Barry Shore is known as the “Ambassador of Joy.” He is a mental health activist, philanthropist, multi-patent holding entrepreneur, speaker, author, podcaster, and former quadriplegic who is now swimming around the world! His latest book is called “The Joy of Living: How to Slay Stress and Be Happy.” His podcast, “The JOY of living”, has over three million downloads, and his mission is to transform the world through joy.
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𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀:
* Going from joy deficit to joy surplus
* S.M.I.L.E: See Miracles In Life Everyday
* Choice, not chance, determines your destiny
* 3 practical tools to live in JOY daily
* You are who you are with!
* Your obligation to live life exuberantly
* Live a purposeful life, make a difference, and unlock the power & secrets of everyday words
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𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲:
“Continue to live in joy daily, no matter the circumstances.“
-Barry Shore
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𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀:
Website and free mini-class: https://barryshore.com/
Do you sometimes have trouble getting your brain to focus and concentrate on the important task in front of you? Then I have a solution for you: an amazing app called Brain FM. As my podcast listener, try it for free and get 20% off if you decide to join. Use my partner link: brain.fm/agi
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𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁:
I am Agi Keramidas, a zealous podcaster and a knowledge broker. I am on a mission to inspire others to grow, stand out, and take action toward the next level of their lives. Visit my website: agikeramidas.com
#PersonalDevelopmentMastery
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION
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Please note, while an effort is made to provide an accurate transcription, errors and omissions may be present. No part of this transcription can be referenced or reproduced without permission.
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Agi Keramidas 0:06
You are listening to Personal Development Mastery podcast, where you will find both the inspiration to grow and the actions to implement towards your next level. I am your host, Agi Keramidas, and my mission is to inspire you to stand out and live your best life. I interview thought leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, spiritual teachers, exceptional people who will inspire you to improve your life and offer, through their wisdom, actions you can take and implement. Tune in for two new episodes each week and make sure you follow the podcast to get the episodes as soon as they are released.
In today's show, I am delighted to speak with Barry Shore. Barry, you are known as the ambassador of joy. You are a mental health activist, philanthropist, multi patent holding entrepreneur, speaker, author podcaster and a former quadriplegic who is now swimming around the world. Your latest book is called the joy of living how to slay stress and be happy. Your Podcast the joy of living has over 3 million downloads when we record this. And your mission now is to transform the world through joy. Barry, it is a joy indeed we speaking with you today.
Barry Shore 1:41
Good day, beautiful, bountiful beloved immortal beings and good looking people. Now, Aki, how can I make the categorical statement that all the 1000s and 10s of 1000s of people that are tuning in and listening to personal development are all good looking. Because by definition, if they tuned into your show, it means they're always looking for and finding the good. That's the definition of a good looking person looking for and finding the God.
Agi Keramidas 2:11
That's fantastic, good looking for good looking looking for the good. So thank you very much. These are very kind words. And I think joy and we will talk about joy, since you are the ambassador of joy is something that is very much needed, I think in many people's lives, if not most people's lives. And I know that you will share with us some amazing strategies and some things that you've learned from your journey. Do you mind if we briefly share a little bit of your journey about how you ended up being the ambassador of joy because from reading your story, I know you were not always like that. I know it is a big topic. But if you could give us the short version of the transformation of body into who you are. Now,
Barry Shore 3:05
with pleasure and delight, thank you, Aggie, I'm going to make two interesting ideas that we can begin with. So you will know that when the story comes in what it means we work in the world with the three fundamentals of life. Number one, life has purpose. And when you lead a Purpose Driven Life number two happens as a good number two, you go mad now in this case, mad is a wonderful acronym that stands for make a difference. You lead a purpose driven life, you make a difference in the world. And the third fundamental is to uncover the power and the secrets of everyday words in terms simple everyday words in terms of use a great example www. Ask anybody argue what is www stands for variable it has it tell you has the internet and factually speaking they're correct. But in our world, the world of the positive purpose of powerful, unpleasant www stands for what a wonderful word.
