Next New Beginnings - January 24 - 27, 2008

 It Ain't Nothin, Tillz I Callz It!

by Dr. Bobby Braile

I recall a story that I have not heard in a while, so I'd like to repeat it here.  This story was told to me years ago by Dr. Sid Williams. Some of you may remember it.

It was the bottom of the ninth inning in a big baseball game where the score was tied. The bases were loaded and there were two outs.  The count to the batter at the plate was 3 balls and 2 strikes.  The next pitch would decide the game. 

If the pitcher threw a ball, the batter would walk, a run would score and the game would be over.  If the pitcher threw a strike, the batter would be out and the game would go into extra innings.

Everyone in the stands was on their feet cheering in anticipation of the game deciding pitch. The crowd was screaming at the top of their lungs.  Every eye in the stands and on the ball field was watching each little flinch the pitcher made.

Then the pitcher went into his wind up. He leaned back and then sprung forward with all his might as he released the ball.  In the blink of an eye, the ball whizzed by the batter and into the catchers mitt. The batter remained absolutely still, in anticipation that the pitcher had missed his mark.

A grin came over the catcher's face as he felt the pitch was perfect. Now all that remained was the call from the umpire. 

A second or two goes by and not a sound is uttered by the umpire. Everyone is frozen awaiting the call.

A few more seconds and still no call from the umpire. After still a few more seconds, that seem like an eternity, a shrill voice from the stands cries out, "What is it?"  Then another voice also yells, "What is it?".  Soon a symphony of cries "WHAT IS IT?" start to emerge from every part of the stadium. The players even join in as they anxiously cried out.

"What is it? What is it?  What is it?", fills the air from every direction.

Then, slowly but deliberately, the umpire begins to stand erect. The cries stop in anticipation of his long awaited call.  The umpire removes his mask and looks up at the packed stadium.  And with deep and convicted voice, he proclaims, "It ain't nothin, tillz I callz it!"

I am reminded of this story lately as I hear various interpretations of how the chiropractic profession is doing. From some I hear the word "recession". From others I hear, "Better than ever".  Some leaders and management people say that half of all chiropractic practices fail.  Meanwhile, I see more practices seeing over 1000 visits per week then I have ever seen in chiropractic before.

In speaking with the various doctors I notice one glaring difference.  "It's how they callz it".  Those that look to an "outside-in" explanation for their success, or lack-there-of, see their practices as responding to outside forces beyond their control.   Those that look inward and believe that their life is controlled from "Above Down Inside Out" are not even phased by what other perceive and only see what they wish to perceive.

No, this is not wishful thinking.  It IS getting rid of "subluxated thinking". I believe our thinking needs to be adjusted every so often.  If our spine can get out of alignment, subluxated and interfere with the God given ability to express our potential, then so can our thinking.

I can remember early in my career, a day when I was upset because I saw 99 patients, and I was trying to crack the 100 mark for the first time. Talk about subluxated thinking!  I was blessed to have 99 people come into see me, and what I did was get upset because I did not see 100?  Now that's some subluxated thinking!

Let's "adjust" our thinking.  For 2008, lets start a healthy habit of only saying good things to ourselves in our internal conversations.  Lets start a chant like, "2008 IS really great!"  In reality, we are the very most fortunate and blessed people on this earth.  Let's "callz" it like it really it.  IT'S GRRRRREAT!!!!

 What Would Superman Do??

presented by Michelle A. Morin

I was staying with friends in Colorado about a few months ago, enjoying the time away, winding down from a chaotic summer of family fun and deep study for my book. Tom and I chatted over breakfast and, with a quick check of the time, decided to move along into the day. It seemed like only seconds passed and Tom was back down stairs, changed and ready for a day of golf. "Wow," was my response, "you got ready fast! You could give Superman a run for his money!"

I love the way a random thought or passing vision can set a creative venture into motion. The next line I spoke has been churning in my brain ever since, just waiting for it’s proper gestation time and an opportunity to unfold into expression. "Hey," I said to Tom, "ever wonder what Superman would do nowadays?? There aren’t any phone booths left!! You can’t change you clothes in a cell phone!! Where would he shift into Superhero form??" Tom, being the quick witted guy that has taught and entertained me for years came back with an awesome response, "Well" he said, "there’s a Starbucks on every corner!" Never wanting to be outdone, and always willing to take it just a little farther, my reply was "of course you know, if Superman did use Starbucks, he’d never get around to saving anyone! By the time he got through ordering his venti-double-shot-no-foam-latte, the crisis would be over! And then he’d be too hyped up on caffeine to fly at all!" We enjoyed a good laugh together and we went on with our days.

