Do You Think You Are a Winner Right Now?

If you're like most people, your deep-down answer is "NO".

I was curious to find out if I was the only person who had ever thought of suicide. Granted, only a couple of times have I thought things would be easier if I were dead. However, people usually say that I'm a positive person. So if I could have a thought like that, I suspected that I wasn't the only one.

This may sound extreme, but just before I wrote the first edition of this book, I asked more than 125 people, who appeared to be over fifty years of age, "Did you ever think of killing yourself?" I asked people who looked as though they were in shape and people who did not. Can you believe that only one person out of all those I asked said they'd never ever given a moment's thought to suicide? I don't know the name of the man who said he'd never thought of it; (I purposely did not ask people their names). These were people I met on busses and subways or while walking on the street (in NYC most people travel by public transportation and I'm always meeting new people on, or while waiting for, busses and subways or just walking on the street.)

If you're thinking: "Bobbie Horowitz is crazy! I'm in great shape. I'm fabulous looking! I'm sexy! I'm smart and I've done everything I ever dreamed of doing with my life!"- I take my hat off to you and say, "Bravo!" I cheer you because I know you're right – and - I'd advise you to read this book to give you a plan of action in case future issues come up for you. Then give the book to your friends. You know which friends: the friends who complain that they're too fat/skinny/ mushy/tired/headachy, getting old — you name it!

I was in my mid-sixties before I fully realized my mission in life. My mission is to see that you totally love yourself — and I take responsibility for doing all that's in my power to have that happen. There are very few people who need no help in this area.

In this book, I concentrate on your physical being. I wrote this book:

1. To open your heart to what a divine, human work of art you are and

2. To open your mind - so you can allow yourself to bring the divine, physical you to the fore. My goal is for you to design a pleasurable, doable way to improve what you can about your physical being. I also want you to learn how to accept what you can't improve until you find a way to improve it, so you can love every bit of you. I'll contend that you are an awesome work of art and that you don't have to change yourself! You just need to let that work of art that you are come out from under its coverings. The coverings may be extra pounds, flab, or malfunctions you can avoid.

This book is not about changing your true self. However, you will change your appearance. If you're flabby, too skinny, etc., you're not showing your true self. You'll learn how to choose actions — thought out specifically for you and your lifestyle. I call my actions mini-Qs. When you use (whatever you've named yours) daily, you'll dust away the need to choose the actions that have buried you the artwork and created clouds around you the star.

What we each need to focus on is how to choose actions that will bring out the wonderful, unique creations we are and how to clean off the schmutz (Yiddish for "dirt") that's been added. This may be easier said than done. Sometimes we don't realize we're choosing actions that are not based on the truth; rather, our actions are based on erroneous thoughts we've come to believe are true.

In this book, I take on the responsibility of doing everything I can to help you scrape away all that isn't you, physically. This step will take some mental scraping, but it's worth the effort.

I have an inner knowing that Earth is heading toward the day when each human accepts the fact that he or she is wonderful, when people won't fear "the other guy," and feel they need to protect themselves from "the other guy". I'm jubilant when I think of it because, even though you and I will probably not see this happen in our physical lifetimes - this goal isn't impossible!

Things happen. How we react to them is our choice. It's been said in different ways thousands of times. I'm repeating what so many others have said because I'm still in the process of incorporating these discoveries into my own being.

Last month (May 2015) I celebrated my seventy-fifth birthday. It was, indeed, a celebration! The first edition of this book was published shortly after I celebrated my seventieth birthday. One of my goals is to keep expanding this knowledge and incorporating it into my brain and body for as long as I'm alive. When I say incorporate, I mean not just mentally understand the knowledge but also live as if it is so.

Several people will need to hear the ideas I'm sharing many times before they can incorporate them. If you get these ideas in one take, please forgive me for repeating them. Some people need to read them many times.

Seven Ways We May Be Hiding Our Star to Keep It from Shining

I believe we hide due to FEAR. It can be scary to be out there as a star. You may not have expected that sentence. However - look what success often brings! People expect great things from you and you become more visible. This can be daunting, either consciously or unconsciously.

I've been scared of the spotlight. I'm not a psychologist, but I've spoken with several, and I've read many books that cover this topic. I'll bet you have too.

Remember that you are that star. You're that star, whether or not it is yet shining to its full potential. We'll find out what's blocking it's light. Take a deep breath and accept yourself as you are now. Love and accept yourself every step of the way. Allow yourself to be...