Mambo Samantha Corfield

Making Healthy Decisions - Part 6

Good morning everyone!  As we continue on with our series on making healthy decisions, I wanted to stop for a moment and clarify what this series is all about.  Many of my readers are those engaged in more esoteric studies - spells, spiritual growth, magickal endeavors, etc.  Those readers are tending to put this exercise in that category.  While it can be used in that way to some degree, this is meant to be about every day decision making.  Some of the information may be useful in spell casting, but really it would be more useful deciding when or if to do spell casting, not so much to assist you with the actual process. :-)

Our next question to ask ourselves when making a decison is: 

What Really Matters?

This can be extremely beneficial.  Taking the time to figure out what really matters to you is crucial to making a good decision.  For some of us, we think that everything matters equally - we are passionate about every little thing. On the surface, this can seem admirable; when you look a little deeper you will see that this means that we treat all things equally.  It is very difficult to live successfully in this way.  Prioritzing things in your life will make you more organized, let you know when to pick your battles (and not everything is worth a battle - really, it isn't), and allow you to let go of certain things in order to accomplish other, more important, things.

For most people,  beings with emotional capabilities will come first - children, spouses, parents, friends, pets, etc. For some, they themselves will come first.  After those obvious choices, what really  matters after that?  Understanding what your priorities are and how your decision impacts them will allow you to weed out things that don't matter and leave you with a clearer understanding of what your decision needs to be.

For instance, is your job the means by which you take care of the things that are most important (money) or is there another way that you care for those things (emotionally, perhaps)?  If you say yes to the former, then job decisions are going to be weighed against the impact on others. If you say yes to the latter, then job decisions may be based entirely on other criteria.

Therefore, deciding what really matters to you will help you in making a healthy  decision.  :-)

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

Making Healthy Decisions - Part 4

PLEASE NOTE: Sorry, I accidently got these out of order! So after this will actually come Part 6 since Part 5 was already published. Sorry for the confusion!

Greetings, everyone! As we continue on with our series about making healthy decisions, we move on to our next question to ask ourselves:

What Am I Not Seeing?

We have a tendency to sometimes protect ourselves in difficult situations by not being willing to seek out what we are not wanting to see about a situation. It is something we all do - we can have a tendency to gloss over the details that are unpleasant to us. Naturally this can lead to some disasters in decision making!

Often, what we're not seeing is what we don't want to see. While it may be difficult, or sometimes even painful, force yourself to look at what you don't want to see. Hiding details from yourself is truly not helping you. Trying to force an objective, dispassionate view of the situation can be tricky and take some practice, but try it! It is very difficult for a human being to try to remove emotion from a decision. Sometimes we can trick ourselves into it by pretending that the situation actually belongs to someone else - what would we tell them that we can see?

Looking at the situation from the outside looking in can often really help us in seeing what we think might not be there! Taking off our blinders and searching for clues might be difficult, however, the end reward is completely worth it!

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

Healthy Decision Making - Part 5

Hello everyone! We are at the half way point in our series on making healthy decisions! I forgot to mention in the beginning that these things should be done in order! Ask the questions in the order in which they are presented. For instance, today's question:

What Would my Grandmother

(or mother, father, Jesus, Buddha, the Lwa, whomever's philosophy your admire) Do?

Thinking of a role model, whether a great spiritual teacher, admired friend or family member, spiritual person, etc., is like having a mentor on-call. Ask yourself what this person would do if facing the same situation. You should use someone whose philosophies are well known to you and are admired by you. This is not to offset your own opinion or philosophy but rather to put things in perspective by looking at another point of view, one you have admired.

This is not to go get another opinion, this is more to see what your decision would like if shaped around an admired philosophy. The decision might not be exactly right for you configured within those parameters, however, it will give you another perspective to consider. This question should be asked after you have established the prior points in this exercise. You must first consider your own feelings and thoughts before putting someone else's spin on your decision! :-)

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

Making Healthy Decisions - Part 3

Hello everyone!

Today we are continuing our series on methods to use for helping make healthy decisions. Today's question to ask yourself is:

What Are My Values?

While some values might be considered universal and subjective, each of us have our own set of values germane to only us. In order for your decision to please you long term, you are going to have to make it happen within the parameters of your own set of values. At this point in the decision-making process, it is our values that come into play, leaving alone what others might think (we will get to that later).