And why is a word right? What a wonderful world. So to go to your point, yes, there is a joy deficit in the world today. By the way, almost always. But today, especially because of what happened with the pandemic and the panic and the lockdown war happening around the world, not just in Ukraine. There are battles being fought everywhere. And then of course, the personal struggles of life is a joy deficit of the world. And the genius of life and the positive, purposeful, powerful, pleasant, personal development that you are furthering with the podcast enables us to create and help people have a joy surplus and we can do it we're going to learn practical tips and tools. So imagine In the following, standing up in the morning, Hale and hardy, Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and that evening, be in the hospital totally, completely paralysed. Not an automobile accident, not a spinal injury, a rare disease, which I never heard of the day before, to go over my body and rendered me what's called a quadriplegic, nothing from my neck down, moved, nothing could move 144 days in hospital, I was two years in a hospital bed in my own home, I couldn't turn over by myself for years and wheelchair. I had braces on both my legs from my hips to my ankles. And that was progress. Thank God today I'm able to vertical ambulatory with the help of a seven foot walking wand made from me by a Zen master, by the way, but I still can't look up a curb on myself. I can't walk up a stair by myself. And I have helped 12 hours a day, seven days a week. But you hear my voice, positive, purposeful, powerful, and pleasant. It's all because of one word, one word. And the word is Smile. Smile. Yeah, smile. Because smile is a great acronym that if you utilise internalise and leverage in your life will really be of benefit to you. Because smile stands for seeing miracles in life, every day. see miracles life everyday. Now when I speak to groups, and just recently I spoke to a group of fire over 5200 people in the audience, and I'm talking the story about Barry's show and being paralysed and seeing miracles. People raise their hand say, hey, berries, strawberries have been out for hours. We're having seen the miracles. And I asked him, Are you here? Can you hear? Can you stand still? I can't do that. Can you walk them to be able to do that you have water, drink food, tea to place to sleep, family, friends, every single one of those is a miracle. And the simple proof proof. A million people didn't get out of bed this morning. You know why Aggie. They died. So by definition, if you're listening to this, you didn't. Therefore you have an obligation to live life, exuberantly and obligation. I got a quick story. My eight year old niece comes over to me a few weeks ago she says Uncle Barry uncle Barry, can we spell smile? smi E L? And I thought about smiles my sounds the same? Why not ask her how come she says because that would stand for seeing miracles in everyday life. Out of the mouths of babes and eight year old Aggie but you know what she was doing? She was creating the kind of world she was to live in. Now create is a wonderful acronym that stands for causing rethinking, enabling all to excel, rethinking we call it Neuro Linguistic Programming, right? Personal Development, the ability for us to work with our thoughts and our speech and our deeds. Because the six most important words you'll ever internalise, utilise and leverage in your life are choice, not chance determines your destiny. Choice, not chance determines your destiny. How you choose to respond at any given situation is really the key to your personal development, your ability to stand out and stand for something, which in this case is positive, purposeful, powerful, pleasant. You see, by the way, this podcast has nothing to do with Barry short, nice guy that he is really great felon, nothing to do with either of us. This podcast has everything to do with you. Why oh you and you becoming the best you because when you're the best you can make the world a better place. And when you follow the three fundamentals, live life with purpose, go mad, go make a difference. And uncover the power in the sequence of everyday words in terms you will be happier, healthier, and wealthier. Who doesn't want that. So that's the background story to help transform me from a regular person nice guys then, but into the person today that is on a mission to enable the world to be transformed through joy. And joy is a great three letter word that stands for journey of you. That's what joy is journey of you. What can be better in life right? Aggie
Agi Keramidas 9:25
it's a wonderful way to look at it like the life or the the you and the journey, the joy that comes to that. And you know, there are already so many things that I could pick up from what you said but there was you said smile the acronym which I have. I've been trying to keep notes quickly with all your acronyms that the C Miller see miracles in life every day. And let's talk about that. I mean, it's it's absolutely wonderful when you do Describe it like that. But you know very well that many people don't look at it like that, that what you described the miracle of life itself, because of adversities because of other reasons. And you've had the very personal example of a very big challenge challenge. So what do you think, prevents or the the most important factors that prevents people from being enjoy from appreciating the miracle that every day life is?
