The universe is always offering us opportunities to get in touch with our better selves but sometimes even in the smallest situations we can become so self-righteous we miss these wonderful opportunities to help create a better day for ourselves and anyone else involved in such a situation. I had such an experience today.

This morning I was in Luxembourg airport returning to Dublin after delivering a course on Accelerated Learning. The course went very well and it was a beautiful sunny day in Luxembourg.

I went into a newsagents at the airport and was browsing the magazines. I picked up the Time magazine, as one its headlines. It’s a great time for web start-ups caught my eye. As I browsed the magazine I realized there was little else in it that interested me, so I thought I’d simply speed read the web article and not bother buying the magazine. So that’s what I did.

I then took out a pen and was taking down some of the websites mentioned when the lady of the shop came over. She started telling me in French you’re not allowed to read and take notes from magazines, you must buy them! That is when my head immediately went up my ass and I in a retaliatory tone told her you might understand if you read the magazine yourself! Of course what I really meant was up yours b.tch!

After a bit of harassment she went back to the cash desk and I, with my head firmly up my ass followed her. I let my ass speak as I told her in my best pompous tone “ I’m never buying in this shop again. I’ve often been here and bought before. I won’t be buying here again! (as if she really gave a sh.t).

So off I went finding it very difficult to walk as my head was firmly rammed up my ass! All sorts of thoughts started coming into my head “ I’ll show her! I’ll start a website and tell everyone about this terrible shop! or I’ll get onto some national radio show and tell everyone in Ireland how badly I was treated! Oh what I was going to do!!!

I sat down and had a cup of tea to try and ease my head out of my ass, even a little bit because it was really getting uncomfortable! At that point I found a piece from Opening Doors Within for 5 July 2003 by Eileen Caddy that I had with me “ it read Your thoughts towards abundance determine whether all your needs are met or not¦ When you think as a pauper, you are a pauper, for you deprive yourself of all the good things in life which are yours when you readjust your thinking and attitude towards them. Start right now thinking prosperity

So what was I thinking in the shop? I admitted to myself I was thinking like a pauper. As soon as I admitted that my head began to come down a little from up my ass!

As I sat drinking my tea I reflected on the fact that there was going to be a bad feeling left here in Luxembourg between myself and this lady. I heard the echoes of what Dr Wayne Dyer often recommends as a solution to such situations – have I got the strength to be kind and let go of the need to be right?

Even with this I still resisted by thinking ah sure what the hell, I was right???? With that I felt a sharp pain up my rear end as my head catapulted further up my ass!

With all my talk of peace, etc could I apologise to this lady and let go of the need to be right? Peace! Ah sure this has nothing to do with peace! On the contrary this has everything to do with creating a world in which global peace and harmony is realized. It always starts with us facing the truth about ourselves and taking the appropriate action to clear the daily issues that arise before they gather egotistical momentum and result in broken relationships, destroyed businesses, addictions, illnesses and even warfare! Of course our ego would have us deny that these small daily confrontational issues have anything to do with such larger global issues, as this means we can continue to be our self-righteous selves and blame everyone else for what’s wrong in the world!

So I told myself Sean instead of leaving here with this negative issue let’s do the opposite of what my ego was telling me to do and indeed what I really felt like doing. So what was the opposite?

I went to another shop and bought a box of lindt chocolates. I then went to the shop where the incident happened. I picked up the time magazine I had been reading. I approached the pay desk and I could see the lady wondering what I was up to? (I thought to myself this is actually going to really surprise her and I hope it makes her day!)

She scanned the Time magazine in. As I gave her the money she looked at me directly in the eyes as if to say so you realized the error of your ways … did you!. I was secretly really looking forward to what I was going to do next.

I put my hand in my bag, took out the box of lindt chocolates, looked at the lady and said Pour toi (for you). Immediately a huge smile enveloped her face, she put her hand straight out to shake mine saying Merci, Merci! (thank you thank you). We looked at each other and I said Merci et Pardon (thank you and sorry). It really was a wonderful moment and felt fantastic! And what made it even better was the fact that my head was really flying down my ass!

As I left to board my flight, I passed the shop again and she gave me a big joyful wave. With that I felt huge relief as my head finally slide totally out from up my ass. In fact I felt fantastic – I was now leaving with a “joyful” feeling between two people rather than a bad feeling.

If you find yourself in a similar situation this week, have a go at having the strength to be kind and let go of the egotistical need to be right! It’s amazing how freeing it feels and it does wonders for your ass!

Carpe Diem!

Learn to create a more fulfilling and joyful life on the Dare to Dream online course. Next one begins in June 2010. See video below and enter your name and email to be on the early notification email list.

Sean M Kelly

Sean M Kelly is an international inspirational speaker, trainer, musician and author. He lectures and trains on many areas of human potential development including how to use more your amazing mind, memory, creativity and innovation, speed reading, accelerated learning, stress management, yoga, relaxation and meditation, conflict management, communicate with confidence, the power of positive thinking and of course Dare to Dream!

He has delivered training and inspirational speeches for many organisations including Pfizer, JP Morgan, Microsoft, Irish Life, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Bank, the Irish Management Institute, Fedelity Investments, RTE and many others. If you’d like to discuss how Sean can help your organisation use a lot more of your unused minds potential and turn adversity adversity into your greatest learning opportunity, simply send an email to info@seanmkelly.com with a name and contact phone number and we will delighted to contact you.

www.seanMkelly.com