First we must decide how our decision impacts our core values. For some, honesty might come first; for others stretching the truth might seem perfectly acceptable. Those two people are going to come to their decisions differently and most likely with a different outcome. There is no judgment here as to right or wrong, you must decide what is acceptable within your value set.

Most all of us know what is okay with us and what is absolutely not okay with us. Looking to this set of values will help you make the decision so it falls in accordance with sitting well with you later on! If the decision is going to lead you down a path heretofore unacceptable to you then either you are experiencing a drastic change in values or you are making the wrong decision! Most like, it will be the latter.

If you don't have a stable set of core values, you may want to look to establishing that for yourself. Most people already have, but every once in awhile I have a client tell me that they are unsure what is okay or not okay with them. While it is great to be flexible, there should be a basic set of values keeping you strong! :-)

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

Making Healthy Decisions - Part 2

Hello everyone!  As promised, we are moving on with our series about Making Healthy Decisions.  :-)

Today's question to ask yourself when making a decision is:

What Does My Body Have to Say About This?

We hear a lot about "gut" decisions.  Really, that is no joke!  40 trillion cells can't be wrong!  :-)  When you are working on a decision, take some quiet time and just sit and listen to what your body is telling you.  Even if you want something badly, how are you feeling physically?  Does your heart get aflutter with anticipation?  Do you feel sick to your stomach?  Are your limbs tingling?  Does your decision make you smile, cry, laugh?

Take some time to note the feelings you get from your body about your decision. If your decision fills you with dread, you might want to take some time to try altering the decision in your mind and then noting how your body feels about it!  If your body doesn't feel good about the decision, try reworking it until you notice feelings of relief, smiles, even laughter!  :-) 

You are hard-wired with instinct and abilities to help yourself make a decision.  Most of us have been taught to ignore those very things that were given to us!  Try starting out by just listening to and feeling your body in different states of emotion - how does it feel when something is good for you?  What are the sensations within your body?  How does it feel when something is bad for you?  What physical manifestations do you get?  Learning to discern what your body is telling you is the first step to receiving your body's own physical guidance for you! Learning to then TRUST that guidance will be the next step.  That will only come with practice!

Practice can be simple or complex.  One very easy way to practice is to watch movies or TV shows!  Watch a movie that is funny, inspirational, or in some way positive to you.  Pay attention to how your body feels - note each part of your body and the sensations that are there.  Continue on with a movie or show that is sad or makes you angry or feels in some way negative to you (not that being sad is always negative).  Again, pay attention to what your body's reactions are.  Make note of these sensations so that you will recognize them when it comes to decision making.

Try it! :-)

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

Making Healthy Decisions - Part One

Happy Monday, everyone!

So often good people ask me about the decisions they are trying to make in their life.  Certainly getting advice from someone can be invaluable - especially if they are a professional or have your best interest at heart (even better if they are both!).  :-)

Of course, we don't want to have to consult someone for every decision we make!  Having the ability to make your own healthy decisions is a skill well worth having and/or developing.  Today we start a series of exercises and thoughts to help us develop our decision-making process.

The very first question to ask yourself when making any decision is:

Is this good for me?

You must first absolutely decide whether or not something is good for you!  And not just now - what about later?  We all have cravings, desires, needs, and wants.  However, are they all good for you now and later?  How will this decision impact you now, next week, next year, in 10 years?  

While it is understandable that you might take into consideration how your decision impacts family, friends, co-workers, etc., you must FIRST take into consideration whether "it" is good for you!  Once you decide that, you can then take into consideration other people. 

Now you have a place to start:  Is this good for me?  Start practicing asking yourself that during situations where it might not matter as much so when it comes time for big decision making you will already have a place to start!

Start today!  What will you wear to work tomorrow?  Is it good for you?  Where are you going to eat lunch?  Is it good for you?  Where are you going to park at the mall?  Is it good for you?  What's am I watching on TV tonight?  Is it good for you? 

Remember, "good for you" doesn't just mean eat your vegetables and don't watch too much TV - what satisfies your soul?  What makes you feel good about yourself?  Once you figure out what is good for you, you will be on your way to making great decisions!

Bookmark or save this post!  (It is good for you!)  ;-)  I will be adding more information over the next few days about how to make healthy decisions and set your life in the right direction!

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

 

Arizona/New Mexico Wildfires

Hello everyone,

I am sure that many of you are aware of the raging wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico.  It has caused devasting losses of property across both states (mostly Arizona at this point).  I would ask that you all please pray for those who are fighting these fires, that they will be kept safe.  Also, please pray for those who have lost their homes or have otherwise been displaced by this awful fire.

