Project Everlasting success in JAPAN!

Last summer, Japan released a translated version of our Project Everlasting book and we are grateful to announce that it was a national bestseller for the first few weeks on the shelves. It's not the NY Times, sure, but it still felt good to know that our labor of love was well-received internationally.

Here are some testimonials from some of our Japanese readers...

Hello Jason, Thank you so very much for you email! I did regret not writing my name in the comments section, so I'm really glad you asked. My name is Anna. I came across your book one night at a neighborhood bookstore, while I was in search of another book. While I was in search, my eyes were drawn to your book. When you suddenly come across an unexpected book,it's destiny :)

So I picked it up. Since the topic was something I've been pondering about since my early childhood years, I thought it would be a great hint for life. So as soon as I started reading, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was intrigued by the many truths unfolded, and simply enchanted by those true love stories. Now I understand what my mother meant when she told me that love"takes time". I guess love is like a big piece of painting that requires, patience and faith to turn into a masterpiece. But always with lot's of fun :D

I just want to thank you again for the consideration to ask for my name.And another thank you for working on such an amazing book.Please give my regards to Mat too. Have a fantastic night!

Hugs and Peace from Japan,
Anna

***

Dear Mathew Boggs, Jason Miller, Grandma Dorothy,
I'm Japanese, I read your book in Japanese. It is wonderful book, I cried for some stories, and Grandma Dorothy with raining. I laugh at Mathew and Jason's comments. The translation is very good. I think Japanese can also learn a lot from your book. I'd like to watch the DVD, so I hope to sell it with Japanese subtitles. Thank you.

Best Regards,
Akiko Koga(female)

***

Dear Jason and Mat,
Hi! My name is Chika and I am from Japan. I bought your "Project Everlasting" book which is translated in Japanese. I was going to buy some other books and looking around the bookstore. Then this fantastic book just caught my eyes! Really nice hardcovered book with a very interesting title! Two bachelors to find the marriage masters across the States? My first impression was "No way!" I was really curious how you could find such couples and what you both would do with these people! This two questions just led me buy the book!

When I got back home, I immediately started reading! Within a day, I even finished reading half way. I decided not to read whole entire book within two days, so I read one chapter in a day. Trust me, it was really hard to close the book since each story really has a lot of meanings of love. I am also single woman and living with my boyfriend. Although these stories are coming from marriage masters, it still gives great advice on my relationship with him. I am actually practicing many advice on my relationship. Of course, some are not easy to follow, but I am doing my best!

I wanted to let both of you know that I am really grateful to meet this book and now I am really looking forward to having a family with husband. Again, thank you so much!

Warmest regards,
Chika

May Edition of Love Notes, Project Everlasting's Free Newsletter

IN MEMORY

One moment, her eyes were present and bright; the next, faded into the confusing abyss of a life without history, a seeming non-existence. Anne Stidham's mind was afflicted by Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease is the ultimate thief: Silent, it sneaks calmly into your bedroom closet while you're brushing your teeth; Subtle, it lifts smaller items here and there, month by month, so that by the time you realize something's missing half your belongings are gone; Merciless, it does not take what it wants and bolt out the back window as you pull the car up the drive, but rather makes a homestead in your brain, ever increasing its lot, pickpocketing your property until you don't remember who you are. And you die with no memory of the life you've lived.

Or, in Anne's case, the husband you've loved for 63 years.

When Mat and I interviewed Anne and her husband, Jim, back in 2005, it was clear that the thief had been with her for quite awhile. She would begin to answer our questions about their early marriage days, then hesitate, confused, then agitated, until finally she'd look to Jim for answers to a question she couldn't remember.

It's frustrating enough as an interviewer when you know the story is right there, just a few details away from being an illuminating anecdote for, in our project's case, how to make a successful relationship tick. But I think it's safe to say we had no idea what frustration really felt like when compared to the daily struggles for Jim, a man who could do nothing for his wife but watch her slowly get robbed of all memory by a disease that has no known cures. Then again, there was just one other thing Jim could do, which he did wholeheartedly: Love her.

There's that famous poem about love in the Bible, often quoted at wedding ceremonies: Love is patient, love is kind, it begins. And that's just it: that's where love's definition merely begins. Because, as Jim's compassion-filled eyes told me that day we sat with him and his memory-challenged wife, Love is not defined in words.

Many of you responded passionately to the last Love Notes I wrote to you, the one about change and compassion, but nobody's response hit me like the one from Stidham's daughter, who replied from Jim's email address:

This is Anne and Jim's daughter. My dad passed away 6 hours short of their 64th wedding anniversary. My mother is sufficiently confused that we never told her, but she knows anyway.
This [email] will be closed shortly.

