Hi Friends, With Groundhog Day rapidly approaching, my mind has turned to the elusive do-over. The 1993 Bill Murray flick named for February 2nd has become a cult classic. For those who haven't seen it the movie's plot centers around a crotchety guy named Phil Conners, played by Murray. Phil is forced to endure the same day over and over until he gets it "right." The golden opportunity that Phil gets is to explore all of the different ways to play out his day. First, we meet the mean and selfish Phil, then the woman chasing Phil and then the do-gooder Phil. Finally, just when all hope is lost and Phil truly accepts his fate, we meet the real Phil. And on the morning of February 3rd, we watch as Phil wakes up in the arms of the woman he loves. It's a new day, and he's a renewed man. For Phil, the do-over worked. It taught him about the man he was on the inside -- the guy he was hiding from the world in favor of the person he thought people expected him to be. When Phil stopped caring about what others wanted from him, thought about him or believed about him, he was able to be his authentic self. And that proved to be the man who all the women in the movie fell in love with. So, what can we learn from Phil? That do-overs are indeed possible, and when something in your life goes terribly wrong, it is possible to fix it. To wipe the slate clean, as we learn from Phil, you have to first get honest -- honest with yourself, honest about your intentions, and honest about the effort you have put forth. In this case, I want to talk with you about a second chance to make 2012 the best year of your life. When the novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote that "there are no second acts in American lives," he was obviously incorrect and ignorant to the fact that human beings have an enormous capacity for overcoming adversity both personal and professional, with intelligence, patience, and panache. Comebacks, redemption and second acts are ubiquitous in our culture today: the celebrity who turns a life of addiction into one of redemption and purpose; the politician who falls from grace and rises to create a nonprofit that helps the disadvantaged, and a good number of people who recommitted to their goals and made wonderful things happen in their lives. So often it is a major setback -- cancer, divorce, job loss, the death of a loved one, bankruptcy, or an accident -- that puts the spotlight on our lives and shows us the way to a meaningful "second act." Sooner or later we all hits the skids. It happens to everyone. At some point we all wind up with our backs against the wall and need a second chance in order to make a comeback. Yes, we all get knocked down, but successful people know how to pick themselves back up. So how do we do it? Stay tuned for tomorrow's email (part 2) where I'll provide you with a HIGHLY EFFECTIVE solution that will rock your world. Keep an eye out as you do not want to miss out on the second part of this message. Barbara Harnsberger
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