Air quality here even here in the Albuquerque area has been pretty awful.  The destructive power and long-term effects of a fire this size are pretty devastating.  If you can spare a moment, please pray for those involved.

For those in the affected areas - please stay safe!  Evacuate when you are told and don't stay and try to "ride it out."   Fire has no mercy!

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

And so it begins!

Papa Legba Month - 2011  :-)

Happy Monday everyone!  A very special day today!  Of course we begin our amazing triple rituals to Papa Legba today AND a very happy birthday to my son, Ira.  :-)  I just don't know how the heck he got to be 39 when I am only 35!  LOL LOL LOL  Seriously, a wonderful day all around.

I hope you have all sent in your letters to be included in the free rituals.  If not, it is not too late, just visit the Papa Alegba Page and visit the link to send in your letter.

Now we all know that Papa is there to open doors for us, smooth the path, and in general make things easier. Remember though that you can be quite creative in what you are asking.  Papa is the great interpreter.  He speaks and understands all languages.  A very good petition to him is to make yourself and your intentions understood.  This might be in a love case, but it could be for anything.  Perhaps you are having trouble understanding your teenage children and they you.  Remember Papa works BOTH ways - to help you be understood, but also to help you understand.

Many times during spell work we forget to ask for ourselves to understand what is happening and why.  Most often we forget to try to understand what role we play or played in what is happening to us!  Without self-awareness most things are doomed to failure.  Ask Papa to help you understand what your role is in whatever situation you find yourself in.  I am not saying that you should assign the "blame" for things onto yourself.  However, we can easily get wrapped up in what we want someone else to do and forget that there are things that we, too, need to do to improve the situation.

Many times people visualize Papa has their grandfather or trusted uncle or elder male confidante.  I think all of these are wonderful visualizations.  Talk to him!  Have a cup of coffee and a little treat with him (yes, a little treat for you, too!).  Ask him for the awareness that you need to truly see your situation and to understand and be understood.   Most all situations are a two-way street, though we generally tend to get wrapped up in only one way - the way that gets us what we want.  Or so we think!  Learning both sides of the street is a sure path to success. 

Have a great day everyone!

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

Picture is COPYRIGHT! © Erzulie Red Eyes Art and Spirit 2010-2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 

You Cannot Please Everyone and...

you should stop trying!  :-)  Now I realize that it pretty easy to say and not so easy to put into practice.  Howeve, as a person who spends a great deal of time trying to please everyone it has been a harsh lesson to me.  No matter how hard I try, someone, somewhere will be displeased with what I do. Of course, my business, www.spellmaker.com, is a service business!  Try as I might over the years, there are still folks who end up displeased with me.  :-(  To this day, I take it very personally!

However, on a day-to-day basis, too many of us try too hard to please too many people.  Most of 
know what the result of that is!  To that end, here is one of my favorite Aesop's Fables:

A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?”

So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way.  But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.”

So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.”

Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey.  By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them.  The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at.  The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey with you and your hulking son?”

The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do.  They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders.  They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole.  In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.

“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them: “Please all, and you will please none.”

------End of Story

Here's to keeping your donkey dry!  :-)

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

Is it worth it?

Hello everyone!  I know we have talked about this subject before, but I thought it was worth revisiting.  All the time in readings I get asked the question, "Is s/he worth me doing (or continuing to do) love spell work on?"

Generally speaking, I don't have an answer for that because I think that only you can tell if someone is worth your time, trouble, money, and energy.  That is what I usually tell you - "You tell me if s/he is worth it!"  Some of you laugh, some of  you get angry with me, and some of you find your thoughts provoked!

In all fairness, some things that I can tell you is whether or not I think the person you are working on or considering working on is an inherently bad or good person.  (And, yes, I think some people ARE inherently bad and no amount of healing or goodie-two-shoes work on them is going to make them a good person!)  I can tell you if I feel any love for you there.  I can tell you if there intentions are good or bad towards you.  However, even knowing those things from me, only you can tell me if it is worth it.

But what factors might come into figuring out if it is worth it?  Here is an excerpt from an article by Daniel Harken:

"You're having problems in your relationship, and while you love your partner, you simply aren't sure as to whether it's worth saving. The vast majority of relationships can be saved - the question is, should you? This article will help you answer that question.