Barry Shore 10:38
First of all, thank you for the question. Because I'm sure everybody's asking say, Hey, Barry, sure, it's easy for you. You're handsome, you're rich, you're married for 45 years, everything is wonderful in your life. Yes. And yes. However, I just told you about being paralysed for years. Hello. And not being bitter and angry. Not being bitter and angry, if I may, I'm going to tell you two stories. The first one happened in the hospital. And this was for me. Fundamental to what enabled me to move forward. Again, I'm in the hospital 144 days, and many times in the course of the first few weeks, they're picking me up literally picking out like a slab of just a bunch of protoplasm picking me up putting on a gurney moving around doing tasks and things like that. So there was one particular person was a nurse, male nurse actually been working with me now three or four days, you bring me back to the room. And he stops the gurney in the hallway. And remember, he leans down and he says to me, Mr. Schorr may ask you a personal question. Now, in addition to being paralysed, I can barely speak above Westbourne everything was compromised in my big everything. I said yes. He said, Look, I'm a nurse, I specialise in working with people that are paralysed. And I gotta tell you, I've never met anybody who's not bitter and angry. How come you're not bitter and angry? And I realised what he was doing at that point was asking me the great existential question, which is, why me God, why did you do this to me? That's not the question. I was asking. I was asking, Why me? I'm a regular guy. Okay, nice guy, a regular guy go. What do you want and laying on a bed? Totally, completely paralysed? When am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do? At that point, Aggie. I've been in the planet 55 years, the greatest calm I've ever known completely at peace. I had no idea of ever move again, ever walk again, anything. But I was completely, totally at peace. You've transformed me. But I want to tell you a story about transformation that touches me so deeply that I taught me even to speak some time about it. Because I I choke up a little bit I cry, but I'm going to, I'll make it through has to do with a 12 year old. My book, as you mentioned, you call the title, the joy of living, which I guess it could be said that way. I call it of course, the joy. That's a real title. So if you ever see it, you'll see it's saying the joy of living. The 11 strategies for learning how to live in joy daily, no matter the circumstances. So this particular situation is a 12 year old boy, his name was David. David had a degenerative bone disease, which meant that he was not going to live much past the age of 14 or 15. And his bones were literally crashing in on himself. And he got distorted features and such. At the moment what time when I met him, his mother wanted me to beat him because she said, Look, I'm using your strategies. I'm helping me a lot. Even though David may not only be here for days or months, a couple years. I want him to have the moments of joy that he can. And so I working with David, quite amazing, but he taught me something fascinating. He had a very close friend, his closest friend, his name was Jonathan interesting, who was a year older than him. And Jonathan already was at the stage and this rare disease I think affects no more than 100,000 people around the world ever. It was difficult to look at Jonathan because he was features were all distorted. And David's mother asked him he said, I know he's your best friend. But isn't it a little difficult to look at them sometimes? Listen, let a 12 year old taught me. David said to his mother, mom, John can't help how he looks. I have to learn how to see differently. Ah, a 12 year old. I have to learn how to see differently. So you asked me the great question. Why don't people see miracles in life every day? Well, most of the time is because we don't have the right glasses.
We don't know how to the first word is seeing miracles. How to say, we started this conversation. I don't know whenever people listen to this. It won't be today or maybe today. But the point is that Aggie told me he lives in just outside of London. And it's snowing, snowing. So I asked him, of course, did you run outside in the snow and make snowman Good? Well, I can't make snowman. So you make a snow angel. But are you running around and grabbing snowflakes and shouting, yay, look at this, because it's unusual. Now, by the way, even if it didn't snow today, did you run around and say, wow, it's bright and sunny. It's the ability to see miracles in life. So the first process we're going to learn three strategies a little bit later, practical tips and tools that are gonna enable everybody to get the right glasses as it were, with the right prescriptions. Everybody, everything is fitted to the person individually. But when you begin to do this, you literally have will see yourself as this flower opening up. I'm going to tell you something about the Word flower. Everybody knows flower, right? F l o w e r, because we're an English speaking, English listening group. So if you take a look, it's a very fascinating word, because I'll make the word flower. And I'm going to say, sunflower because, hey, it's a great painting by Van Gough. And it's a beautiful, expressive idea. And the sunflower is big and loving. And just so interesting, right? For everybody. Keep that in mind. Keep that in mind. And think of a I don't know, a 12 foot tall sunflower. Look at the word flower. If you take off the ER and ask you wonderful Aggie, how do you pronounce f l o w?
