For the past 20 years I have been involved in the human potential, personal development field. Sometimes referred to as Large Group Awareness Trainings or LGAT'S, I have found this particular field to be both personally challenging and immensely rewarding.

Although still involved in this field, but not to the extent that I used to be, I have also observed and learned many lessons over the course of the last 20 years.

When I initially began my involvement, it was due in large part to a desire to make a difference in the world. I had recently gone through and completed a three level curriculum in the LGAT arena and was excited to continue by sharing with others about what I had learned about myself and my potential, and to assist others to learn the same about themselves.

Because the training had had such a profound effect on me, I held it as almost sacred and wanted others to do the same. As such, my expectations were that others would see the training in much the same way I did. However, over the course of time I found that many, if not most of the people who went through, held the training as a valuable and worthwhile process, yet many did not hold it as sacred like I did. This realization was both difficult and painful to me as I wondered how and why others did not or could not see it for what I saw it to be. In many ways, I judged others as "not living the training" or "selling out" on themselves for not embracing the principles taught in the training the same way I did!

Then, somewhere along the way I had this epiphany!!! I realized that perhaps it was not that others were selling out on their training, but that they were living it exactly as they did, having had their life experiences, their personal perspectives and beliefs about life with which to filter the principles through. Thus, the way they saw and interpreted the training would naturally be different than mine, since none of us had the exact same life experiences!

Moving forward to 2011. I have in some small ways re-entered the arena of politics. Not as a candidate nor anyone in any official capacity. I simply have the same desire I always have had, which is to see where I can be effective in making a difference in this world. As such, I have always maintained an interest in politics. While it was not practical to air my views in the LGAT arena, I have always kept abreast as best I could the goings on of the political side of life.

Over the course of the years, my views have always been on the side of smaller government and more personal liberty. As such I had become disaffected by what was called the conservative players in government, in that they seemed to have strayed quite a bit off the track of the principles that I felt were consistent with smaller government conservatives. Even to the point where many of my votes went to the Libertarian candidates. In 2008 I supported my personal friend, Dr. Joe Buchman, as he ran for congress on the Libertarian ticket. While I knew he wouldn't win, I wanted to send a message, in my small way, that politics as we know it, is not acceptable to me. And even though his Republican opponent agreed with much of Joe's positions, I voted for Joe because I agree with him, and knew that there was no danger of the Democratic candidate to be elected. I wanted to send a message to the Republicans that politics as we know it, gets to change. So in some ways, I was Tea Party before Tea Party was cool!