I wept as I reread the message and thought back to Jim's big, triumphant laughter while he was describing a fight between him and Anne:

"So she sat on top of me and grabbed me by the ears and started pounding my head against the floor and I was just laughing!"

While Mat and I laughed with Jim (now that's a fight!), I noticed Anne's reaction; her face told me that she did not recall this event. And I imagine that since that day, Anne's condition only worsened causing her to simply forget Jim altogether at times, further testing his capacity for patience and selfless love, which, I believe, is the deepest, most inherent gift a relationship can offer: the mirror into which we can look to discover just where exactly we are in our hero's journey - not the journey to amass financial wealth or material goodies, of course, but our spiritual journey to be peaceful and be happy and to know God...to know Love.

Can you create tranquility in your heart and soul, right now and always, regardless of the external circumstances? The best source for your answer to that question is in your intimate relationships with the people who matter most to you.

Whenever someone dies, I think it's important to look upon the person's life and illuminate the positive legacy left behind, and since Anne may or may not remember much about her husband of just six hours shy of 64 years, may you and I honor James Stidham's memory right now by recognizing his essential greatness: He was a truly loving man...he is a hero.

Many blessings to you today...make every memory count, ok?

Jason Miller
Project Everlasting


**** Always feel free to pass this or any other edition of our free newsletter, Love Notes, along to your friends, family, and colleagues. And thank you for helping us increase love in the world, one heart at a time.

Love Notes: Spring Cleaning & Thoughts on Change [April/08]

April 28th, 2008

Spring Cleaning & Thoughts on Change

Ah, the great practice of spring cleaning and rejuvenating...

Mat and I are just now emerging from a short nap in our respective bachelor caves where we each took opportunities to go on retreat and gather thoughts and creative energy. Coming back together, we then challenged ourselves at a Men's Leadership retreat. After that, Mat spent some quality time with Bob Proctor (The Secret) to become a Life Success consultant and Law of Attraction presenter (more on this later).

On a personal level, I packed up my boxes and moved up north to Washington state. The change-up absolutely rocked me. As in (and I'll borrow a line Mat and I heard more than twelve times at Men's Leadership): I WAS LIKE A SCARED LITTLE BOY.

For two weeks straight, the process of going through my things and facing ten hundred little-decisions-that-appear-to-be-huge-decisions (like, whether or not to toss the collection of iron-on decal t-shirts I so very much treasure...) tormented me into a "don't call me, I'm le'depressed" attitude. I made Mat's life hell (running a partnership with someone who doesn't want any more decisions, never mind communication, is rough). I was a scared, ungrounded little boy. And so I kept the iron-on decal t-shirts. All twelve of them. So there.

But now that I'm finally moved and unpacked and absolutely loving my decision to create a new home, I look back at those two weeks of self-torment and (a) laugh at myself, and (b) take a moment to reflect on lessons learned. One of the insights I found may help to serve you in your interpersonal relationships -- including the one with yourself -- today:

We are all wildly dynamic Beings...act accordingly.

My 30th birthday was in March and it capped off a winter of dramatic spiritual upheaval for me. During that transformational period of four or five months, I entered into new relationships with new friends (and love interests) which reflected my...oh, we'll call it "spiritual courageousness". Essentially, I was more daring with my authenticity, more lovingly, outwardly focused than usual (it was at this time that I met Nathan Turner on the streets). For those new friends coming into my life, the snapshot of me was a grounded, peaceful Jason.

Enter Hurricane...um, Trevor.

You know what they say about first impressions, right? Hard to forget. But if these new friends would have seen me during my two weeks of "like a scared little boy" packing madness and t-shirt decision-time sadness, they would have had a hard time reconciling the "change" they witnessed in me. I did not match the snapshot they'd taken of me prior; I simply was not me.

Enter Compassion.

My beautiful new friends continued to love me, despite my altered, less enjoyable personality, and for this I feel grateful. They exemplified the kind of compassion Mat and I saw so many times in our couples who'd not only gone the distance, but gone the distance enjoying one another's presence. As we say in our workshop, the Marriage Masters continually give each other a soft place to fall. How good does it feel to know that no matter how challenging my personality may become, I am loved by the people who choose to see the Truth within me at all times? Incredible.

It's my prayer for you, wildly dynamic person, that you are creating and maintaining each of your relationships with unflinching compassion. It's time to check in...to observe how you handle change in your relationships...and decide whether or not your attitude and behavior are serving you in your quest towards true love.