flow? Flow? So women? Why shouldn't this thing be called a flower? Well guess what? It really is. It is a flower. Because when you see it growing from the ground, and the only things that are happening is it has Earth. It has some moisture, either from the air or from rain, where you live in London will be rain, and it has sunshine. Most of that, but what's happening inside the flower life is flowing throughout it. Am I correct? It doesn't just stand there. And it's it is empty inside. It's flowing. It's a floer when you begin to start thinking this way, now you're going to look and say oh, what is Barry? Sure, Tyler. He's a crazy person. But when I like that, maybe I need to get a new prescription of my closet. I want to look at the flowers outside. And your friend is going to say What are you talking about the flower? Well, yeah, for the word flow. And because that's us. We are followers aren't we? We know that if you put a stethoscope to your body and you listen like the doctor does, you'll hear boom moving it's and it's the blood is flowing all the time. Because if it's not your dad, we don't want to be dead. Be a flower in life. That's one of the ways that I give an RX a prescription for people to begin to learn how to see and feel and internalise utilise and leverage in their lives. I'm going to interrupt myself for a moment, wonderful Aggie, and one everybody in advance that I use a lot of four letter words. I even use the four letter F U word because it's fun in the shock value. Now the four letter words that I use a lot because I live in the world of positive purpose of power from Pleasant our love, life. Hope, free gift. Pray play swim, we'll talk about swimming later. four letter words right. And the four letter F U word is fun. Fun. Yes, F capital N capital N. And right away I'm sure you have some people say hey Barry sure funds only spelled with three letters. Okay, not in my world. And the triple supply from Pleasant fun is spelled F U capital capital N. So after this podcast when you see your family and friends, point your finger have a smile on your face. Well, that stands for a twinkle in your eye and point your finger say, f you everybody, remember to add right away capital N capital and see what you get, though. Oh, well, I listened Aggie had this crazy guy. And he's talking about he wants to teach the world to f you capital N, capital N. And what it will do is it will create the opportunity to speak about the things we're teaching today. Because the point of everything is to be each person becomes a teacher, when you are your own teacher, by hearing something using it and saying over to somebody else, you're now teaching it. And that person has to somebody else is teaching. So we all become teachers. And that's how we go from a joy deficit, to enjoy surplus. You're a flower, f you everybody, capital N capital N. So when you start thinking this way, and speaking this way, and acting this way, guess what you're doing? You become your own spiritual chiropractor. You know what a chiropractor is Aggie, you know, you feeling a little bit out of sorts, right? You go to the chiropractor's and he or she goes, and you're aligned now and you feel more in flow. Is that correct? Yes. Well, we that's on the physical level, on the spiritual emotional level, as you call it, the personal development, mastery level, the PDM. You want to have your alignment of your thoughts, your words, and your deeds. And when they were in alignment, you're flowing. You're walking around in memory as you're walking, hello, everybody. I don't do it as well as you do. But I swim, and we'll talk about that a little later. So that I hope is a a illustration of how people can begin the process of learning how to see miracles, as my niece says, in everyday life, or in life every day.
Agi Keramidas 22:11
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There were two things now that came to mind. One was when you said to learn how to learn how to see differently I think it was at the beginning of your answers and this this ability that we have to evaluate the way that we think and not just allow it to happen we can evaluate and we can relearn or learn to think in a in a different way in in a joyful way correct that and I'm not sure I haven't read yet your your book. So I don't know these 11 strategies, but I will share one that came to mind. You know having this conversation with with you. A strategy to be more joyful is to spend time with joyful people because that will really allow both and counts and then you start saying joy as well.
Barry Shore 24:31
Exactly. Okay, let's everybody. If you're driving, just listen and when you get to a place that you can write this down, but I'm just going to write it down now because we're going to repeat it is called your your
y Aw. Y yaw Yo yo, yo yo, you are who you are with
You are who you are with. If you are with people that want to grow and become more joy full, and to be calm, more flowing, then guess what will happen? You will be not just, you won't be a taker, you'll be a giver, you will be sharing with each other share, by the way is a great acronym that stands for spreading happiness and rejuvenating energy. Because we all live in an energetic world. That's what love stands for love stance are living on vibrant energy living on the vibrational plane. So you're absolutely correct. Wonderful. Again, it's one of the strategies in the book, we talked about it. I'd like to also mention, if I may illustrate with one of the fascinating strategies and again, there are 11 We won't go through all 11 of them. One of the most fascinating and interesting for me is get uncomfortable. The barrier shows a uncomfortable Yeah. Because the comfort zone is where dreams go to die. That's the comfort zone. Is it good to be comfortable after being outside when it's snowing out inside and sitting by the fire by one have a warm cup of tea, you know a cup Ah, okay, that's nice, but to look for comfort is not going to enable you to grow. I'll give you a flavour of a story about one of my favourite people in the world. Her name is Aida. And if you don't know the great opera or the famous March, go to search and listen to it. I eat it I had the great privilege of singing Happy Birthday to Aida just a few months ago on her 100 and ninth birthday. Let me say it again. Wow.