After returning home I joked with a few friends about the conversation. Anytime Starbucks was mentioned, there was a chuckle and the grin that goes along with a private joke told between friends. I even had Mom telling me she was thinking about Superman whenever she’d see a pay phone!!

With the approaching Halloween Holiday, talk of costumes and characters, the ideas around all this began stirring in my mind once again. Like a witches brew that comes alive only during this magical season, I found myself contemplating anew super-heroes, masks and disguises, the roles we choose to play in our world, and I began to ask myself...What are the disguises I’ve been wearing lately in my life?? What does MY phone booth look like?? Is it convenient?? Too convenient?? Do the "super-powers" that move me from complacency to action occur from the outside-in or the inside-out?? During the more trying times of life, am I able (with or without caffeine) to step outside of the situation at hand, still remain connected to my truth, and (fly above it all) taking an overview, a new perspective on things that might allow me to move through it in a new way??

Don’t we all have a little bit of Clark Kent as well as Superman way down deep inside of us?? I know I do!! The days of not being able to get out of my own way, the times of two left feet and far from eloquent words. Those days mix and intertwine with Superman-days all the time, the days of confidence, strength, impeccability and grace!!

How often do I step into a pre-conceived role of expectation from myself or those around me, only to catch myself, step back into my own truth, and begin once again from a fresh, new perspective. And maybe Tom wasn’t so far off base with the Starbucks comment after all. Do you walk into your favorite spot, Starbucks or not, and order the same thing day after day?? Are you ordering it because it really is what you want, in the present moment, or is it just what you do every day at that time, the safety net, the mask that you’ve chosen and now it might challenge your understanding of yourself to try something else??

I know in my life, even with as diverse and eclectic a schedule as I have these days, I often find that I have arrived at my destination and have only been partially conscious of the journey to get there!! In that case, have I arrived at all?? In Superman’s case, would it be worth finding a new phone booth to use as a base camp for shifting and transforming himself into super-human potentiality – or, during this age of high-tech movie-making, would he do a Tasmanian Devil style twirl at the speed of light and simply become who he needed to be?? And what about me? Is there still a role for the "phone booths" of choice in my life?

If we truly are one as members of the human family – if each of us is really the God within that is interconnected and innately called to a life of higher purpose, be it simple or complex, local or global in nature – if all that we’ll ever need to be simultaneously fully human and super-human is indeed within us and our only role is to get out of the way, then what is the role of the phone booth in the first place??!!

How wonderful to celebrate the humanness of our stories, our ability to become whomever we are called to be, and to overcome any perceived barriers to our ability to soar above the mundane!! How wonderful to embrace our kookiness, creative, silly, serious and serene, all rolled into one, new each moment simply by calling forth the inner will to shift.

Maybe the question of What Would Superman Do? isn’t so crazy after all. As we explore this place of core expression and personal truth a little more regularly, we can begin to embrace and empower our own inner super heroes. It’s not always about the suit that we wear, the way we present ourselves to the world, the expectations of others, or the chance to make a life-or-death difference for someone. Each moment of embracing our Clark-Kentness is just as vital as a nano-second of super hero status. For that split-second, centered decision to do it differently now is all that is needed and necessary from this perspective of simply be-ing present in the world. That is the Superman in each of us – the potentiality to be and become all that we hold inside – the conscious choice to use our masks in the moment or step beyond them and soar above the mundane – the ability to shift and to learn and to grow and to become – simply by recognizing that even if we were born in an ice house, grew up in a corn field, and work a 9 to 5, that those are simply the stories of our journey and we can begin to choose how we’ll present ourselves to the world from here on out!!

Michelle

New Beginnings for a New Future
Chiropractic Growth & Philosophy Weekend

When: January 24 - 27, 2008

Where: Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, Eatontown, New Jersey, for reservations, call the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center today at 1-732-542-6500 and ask for the special New Beginnings rate - www.sheratoneatontown.com

Learn more: Visit our website at www.nbchiro.com

Register now: Please call us at - 732-747-4646