill them in return. We didn’t know they were just feeling overwhelmed by fear put in them by misguided men, and they were frightened we weren’t paying attention to their need for food, schools, medical care and such. In those days, we didn’t get it that feeling hopeless leads to violence and these men needed our understanding and forgiveness.”

“You might remember there was a time we kept people with dark skin as prisoners, and didn’t see their pain. We called them slaves. They eventually forgave us and helped us change.”

“Oh, ya. I remember now.” the boy said thoughtfully. “And before that, our ancestors invaded the new continent, overpowered most of the natives, and stole the land.”

“Yes, we killed between 7 and 12 million Native Americans then.”

“Because we were scared, right?”

“Yep. And because of greed, which is just another form of fear. Believe it or not, there was time when we wanted something, we just took it. We had guns and they didn’t, so we could overpower them and get our way. It didn’t enter our minds then that they were important people just like anyone else.”

Papa continued, “Every race has struggled to be accepted at one time or another. Sometimes it was the Jews, sometimes Hispanics, sometimes Asians. immigrants of every kind came to what we then saw as “our” country and some people wanted to keep them out. You know why by now, buddy…”

“Scared, right?”

“You got it. Anyway, it took us a long time to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

“Wow, that’s sad, Papa. You know, when I told Peter I was sorry he had a rough time on that test and listened to how tough things were at home, I could tell he saw me differently. My body healed, but more important, our relationship healed.”

“Yes, and I’ve noticed that’s the way you treat everyone now.”

“Papa?”

“What, Snapper?”

“I’m glad we’ve learned to love and be sensitive to what people need. The world’s such a peaceful, warm place when we remember everyone is God’s child and we’re here to share what we have with others who have less.”

“Yep, when Jesus came to earth, he came not just for white people or rich people, or people who had learned to treat others with sensitivity and caring. He came for the outcasts, the lonely, the disadvantaged, the hurting, and those who had not yet learned how to love others. Since then, your generation has learned how to do that. To us old folks, it’s a mighty pretty picture.”

“Thanks, Papa.”

“You’re welcome Snapper. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Papa. I love you.”

“Thanks, Snap, I know. You love everyone,” he said with a nod. “Just the way Jesus wanted it…”

(David Larson is a Licensed Psychologist and Personal Life Coach. He can be reached at the Institute for Wellness at 507-373-7913 or at his website, www.callthecoach.com )

From Guilt to Freedom: Getting Our Lives Back

We all make mistakes. We misjudge. We say things that hurt. We make choices in our anger that we later regret. We may think inside, “I didn’t mean it!”, but it’s too late – the action or words cannot be undone.

There is nothing wrong with regretting certain actions or choices. It’s good to see when we’ve hurt people and it’s good to make amends.

For many of us, however, we experience guilt as more than a passing experience tied to a recent event. We seem to get caught in it. Instead of feeling guilty occasionally, we may discover that we visit the Land of Regret frequently. When we do, it is a pattern.

Why do we do this?

For some of us, it may just be habit. We saw it modeled in our childhood home. We may have had a parent that handed out “guilt trips” and we are used to it. When we moved away from home we continued the pattern by guilt tripping ourselves.

Others of us feel guilty because we unknowingly hang on to the belief that the past can be changed. Our guilt arises out of the fantasy that if we continue to feel bad about something, it will erase it, fix it, or will help us find a way to make it better. Although this belief is erroneous, none-the-less, it is still powerful. If we believe the past cannot be changed, we would see no value in continuing to feel guilty, and we would let it go. The truth is we only do what we think will bring us what we want. We often desperately want to change what we’ve done. The hope, the illusion, that the past can somehow be magically changed can live deep within us for many years.

Others use guilt as a way of “paying for” what they’ve done. It’s self-punishment. Inherent in this is a belief that errors deserve punishment, and that it is noble to apply this punishment to ourselves.

Others yet see guilt as a way of trying to change themselves, to motivate themselves to “never do it again.” When we do this we succumb to the unconscious belief that feeling bad has more power to help us make different choices in the future than forgiving ourselves.

So the beginning of managing guilt is this: We must identify what we are intending to accomplish by continuing to embrace it.

If your reason is habit, are you giving up your right to choose what you believe and allowing old family patterns to become your own? How long before you make your own choices consciously? Do you want to keep this habit or discard it?

If your belief is that feeling guilty can change the past, can you let yourself know in a tender and sensitive way that no amount of guilt can change what’s already been done?

If you are one of those who believe that guilt cannot change the past, yet you hang onto it, are you doing this for self-punishment? When will you be punished enough? Do you believe that mistakes need to be punished? How about letting yourself be human and realize the following truth: You always do the best you can in any moment. Once you grasp this, the reason for punishing yourself evaporates, for how could anyone deserve punishment for doing their best?

Are you one who guilts yourself for motivation? Continuing to make yourself feel bad drains you of energy that is needed for you to make better choices in the future. When we feel good about ourselves rather than bad about ourselves, it strengthens our chance of choosing more loving actions the next time around. The positive energy in loving ourselves with forgiveness and tenderness will not only be more powerful, it will feel much better too!

(David Larson, M.S., L.P., C.P.C.C., is a Psychologist and Life Fulfillment Coach. He can be reached at the Institute For Wellness, 507-373-7913, or at his website, www.callthecoach.com )