Nice birthday.
Yes. So I called her because I've moved from where I used to live and we were buddies in the pool, but I'll tell you just a few minutes. So I need to call her on the phones on call and speak to Jenny, her helper. And she says to Aida berries on the phone, so she gives the phone to Aida 109. And she says hi Barry, sing me a song. Why is it interesting? Because I don't remember my name sometimes. And I started singing my special Happy Birthday song if you've ever heard it. Wow, you'd be amazed as wonderful. Anyway, I think my special I've been thank God privileged to sing to Aida happy birthday for almost 14 years. But again 109 And then when I finished singing, she starts singing to me. Wow, he's 109. So why am I telling you about it? First of all, 109 is pretty cool, right? I think you'd agree to be able to converse and such on the phone da we first met when she was 95 in the pool, so I was swimming and I'll tell you more about the swimming issue in just a little bit. But I was swimming in the what they call the they call it the handicap lane you know the special needs lane with a special lift that will never be to get from the wheelchair into the lift which in the pool take you out of the pool. Okay, great. And I'm swimming, I'm able to do that. Now everybody. Remember, I can't walk very well, but I can swim now. And I eat is in the lane with me. And she's walking in the water, not on the water that causes all kinds of problems. She's walking in the water holding mine. And when I first met her she's 95. So we're in buddies in the pool outdoors in Southern California, hello, Heaven Earth. And after a few times together, of course talking and she says to me one day, a berry. I like being 95 I want to be happier that like you. I said to her like you mentioned I said look, you don't want to be me you want to be you but I understood what you meant. He said Well, what do I do? What do we do? So we went over the course of time he talked about the 11 strategies, and the one that she loved the most is get uncomfortable now doesn't mean putting a pebble in your shoe or walking around all day like that. Ah and dumb. What it means more is like this. Imagine being brushing your teeth with your non dominant hand, huh? Ah, why would you do that? Because if you do with your regular hand, you're doing something that becomes mind less. Yes, we want to achieve mind full Ness. When you brush your teeth or your non dominant hand, for me, it's my right hand dominant I brush my left hand. It's always, it's always a struggle. And I've been doing it for decades. But I love it because it keeps reminding me what do I own stuff. And you do the same thing for let's say, walking out your front door. If you always walk out and turn right, guess what you should do sometimes contents honestly, turn left, okay enough to walk for a mile walk for five yards, turn around. And when you're driving to work, are you taking it, just do something different because you're engaging your mind. getting uncomfortable pushes you out of that place, you are just in the what we used to call the rut and get you into a groove. You want to become mindful. And I'm telling you what Aida said to me. She's, this enables me to live longer, and happier, who doesn't want to be happier and healthier, and live better? Every moment? When you do this? Guess what happens? happier, healthier, wealthier, because nothing greater than wealth and living long and well? Wouldn't you agree Aggie
Agi Keramidas 31:12
on 100% body. And you said one thing that came to my mind when you said about getting uncomfortable. I never thought that you would say of something so simple, as you know, going the other way when you exit your front door, because in many people's minds, myself included, getting out of the comfort zone implies something that really makes your notes. But you give something so so simple that will really turn things around in getting you out of the automatic habit of that runs most people's days.
