Life in a Week: A Journey to Happiness and Spiritual Awakening

By Michael S Keller

In a world that seems to accelerate endlessly, where time is both our greatest asset and our most elusive pursuit, finding meaning, happiness, and a deeper connection to our own spirits can often feel like a huge challenge. Yet, nestled within the pages of Life in a Week, you will hold the keys to unlocking a timeless journey - a journey to happ

• Language: English
• Publisher: Your Time, LLC
• Release date: Jan 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798218341862

Michael S Keller

Michael Shawn Keller, the author of the timeless classics "Life in a Week" (2009, 2010) and "Bullies Among Us," and the gripping thriller "Room 308," returns with an updated edition of his original masterpiece. A passionate reader and advocate for knowledge, Michael's belief in the transformative power of learning is as unwavering as his love for literature. He sees knowledge as nourishment for the soul, much like how food sustains our bodies. With a career marked by insightful storytelling and a commitment to personal growth, Michael invites readers on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment through his captivating words.

Book preview

Life in a Week – 2nd Edition

A Journey to Happiness and Spiritual Awakening

Michael Shawn Keller

Dedication

To those who dare to dream, embrace change, and relentlessly pursue personal growth, may this book serve as a guiding light on your journey to becoming the best version of yourself. 

Also, to our son Jack Alexander Keller Orellana who inspires us to grow and learn each day along with him. 

                                        Love always,

                                        Dad and Papi            

Forward

In a world that seems to accelerate endlessly, where time is both our greatest asset and our most elusive pursuit, finding meaning, happiness, and a deeper connection to our own spirits can often feel like a huge challenge. Yet, nestled within the pages of this book, you hold the keys to unlocking a timeless journey—a journey to happiness and spiritual awareness that has the power to transform your life in the span of a mere week.

Life in a Week - 2nd Edition: A Journey to Happiness and Spiritual Awakening stands as a beacon of wisdom and guidance in simple words, beckoning to all those who seek a life with fulfillment, simplicity, and profound awareness. This edition is a continuation of the trailblazing path set forth by its predecessor, the work penned by me, Michael Keller in 2009. My first endeavor sought to aid those yearning for a more meaningful existence—a mission I now carry forward with renewed depth and insight from more years of an amazing life.

In this age of noise and distraction, where modernity often drowns out the whispers of our own souls, the words contained within these pages are a call to reconnect with our essence. Drawing upon years of wisdom gained through introspection, experience, studying some of the most spiritual teachings, and a profound commitment to understanding the human condition, I present a refined roadmap for embarking on a transformative journey.

This journey is not a mere collection of steps and rituals, but a simple approach to life—a celebration of the profound beauty hidden within the mundane, the sacredness inherent in the everyday. Through carefully crafted exercises, heartfelt reflections, and poignant anecdotes, I will try to guide us through the labyrinth of our thoughts, emotions, and aspirations, unveiling our own existence and illuminating the path towards self-discovery.

As we embark on this journey, we are invited to shed the layers of societal conditioning, to strip away the noise that masks our true selves, and to rediscover the purity of our souls. The second edition of Life in a Week is not just a book; it is a timeless companion, a steadfast ally, and a reservoir of wisdom that beckons us to dance with life's rhythm, to savor its fleeting moments, and to embrace the profound interconnectedness that binds us all.

So, dear reader, take a leap of faith into these pages. Allow these simple and down to earth words to wash over you, like a gentle breeze carrying the scent of possibility. As you embark on this week-long journey to happiness and spiritual awareness, may you discover that the treasure you seek has been within you all along. May you find solace, inspiration, and the profound sense of belonging that comes from realizing your place in our existence together in this amazing thing we call life.

With anticipation and heartfelt blessings,

Michael Shawn Keller

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Everyday Life..................................9 

Will This Really Matter in Five Years.....................9

Love Loves Company................................................13

Second Nature...........................................................19

Move That Body........................................................23

Chapter Two: Spirit................................................27

Foundations...............................................................27

The Judge...................................................................31

Forgive........................................................................35

One Week Left...........................................................39

Chapter Three: Common Ground.......................42

Work...........................................................................42

It's Not What You Have but What You Are..........46 

Trust...........................................................................51

Lighten Up.................................................................54

Chapter Four: Life Lessons..................................57

Be Careful of the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing..........57

Laughing....................................................................61

Tough Love................................................................64

Where We Are...........................................................68

New Day Brings a New Beginning..........................70

Headaches..................................................................75

Knowing Ourselves...................................................79

Chapter Five: Spirituality....................................82

Recognize Faults and Let Go...................................82

Giving.........................................................................85

All Humans Are Weak..............................................95

Talk is Cheap.............................................................99

Keep Discouragement Out of Your Life................103

Love Your Neighbors...............................................107

Mind Your Business.................................................111

Chapter Six: Sickness and Death.......................115

Disease.......................................................................115

Pray for the Dead.....................................................120

Helping Loved Ones Pass Away with Dignity......123

Write Your Own Obituary......................................127

Closing Thoughts....................................................129

About the Author....................................................131

Chapter One: Everyday Life

WILL THIS REALLY MATTER IN FIVE YEARS?