The first question if you're deciding if your relationship is worth saving is if there is abuse involved. Whether this is physical or emotional abuse, it doesn't matter. If there is any kind of abuse going on, you need to get out of that relationship - if you have kids, this is especially imperative. No relationship is worth saving when there's abuse involved - it will only escalate over time.

If there's no abuse, you then have to look at whether you enjoy being around this person or not. Are they one of your favorite people to simply hang around with? If not, you need to figure out if you can regain the good times or not. This requires some objectivity, but it's the simplest thing in the world - if you don't enjoy being around them at all, things need to change.

If there's infidelity involved, you have to figure out how that's going to affect the rest of your marriage or relationship. If you can't trust them, or they can't trust you, is this going to become more of a problem over time, or less? Infidelity always has a profound effect on relationships, and, while it can be often-times be worked through, it can't always.

Another question is: are your needs being met? Do you feel like you're being listened to, are you appreciated? If the answer to either of those are, there's a very fundamental problem in your relationship. It's nothing that can't be fixed - and in fact, changing your own behaviors can often lead to your partner changing theirs. You have to figure out if the potential is there, though in order to know evaluate if the relationship is actually worth saving.

Figuring out your own behaviors is actually one of the absolute most critical steps here. You have to objectively look at what you are doing - are you belittling them? Are you constantly nagging at them, or making them feel inadequate or unappreciated? If so, or if you are doing other negative behaviors, are you truly willing to change?

You have to assume that turning your relationship around will have to begin with you - are you willing to educate yourself and actually commit yourself to making changes? This is no small matter. That commitment will take a lot of effort, and a lot of learning. You have to retrain yourself to not be defensive anymore, and to be less critical and learn to show your appreciation of your partner, or your relationship will not be worth saving.

After you evaluate all these factors, you need to sit down and really look at the situation. Are you willing to make the changes, do you think the potential is there for your partner to? Is marriage or couples therapy an option? Get out there and study up on more relationship information - the more you have, the better equipped you will be able to decide if it's worth saving, and the better you'll be if you actually try to save your relationship."

End of Article

So, as we can see, there are a lot of factors in the decision of whether a relationship is worth continuing or pursuing.  But I do want to bring up one last thing that I feel is of the utmost importance - you must always feel right about what you are doing.  Listen to your inner voice, your gut, whatever you want to call it.  No matter what anyone else says, if you feel right about the relationship, and you are being safe, then no one should be able to talk you out of going forward (or not) but you!  :-)  Your friends, family, myself, and anyone else you talk to may have a valuable opinion.  However, in the end, your happiness in your life, and the pursuit thereof is your choice to make.  Other people in your life may not see what you see in a person - that is fine, as long as you are true to yourself about what you see. 

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha  Corfield, www.spellmaker.com

 

 

Ceremonial Clothing

Happy Tuesday, one and all!  :-)  I am reposting this blog about ceremonial clothing because for awhile my mother-in-law, the talented and wonderful Eileen, was unable to do the apron and scarf sets because she had a double knee replacement.  She is all healed and back in the garden and at the sewing machine! ;-)  So for those of you who have been waiting to order, she is available again for your orders.

Love,

Mambo Sam

 

Hello everyone!  As many of you already know, we have recently begun to sell New Orleans Voodoo Apron and Scarf sets.  :-)  These are made as a collaboration between my lovely mother-in-law, Eileen, and myself.  Many of you already know Eileen from the conventions!  Some of you have seen her other handiwork in the Erzulie Voodoo Pillows (which we will be offering up again soon!).  She is extremely creative and talented. 

Many questions have come up surrounding the apron/scarf sets - how to use them, why, what do they represents, do you need one or more than one or any at all, etc. 

Let's first just talk briefly about ceremonial clothing in general.  Needless to say, Voodoo isn't the only religion or practice with ceremonial clothing.  Nearly every major religion has some form of ceremonial clothing, though most of the time this garb is used by the clergy within the religion.  Voodoo is a bit different in that everyone who practices ritual or serves the Lwa (Voodoo Spirits) is entitled to wear certain ceremonial clothing.

In Haitian Voodoo, there are many different types of ceremonial clothing - white clothing for Rada ceremonies, red clothing for Petro ceremonies, different color combinations for different events!  In fact, different Houses may have different colors that they use when going to public events, such as Rara, to distinguish themselves from each other.  Ceremonial clothing is used to honor sometimes all Lwa, one Lwa, or the House from which you come. 