Barry Shore 31:56
People asked me regularly are habits good or bad Mr. Schorr? And the answer is yes. So good. And some habits are not good. So part of what we're doing what you do with personal development mastery is to do the work, it does take work of and most, not just most 99.2% of human beings on the planet will never do this. So you want to be stand out and be different, just do the following. And you will automatically be different in a positive way. Have a pen or a pencil, not a computer, a piece of paper, blank piece of paper, and make a circle, a large circle. And in my humble opinion, put, make it into three parts in the pie can make the peace sign, you can do whatever you want. And label one. Family label another one, finances, enable another one fitness, I use the three F's we can call it family relationships, whatever you want to call it after that. And finance you called money, the M word money and the other one is health. I call it Senate Health and just invest. You ready for that invest? I didn't say spend time, invest your time in for the first time you do this, no more than seven minutes can put a timer next to you seven minutes it don't try and do 12 or 15 or an hour, just put in seven minutes. And in each one of those places, right down to maximum three items that move you for the positive or the other way. You may have relationships that are really fraying at the edges. You may have some that just wondering just write down two or three things in each one of those in seven minutes. And they just let it sit there. And then the next day, you'll come back and we'll talk about more. But the point is, you just set yourself apart, you are now standing out because you did something that again, point 8% of the world's population only does that you don't even the 1% You're more than the 1%. But you got to do it. And you got to put your name to it. And you put a date to it. And then we'll add paid have to pay to get I talked I talked about this in the book. Because this is work. You have to look at yourself is one of the most trying processes you'll ever confront. I mean I did it, because good lord said Mr. Schorr. I'm going to lay you down for a little bit. A few years. You're going to be great quadriplegic got a lot of time to think. Yeah. No, think, by the way is a great acronym. To harness insightful neural connections. We do see, words are not just important to critical, especially what we call self talk. Yes. We have some time to talk about self talk right now.
Agi Keramidas 35:22
Yes, we do we do and then we will jump into some free practicals.
Barry Shore 35:27
Okay. And I wouldn't even talk about swimming yet. I'll just be very quick because I think it will inspire people and if it does great if it doesn't, well, that's your problem, not mine. I'm in the wheelchair. And one of my assistants took me out for a walk in the wheelchair strolling, been home from the hospital a few months again, I'm acquired outside Southern California, one of my neighbours comes out to me, friend known for years, and he says to me, I hurt what happened. Don't worry, I'll have you out of the chair walking within a year. I'll listen anybody. And and I said, he said, You know, I am the greatest Aquatic Therapist in all of America. How do I know that? That's true, because he told me, I love when people are able to tell me. Okay, so it didn't happen that way. But what it did happen is amazing, because again, unforeseen circumstances sometimes the best, he got me into the pool. Again, there's all kinds of lifts that help you get in and out of the water and such help people I put, they put flotation devices on my leg so I wouldn't sink. They put flotation devices around my tummy, so I wouldn't sink and drown flotation devices in my arms. And now I'm in the pool and I have two or three, sometimes four therapists working on me for an hour plus three times a week, sometimes four times a week, something five times a week, just moving my lens trying to get some movement in because what I had the particular syndrome is called Dion Baray syndrome. GBS is also known as French polio. It attacks the peripheral nervous system. So wasn't my spinal injury, the peripheral nervous system and his potential ability to regain some movement, which today I've you see me in my upper body, I have my lower body, much less of them basically, still a paraplegic can't sit up for the chair, things like that. However, after about a year plus of this, doing these exercises for hours, and many times a week, one day, I was able to move my arms over my head, one bite, and then left and slowly moving in the pool. And I after a few yards, I hit the edge of the pool and bang my head. And that was Wow, that's wonderful. Okay, so that way occurred, I started moving the other way. And I kept moving. They want to be astonished at No way. I'm just going to keep moving. So I did it for 98 minutes without stopping. Wow. I swim one mile that day. It was it was a transformation. I was flowing. You hear me I was flowing. I said I could do it one day, I could do it twice a week. So he did it twice a week and three times, four times a week, five times. Six times. I was swimming a mile six times a week. I wasn't swimming 50 yards before I became paralysed, okay, I could swim, but I didn't enjoy. There's too much work. Okay, oh, my back. I did that for over a year until I was able to turn on my tummy. And I still have flotation devices on my legs, not on my tummy anymore. Not in my arms. I wear paddles on my hands, because as you can see, they're very arthritic looking, they don't close. So we're paddles. And they use a snorkel because it's hard for me to turn my head left to right. But I now swim two miles a day, six days a week. And I've been doing that for more than a dozen years. And as of this, as of today, I have accumulated over 8435 miles, which is a third of the way more than a third of the way around the world. And my goal is to swim around the world. I'm not gonna do it by myself, because I'd have to be 127 by the time I finished, but
Agi Keramidas 39:28
all you can increase your you can swim for longer for miles.