We live in a strange time and in a strange world. It’s funny how we’re all here on a planet that spins around the universe in circles nonstop. There are many worlds out there in many galaxies. There are billions of living creatures and life surrounding us, yet we get caught up in our own little worlds. We worry about some of the stupidest things, things that don’t even matter, or things that will only happen in your own head because they simply will never actually happen.

We worry about money, popularity, cars, our shoes… whatever. It doesn’t matter. Trust me when I say it doesn’t matter. It’s all an illusion made up in our own minds. We think so much about these worries, or illusions, that we create significant amounts of unnecessary stress. This stress will eventually turn into ulcers, premature aging, and sickness. Usually, when we get those symptoms, we will turn to negative outlets such as self-medication, alcohol, or overeating. Regardless of whatever outlet we choose to turn to, we will end up with the same result. That result is usually emptiness, sadness, or hatred.

  We need to remember that there are some things that we cannot change, the sun goes down each night and then returns the next day and winter comes but spring will soon return. These are things that happen no matter what, we have been recording this for thousands of years so why do people get so stressed when winter comes, and the crops won’t grow? What we can change though is our attitude or our thoughts. Nothing changes if we do not change. If you are unhappy with where you are at this time in your life but do nothing to change it then let me tell you where you will be in five years; yup, right where you are! I once told a co-worker don’t work to expect only a paycheck, work on yourself and do all that you can to improve yourself and the work will flow to you, and you won’t need to sweat 10 hours a day for simply a paycheck. He took my advice and started to learn everything he could about the trade we were working in and soon opened his own business which grew twice as large as the company we were working for at the time.

  As soon as we realize that all those worries are just illusions within our own minds and that they really won’t matter in the long run, it will be so much easier to just let them go. Let them roll right off your back. Every time something bothers me, I ask myself one simple question: Will this really matter in five years? If not, I let it go. After you do this a few times, it will become a habit, and you will see that these worries really will just roll off your back.

It took me a long time to figure out how to let go of everyday stress. For a long time, I would let things get to me and constantly worry about that driver who cut me off on my way to work, the phone bill that was due last week, or the kid at the coffee shop who didn’t put cream in my coffee when I specifically asked for cream. The list could go on for pages. My mind was going all the time, screaming at me, and arguing with me to just stay mad because it is easier. The chatter in my head was so constant that I didn’t have the time or energy to change my habits. If only I knew years ago that our thoughts create our realities, this simple fact can change anyone’s life. What we focus on is attracted to us and what we think about will always become reality so remember to listen to your thoughts carefully and learn to re-think what you are concentrating on throughout the day.

  We all have two voices in our heads. We are constantly talking to each of them. I know this sounds weird, but it is true. Let’s take a few seconds and do this small test to help me to show you what I mean. Stop reading for fifteen seconds, and just sit still and think about absolutely nothing. Okay, start now. Alright, you are back. Great! Did you have one voice tell you that this author doesn’t know what he is talking about, that you don’t have voices in your head? Meanwhile, did the other voice disagree with you and begin thinking about what you are going to cook for dinner or why the sky is blue? The voices just keep going and going. Sometimes when you are trying to fall asleep, they keep talking and asking you questions like Did you call Madison back? Did you put the toilet seat down? I wonder how Jack is doing? And they keep going and going. It’s as if they just need to keep talking and going on about anything and everything (we all know someone like that too). Those voices or thoughts are normal and healthy if you can get them to be quiet when you want to fall asleep or relax. We let our minds chatter sometimes to distract us from the issues that bombard us all day at work, school, on the news, etc.

As we change the way we think and live in a more positive and loving way, all that chatter seems to quiet down automatically, and it turns into normal thoughts of the moment. When we learn to think and live in the moment and not in the past or in the future, but right now, life gets so much better and easier. This is a very difficult thing to do because we have EGO’s and honestly, I think we may even like the drama when we focus on something in the past that we didn’t like or stress about the worries of the future. Let me let you in on a small secret that took me well into my forties to figure out; most of the things we worry about will never happen so just let it go and enjoy the moment at hand. Of course, we should plan for tomorrows but just don’t live there.

  Life constantly changes every minute of every day, and that is a great thing. If it didn’t change, we would live stale lives. If we live in the past, then we are missing out on the now. It is a wonderful thing to remember, rejoice in, and learn from the past, but it is a dangerous thing to stay there. The same goes with the future. We should save money and set goals for the future (envision them in detail and they will happen sooner than you imagine), but don’t forget to enjoy