In New Orleans Voodoo, we tend to wear a lot of white!  I have a theory that mostly that is because it gets so gosh-darned hot there!  LOL.  Of course, the same is true of Haiti, so that might shoot a hole in my theory.  Let me just say that in all my years of growing up going to rituals, almost all the time it was with everyone dressed in white.  The exception was the usage of brightly colored aprons!  I was taught that the aprons were an homage to the slaves and houseworkers and hair dressers, etc., that brought us and shared with us their beautiful religion.  Naturally, we also honor the Lwa in wearing these aprons and head scarves.

At www.spellmaker.com, we have taken these aprons a step further in trying to make them as beautiful as possible and to honor individual lwa through the use of colors, patterns, and decorative items on the apron.  For instance, the Erzulie Freda apron below was made especially for the lovely Khouzhan Avery and it is a beautiful violet-pink luxurious material.  An applique of a beautiful butterfly (as a nod to Ogoun Feraille) is on the bodice, and it is trimmed in gold for Erzulie's love of golden things!  The head scarf has three golden rings (an homage to her three husbands) attached to one end so they will fall down Khouzhan Avery's back  of the neck when the scarf is tied.  The pictures don't really do the aprons justice because it is hard to show the little details!

When an apron/scarf set is ordered, the first thing we do is see what we know about the person!  If you are our regular customer, that is pretty easy since we get to know you pretty well!  :-)  If you are not, I may email you and ask you a few questions to get a feel for what your personal preferences are.   Next, Eileen and I go through material, beads, buttons, trim and decorations.  I start out by asking the particular lwa you have picked to guide me and show me what s/he wants or likes.  It is funny how readily they vocalize their desires!  Both Eileen and myself have felt immediate likes and dislikes!  They have their ways of guiding us, that is for sure!

Once we decide on everything for the apron/scarf, I consecrate every item she will be using, even the thread.  :-)  Then off to work she goes to do her magick!  Once the apron is finished, I consecrate the finished product in your name and the name of the Lwa for whom you have asked the apron/scarf to be created.   The set  is then shipped to you!

The set can be used for any Voodoo magickal endeavor you are doing - spell work, adjunct work, etc.  Even if that particular lwa is not usually involved in that particular work it is okay to still wear your apron/scarf and ask them to assist your work and bring their blessing into it.  I certainly do not see any wrong way you could use it.  Some folks have reported just wearing the apron and scarf when they were meditating, or working on computer projects at home that had nothing to do with voodoo, etc. They felt help from the lwa and felt they concentrated better and were more productive!

 One person was having migraines and put their apron and scarf on and just laid down for awhile and ask for the lwa's help, fell into a deep sleep, and woke up feeling wonderful!  I think there are just a million creative ways you could use your apron and scarf.  In fact, once more people have them, I will ask everyone to please let us know and we can post that!

Hunky and talented Khouzhan Menfo kindly shared this picture of him in his set for Capitaine Agwe.  There is more than a nod in this set to Agwe's wife, LaSirene! There is a tiny lighthouse charm on one corner of the head scarf.    The material was patterned with whales and Eileen and I could not buy it fast enough when we saw it!  We were giggling like little school girls, especially when from the shelf above the material a roll of silver trim FELL OFF right into Eileen's hand!  LOL. 

Our sweet and lovely and wonderful and adorable (oh how I can go on!) Sister Bridget, shared pictures of her aprons on her Facebook Page.  Her is a picture of her Gran Bwa apron (of course it has a matching headscarf!)  It has cool beading and there are buttons that are leaf shaped on it.  She also has a beautiful apron to Ogoun Badagris on her Facebook page. 

All in all, these aprons and head scarves are a labor of love and much time is spent in the planning of them and choosing things to go with them.    :-)   If you have any questions, please let us know!

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield

www.spellmaker.com
 

 

 

 

Papa Legba month at Spellmaker!

Hello everyone!  Once again, June is Papa Legba month here at Spellmaker!  :-)  As has become our tradition, we will be doing our free triple rituals for Papa this month!  It doesn't cost anything to be included and you can get all the details at on our Papa Legba Page.

Our dear Sister Bridget is putting together a list of songs that people can use when serving Papa Legba. She is asking for suggestions, so please join her on her Facebook page!