Barry Shore 39:33
Very fine. But the point is, I'm going to enlist the help of a few other people, some very, very well known celebrities and will each do two miles a day it will accumulate, let's say 1000 miles in a year and then more so and we're going to urge people chip in two cents, two cents a mile course of the year 20 bucks. It will have hundreds of 1000s not millions of people contributing and it's contributing towards what we call stop the stigma about mental health. Because you said, I'm going to play off of what you just said, we're in a, we're doing music here right now. Oggy? Yeah, how can people learn how to see better and such like that? Part of it is everybody has a mental health issue. Everybody's, everybody. Some have real mental health issues. They're so stressed and so anxious and depressed, they can't function. Okay, that's how most people, but most people don't ever take out a piece of paper and write the circle and put down stuff about themselves. But everybody has some blockage, we can open up the blockage, we're gonna raise millions and millions of dollars to get rid of the stigma and say, okay, I'd like some help. By reaching out, remember you are who you associate with Hello, you are who you associate, and other people who are reaching out and reaching out. We're building now the joy of living community, you'll be able to find this, at the end of April, people will be able to join, and we made it so that very little barrier $10 a month. And the what if I told you what's available for that? $10 a month, you say it's not possible as almost $10,000 worth of stuff, because you get me and other people's 10 bucks a month because you want people to be involved? Community is an amazing word Oggie co MMU and it why in community, the U comes before the i Huh? That's the essence of life. The joy of living can be summed up in one word giving, you become a giver. Everything shifts. Now shift is an amazing word Oggie. For some reason, I don't know why. But when people I talk about shift perspective, a lot of people drop the F and they have the other stuff happen. Better keep your F and F in place. happen. When you do what we're talking about. Read the joy of living. Get the book not because selling books, because this works. It has worked up exercise, join the joy of living community become involved in helping you become the best you is not about Barry. Sure, yeah, he's fun. Okay, f you everybody capital N capital N. Og, he's great. But be involved because it could feel you'll be happier, you'll be healthier, you'll be wealthier, and who doesn't want that. So I'm swimming around the world. I'm going to illis people to join me by now reaching out to Michael Phelps, and other celebrities, because it will bring it to other kinds of modalities. But the point is 20 bucks a year contributing to mental health to help others. Hello, because Barry shore, Barry shore quadriplegic is swimming two miles a day da. If I can do it, you can do it. I don't mean swim two miles, do something, get uncomfortable. Learn to see better. It's a flower out there. All those look at all those flowers out there. When I talk about flowers, it doesn't just mean the things that are growing from the ground. That means those two legged two legged beings, they're all flowers. Right?
Agi Keramidas 43:26
Absolutely. Absolutely, if they choose to go with that and actually realise the flow that that is that. But I don't know how much time we have for the practical things you said I think many of the things that you shared so far have been practical for sure. I do have some quickfire questions. We can start wrapping things up. Yeah. If at the same time you feel inclined to share some of the practice some more practical things by what means do that
Barry Shore 44:03
so let's do and everybody should know AG is going to say it also that on my website bearish short comm is a free course that you can start just free videos of me discussing all this. It's they're free, and you get the book at a discount right now just go to Barry shore.com/book. So let's talk about three practical tips and tools to take a minute for each ready. Okay, they work. Okay, number one, number one number one and you had somebody on to talk about this in a previous podcast? Breeze? Breeze, every show say breeze. Yes. Oh, of course. I'm breathing. I'm alive. Yep, that's shallow breathing. We're talking about well, what we call diaphragmatic breathing. But you know what happens Aggie. Most people don't know where the diaphragm is and they can't spell it. So I call it tummy breathing. The ability to breathe in through your nose deep as you can into your tummy Let it out through your lips. And you do that four times. That's it four times, it takes about 12 seconds for each one of those processes. Just do that four times in a row, take less than a minute, and you do it twice a day, once before noon, and once afternoon, for 11 days in a row without stopping once before noon was 12. B afternoon. By the 12th day of doing this, you will be consciously calm and aware. And that is one of the first steps to learning how to live in joy, Daily Breeze, D deeply. That's number one. Number two. Use the two most powerful words in the English language three times a day, consciously and conscientiously and these two words are Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks stands for to harmonise a network kindness. The Dalai Lama has been quoted as saying or reading his writings Be kind whenever possible. He says always possible. So imagine you walk into your coffee shop. Do your What are your fancy latte you sit down there brings it to you say thank you. You walk into a coffee shop you order your fancy latte and you sit down nobody brings it to you go to the counter and say I'm sorry we forgot we're so busy. You bring it to you sit down a couple minutes go by you so resist it still say thank you. You're walking out of the coffee shop and it's raining out somebody holds the door open for you. You say thank you. You walking out the coffee shop and it's raining and somebody slams the door on you you say thank you. You lay for deployment you're stuck in traffic somebody cut you off you say get the middle of the night you stub your toe in there hurts. You say thank you to harmonise a network kindness three times per day, consciously and conscientiously, it's good for you, your family, your friends and all living beings. And number three, learn to love dog poop. Bearish to say dogs not the
word log dog poop.
Agi Keramidas 47:16
Uh huh. That's what I thought you said okay.
Barry Shore 47:19
All right. So what are we talking about? Remember the three fundamentals is what learn life is purposeful, live a purposeful life you go mad, mad means make a difference. And the third is to unlock the power in the secrets everyday words in terms Hey, Todd poop is pretty every day and it's all around you look, you have a different view. Now you're gonna have a shift member shift happens. Dog poop stands for doing of good power of one person. When you recognise the power that you have, when you think in good, and you speak in good and you act in good. You literally have the power to shift the entire world. You create joy, flowing, doing of good power of one person reaching out to another reaching out to another reaching out to another. And it goes expert is nothing in the world. Nothing can stop positive, purposeful, powerful, pleasant thoughts, words and deeds. There is no wall there's no mountain there's nothing that can stop it. It's a tsunami of goodness is what we want to create in the world right? OGGY yes, these three practical tips and tools Breathe deeply. Say thank you three times a day consciously consciously learn to love dog poop. So when you tell your family and friends Hey, I heard every story says love dogs with this What are you talking about? He also said he wants to teach the world to f do capital N capital N You have the ability to share spreading happiness and rejuvenating energy and it will begin to flow from you. You'll become a follower and you'll start seeing the world that way so seeing miracles in life every day or even be smarter use my eight year old niece see miracles in everyday life and life yeah wow wow was a great acronym by the way. Words of Wonder words of wisdom Wow.
Agi Keramidas 49:33
Certainly are certainly have been and I think this is this is a conversation that I would listen quite a few times because there was so much wealth of all these jewels that you shared with it. So we get it needs repetition for sure to for everything to sink in. But can I ask you also I will put the link of course to your book and your code Sanjoy in the, in the show notes. I would like to ask you just two quick questions just to wrap things up, because I always ask them, I'm very curious to find your take on them. And my first one is, what does personal development mean to you?
Barry Shore 50:17
What does personal development mean to me?
growth, growth,
growth, look around. Wherever the season is. Everything is growing all the time. In order to get the best kind of garden, oftentimes you need to cut back on things, right? pared down, bare root roses, and watch how they grow even stronger and more beautiful. And of course, on rosebush, you got thorns. So it's the essence of life. So for me, personal development means ever striving forward.
Agi Keramidas 51:07
Thank you. And one hypothetical question, if you could go back in time and meet your 18 year old self, what's one piece of advice you would give him?
Barry Shore 51:22
Continue to live in joy
daily,
no matter the circumstances.
Agi Keramidas 51:31
I had the feeling that your answer would involve the word joy. Very, I want to thank you very much, sincerely. I'm very grateful for for this conversation for sharing this. Apart from the knowledge this joy this energy, this vibration of cheerfulness that cancer Cronan crows, and I'm sure that it also goes to the listener that listens to this show. Thank you very much for this
Barry Shore 52:04
serious pleasure. I'm humbled and honoured Aggie can we do two things to end, I'd like to give you a hug in front of 10s of 1000s of people and leave everybody with a small blessing, actually a big blessing. Okay, so let me tell you what hug stands for ready? Yes. Yes, heartfelt, unlimited, giving, heartfelt, unlimited giving. So here we go, 123.
And our blessing from Aggie and barriers, go forth. Live exuberantly, spread the seeds of joy, happiness, peace and love Ah, love, go mad go make a difference.
Agi Keramidas 53:08
I hope you enjoyed listening and that you got a huge amount of value from today's episode. If you have, please share this episode with someone who you think will benefit from it. If you want to know more about what I do, visit my website, AGIKERAMIDAS.COM And until next time, stand out, don't fit in!