Additionally, on the Spellmaker Facebook Page we are having a discussion about different ways to serve Papa Legba! Please come on over and give us your ideas!

When I was  starting to arrange Papa's altar today, he put this song in my head and now I cannot get it out - so sharing it with you! :-) In my head, the Sammy Davis, Jr. version is all I can hear!

The Candy Man

Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc'late and a miracle or two
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

Who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Now you talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes

Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Yes, the Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man

------------------

 Hoping your world tastes great!

 Love, Mambo Samantha Corfield

www.spellmaker.com

 

Thinking of Giving Up?

Good morning, dear readers!  I found this amazing list of folks who at first did not succeed, nor at second, third, and so on!  :-)  Yes, I know, sometimes we need to know when to say when.  However, in my opinion, people these days just give up too easily on their goals.  Folks are just so easily dissuaded from doing what they want to do or getting what they want to have.  I knew about a few of these "failures" before reading this list, but some of them were real eye-openers to me!

Enjoy and be inspired!

These businessmen and the companies they founded are today known around the world, but as these stories show, their beginnings weren't always smooth.

1. Henry Ford: While Ford is today known for his innovative assembly line and American-made cars, he wasn't an instant success. In fact, his early businesses failed and left him broke five time before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company.
2. R. H. Macy: Most people are familiar with this large department store chain, but Macy didn't always have it easy. Macy started seven failed business before finally hitting big with his store in New York City.
3. F. W. Woolworth: Some may not know this name today, but Woolworth was once one of the biggest names in department stores in the U.S. Before starting his own business, young Woolworth worked at a dry goods store and was not allowed to wait on customers because his boss said he lacked the sense needed to do so.
4. Soichiro Honda: The billion-dollar business that is Honda began with a series of failures and fortunate turns of luck. Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation for a job after interviewing for a job as an engineer, leaving him jobless for quite some time. He started making scooters of his own at home, and spurred on by his neighbors, finally started his own business.
5. Akio Morita: You may not have heard of Morita but you've undoubtedly heard of his company, Sony. Sony's first product was a rice cooker that unfortunately didn't cook rice so much as burn it, selling less than 100 units. This first setback didn't stop Morita and his partners as they pushed forward to create a multi-billion dollar company.
6. Bill Gates: Gates didn't seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard and starting a failed first business with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen called Traf-O-Data. While this early idea didn't work, Gates' later work did, creating the global empire that is Microsoft.
7. Harland David Sanders: Perhaps better known as Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, Sanders had a hard time selling his chicken at first. In fact, his famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it.
8. Walt Disney: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.

Scientists and Thinkers

These people are often regarded as some of the greatest minds of our century, but they often had to face great obstacles, the ridicule of their peers and the animosity of society.

1. Albert Einstein: Most of us take Einstein's name as synonymous with genius, but he didn't always show such promise. Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. Eventually, he was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.
2. Charles Darwin: In his early years, Darwin gave up on having a medical career and was often chastised by his father for being lazy and too dreamy. Darwin himself wrote, "I was considered by all my masters and my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect." Perhaps they judged too soon, as Darwin today is well-known for his scientific studies.
3. Robert Goddard: Goddard today is hailed for his research and experimentation with liquid-fueled rockets, but during his lifetime his ideas were often rejected and mocked by his scientific peers who thought they were outrageous and impossible. Today rockets and space travel don't seem far-fetched at all, due largely in part to the work of this scientist who worked against the feelings of the time.
4. Isaac Newton: Newton was undoubtedly a genius when it came to math, but he had some failings early on. He never did particularly well in school and when put in charge of running the family farm, he failed miserably, so poorly in fact that an uncle took charge and sent him off to Cambridge where he finally blossomed into the scholar we know today.
5. Socrates: Despite leaving no written records behind, Socrates is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the Classical era. Because of his new ideas, in his own time he was called "an immoral corrupter of youth" and was sentenced to death. Socrates didn't let this stop him and kept right on, teaching up until he was forced to poison himself.
6. Robert Sternberg: This big name in psychology received a C in his first college introductory psychology class with his teacher telling him that, "there was already a famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another." Sternberg showed him, however, graduating from Stanford with exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa and eventually becoming the President of the American Psychological Association.

Inventors

These inventors changed the face of the modern world, but not without a few failed prototypes along the way.

1. Thomas Edison: In his early years, teachers told Edison he was "too stupid to learn anything." Work was no better, as he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Of course, all those unsuccessful attempts finally resulted in the design that worked.
2. Orville and Wilbur Wright: These brothers battled depression and family illness before starting the bicycle shop that would lead them to experimenting with flight. After numerous attempts at creating flying machines, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane that could get airborne and stay there.

Public Figures

From politicians to talk show hosts, these figures had a few failures before they came out on top.

1. Winston Churchill: This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom wasn't always as well regarded as he is today. Churchill struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After school he faced many years of political failures, as he was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.
2. Abraham Lincoln: While today he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of our nation, Lincoln's life wasn't so easy. In his youth he went to war a captain and returned a private (if you're not familiar with military ranks, just know that private is as low as it goes.) Lincoln didn't stop failing there, however. He started numerous failed business and was defeated in numerous runs he made for public office.
3. Oprah Winfrey: Most people know Oprah as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. Oprah faced a hard road to get to that position, however, enduring a rough and often abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was "unfit for tv."
4. Harry S. Truman: This WWI vet, Senator, Vice President and eventual President eventually found success in his life, but not without a few missteps along the way. Truman started a store that sold silk shirts and other clothing–seemingly a success at first–only go bankrupt a few years later.
5. Dick Cheney: This recent Vice President and businessman made his way to the White House but managed to flunk out of Yale University, not once, but twice. Former President George W. Bush joked with Cheney about this fact, stating, "So now we know –if you graduate from Yale, you become president. If you drop out, you get to be vice president."

Hollywood Types

These faces ought to be familiar from the big screen, but these actors, actresses and directors saw their fair share of rejection and failure before they made it big.

1. Jerry Seinfeld: Just about everybody knows who Seinfeld is, but the first time the young comedian walked on stage at a comedy club, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually jeered and booed off of the stage. Seinfeld knew he could do it, so he went back the next night, completed his set to laughter and applause, and the rest is history.
2. Fred Astaire: In his first screen test, the testing director of MGM noted that Astaire, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little." Astaire went on to become an incredibly successful actor, singer and dancer and kept that note in his Beverly Hills home to remind him of where he came from.
3. Sidney Poitier: After his first audition, Poitier was told by the casting director, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" Poitier vowed to show him that he could make it, going on to win an Oscar and become one of the most well-regarded actors in the business.
4. Jeanne Moreau: As a young actress just starting out, this French actress was told by a casting director that she was simply not pretty enough to make it in films. He couldn't have been more wrong as Moreau when on to star in nearly 100 films and win numerous awards for her performances.
5. Charlie Chaplin: It's hard to imagine film without the iconic Charlie Chaplin, but his act was initially rejected by Hollywood studio chiefs because they felt it was a little too nonsensical to ever sell.
6. Lucille Ball: During her career, Ball had thirteen Emmy nominations and four wins, also earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors. Before starring in I Love Lucy, Ball was widely regarded as a failed actress and a B movie star. Even her drama instructors didn't feel she could make it, telling her to try another profession. She, of course, proved them all wrong.
7. Harrison Ford: In his first film, Ford was told by the movie execs that he simply didn't have what it takes to be a star. Today, with numerous hits under his belt, iconic portrayals of characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and a career that stretches decades, Ford can proudly show that he does, in fact, have what it takes.
8. Marilyn Monroe: While Monroe's star burned out early, she did have a period of great success in her life. Despite a rough upbringing and being told by modeling agents that she should instead consider being a secretary, Monroe became a pin-up, model and actress that still strikes a chord with people today.
9. Oliver Stone: This Oscar-winning filmmaker began his first novel while at Yale, a project that eventually caused him to fail out of school. This would turn out to be a poor decision as the the text was rejected by publishers and was not published until 1998, at which time it was not well-received. After dropping out of school, Stone moved to Vietnam to teach English, later enlisting in the army and fighting in the war, a battle that earning two Purple Hearts and helped him find the inspiration for his later work that often center around war.

Writers and Artists

We've all heard about starving artists and struggling writers, but these stories show that sometimes all that work really does pay off with success in the long run.

1. Vincent Van Gogh: During his lifetime, Van Gogh sold only one painting, and this was to a friend and only for a very small amount of money. While Van Gogh was never a success during his life, he plugged on with painting, sometimes starving to complete his over 800 known works. Today, they bring in hundreds of millions.
2. Emily Dickinson: Recluse and poet Emily Dickinson is a commonly read and loved writer. Yet in her lifetime she was all but ignored, having fewer than a dozen poems published out of her almost 1,800 completed works.
3. Theodor Seuss Giesel: Today nearly every child has read The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, yet 27 different publishers rejected Dr. Seuss's first book To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
4. Charles Schultz: Schultz's Peanuts comic strip has had enduring fame, yet this cartoonist had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Even after high school, Schultz didn't have it easy, applying and being rejected for a position working with Walt Disney.
5. Steven Spielberg: While today Spielberg's name is synonymous with big budget, he was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. He eventually attended school at another location, only to drop out to become a director before finishing. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA.
6. Stephen King: The first book by this author, the iconic thriller Carrie, received 30 rejections, finally causing King to give up and throw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history, with King now having hundreds of books published the distinction of being one of the best-selling authors of all time.
7. Zane Grey: Incredibly popular in the early 20th century, this adventure book writer began his career as a dentist, something he quickly began to hate. So, he began to write, only to see rejection after rejection for his works, being told eventually that he had no business being a writer and should given up. It took him years, but at 40, Zane finally got his first work published, leaving him with almost 90 books to his name and selling over 50 million copies worldwide.
8. J. K. Rowling: Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Rowling went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years through her hard work and determination.
9. Monet: Today Monet's work sells for millions of dollars and hangs in some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Yet during his own time, it was mocked and rejected by the artistic elite, the Paris Salon. Monet kept at his impressionist style, which caught on and in many ways was a starting point for some major changes to art that ushered in the modern era.
10. Jack London: This well-known American author wasn't always such a success. While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and The Call of the Wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.
11. Louisa May Alcott: Most people are familiar with Alcott's most famous work, Little Women. Yet Alcott faced a bit of a battle to get her work out there and was was encouraged to find work as a servant by her family to make ends meet. It was her letters back home during her experience as a nurse in the Civil War that gave her the first big break she needed.

Musicians

While their music is some of the best selling, best loved and most popular around the world today, these musicians show that it takes a whole lot of determination to achieve success.

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mozart began composing at the age of five, writing over 600 pieces of music that today are lauded as some of the best ever created. Yet during his lifetime, Mozart didn't have such an easy time, and was often restless, leading to his dismissal from a position as a court musician in Salzberg. He struggled to keep the support of the aristocracy and died with little to his name.
2. Elvis Presley: As one of the best-selling artists of all time, Elvis has become a household name even years after his death. But back in 1954, Elvis was still a nobody, and Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."
3. Igor Stravinsky: In 1913 when Stravinsky debuted his now famous Rite of Spring, audiences rioted, running the composer out of town. Yet it was this very work that changed the way composers in the 19th century thought about music and cemented his place in musical history.
4. The Beatles: Few people can deny the lasting power of this super group, still popular with listeners around the world today. Yet when they were just starting out, a recording company told them no. The were told "we don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out," two things the rest of the world couldn't have disagreed with more.
5. Ludwig van Beethoven: In his formative years, young Beethoven was incredibly awkward on the violin and was often so busy working on his own compositions that he neglected to practice. Despite his love of composing, his teachers felt he was hopeless at it and would never succeed with the violin or in composing. Beethoven kept plugging along, however, and composed some of the best-loved symphonies of all time–five of them while he was completely deaf.

Athletes

While some athletes rocket to fame, others endure a path fraught with a little more adversity, like those listed here.

1. Michael Jordan: Most people wouldn't believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didn't let this setback stop him from playing the game and he has stated, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
2. Stan Smith: This tennis player was rejected from even being a lowly ball boy for a Davis Cup tennis match because event organizers felt he was too clumsy and uncoordinated. Smith went on to prove them wrong, showcasing his not-so-clumsy skills by winning Wimbledon, U. S. Open and eight Davis Cups.
3. Babe Ruth: You probably know Babe Ruth because of his home run record (714 during his career), but along with all those home runs came a pretty hefty amount of strikeouts as well (1,330 in all). In fact, for decades he held the record for strikeouts. When asked about this he simply said, "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."
4. Tom Landry: As the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Landry brought the team two Super Bowl victories, five NFC Championship victories and holds the records for the record for the most career wins. He also has the distinction of having one of the worst first seasons on record (winning no games) and winning five or fewer over the next four seasons.

Bookmark this post!  Next time you are thinking of giving up, give it a read over!

Love, light, and peace,
Mambo Samantha Corfield
www.spellmaker.com