Have you ever heard the saying "A woman will choose a husband thinking she can change him; a man will choose a wife thinking she'll never change"? Have you noticed how true that is in the folks around you? Better yet, have you noticed how that may be playing out in your interpersonal relationships? Are you allowing your mate to grow and expand his/her creative expression...or are you resenting him/her for not being the person you first met and fell in love with? And, finally, are you giving yourself permission to shed old skin, old beliefs about your role and place in the world and in your relationships with others...

The question is: are you being Present in your relationships? When we get grounded and look at our mates in the present, we do not compare them to yesterday's version and ask, "Why can't he/she be like that again?" Or, "How can I change him/her back?" Rather, we ask, "How does God see him/her?" Then: "How can I see him/her like God does? How can I show understanding for where he/she is at right now?"

And remember: we are wildly dynamic beings. Change is absolutely a good thing, even if it means losing the [insert your attachment here; iron-on decal t-shirt collection, for instance]. Because look, let's face it, a marriage that lasts 40+ years isn't inherently pleasurable -- Mat and I witnessed this more than once, unfortunately. Forty years of stasis in any activity is a good prescription for...eh...death(?). A passionate marriage is the union of two passionate beings who both commit to compassionately supporting one another's growth and change. The Ruth and Eddie Elcotts (click here to watch their segment from our documentary film) of the world are lifelong mates who remain madly in love because they're growth-oriented individuals who commit to expressing themselves as authentically as possible -- and change is the truest form of authenticity I know of! And, sure, sometimes they piss each other off (all the time, actually), but at the end of the day Eddie looks at Ruth and sees her light shining brighter than ever, and realizes that she is annoying, yes, but bea. Meanwhile, Ruth looks back at Eddie and can't help but shake her head and say, "Divorce? Never. Murder? Often. But I can't get enough of you and I love you back."

So before you run off to do your own spring cleaning (or at least become okay with the idea of spring cleaning and change), check out this insight from Victor Frankl:

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

May your relationships flourish due to your loving embrace of change and growth. Be well, my friend!

With love and gratitude,

Jason Miller
Co-Author and Producer of Project Everlasting
Projecteverlasting.com

Ruth & Eddie Elcott, from the documentary film and Chapter 2 of Project Everlasting: How do you keep from driving each other nuts?

Wow...Updates! [Love Notes 1/28]

Where do I begin? I feel an urge to list and so, I shall list:

All of the Exciting Things Going On In the World of Project Everlasting

1. The Bachelor Pad
Wanna know what men have to say about love, relationships, and women? I mean, what they really say? So do we! That's why we're gearing up to launch our very own radio show on VoiceAmerica, the #1 rated Internet Radio network in the world (5 million hits a month on their websites!), this March. Yes, it's called "The Bachelor Pad", and it's going to be highly entertaining...and, dare I say, meaningful (?) for men who want MORE in their love lives and women who want some answers to the age-old question: What the heck is he THINKING?! ...hehe, who? Me?

ATTENTION Business Owners: If you want to get your message out to a worldwide audience via The Bachelor Pad, we still have some sponsor and advertiser slots available to you at ground-level rates (i.e., affordable!). Get your audio or video commercial, web banners, or even product placements (envision: Mat and I = Wayne and Garth) on a really fun, unique show -- contact me real quick with a few details about your business and I'll send you an info deck: Jason Miller by email -- devoted(at)projecteverlasting.com

2. Project Everlasting Book Clubs and Movie Nights

We hear about groups all around the country using Project Everlasting in their book clubs and group movie nights, so Mat and I decided to drop in unannounced on one here in Portland, Oregon, just to see if they'd been inspired by what they read and watched...a resounding yup! So inspired, in fact, that they fed us apple cobbler and herbal tea (any flavor you want, Jason!) right there on the spot. They'd just sat down to watch the PE documentary film as we knocked on the door, and this is how one of the women described our surprise appearance in a letter to us:

"Looking out the window and seeing two young men walk up the drive way. I didn't recognize you but I felt safe opening the door because all of the other women were here for protection in case it was needed. So I opened it and you said "We heard that you have ladies meeting here." "Yes" ... I didn't recognize you...Duh!! "For a book club...." OH MY! Lighting struck my brain and started it working and it was THEM!!! WOW!! How did you know where we were???!!! And in you came and excitement hit!!!"

Besides the dessert and beverages, what was most exciting to Mat and me was the conversation that the book and film had obviously inspired (and, it seems, sometimes provoked) within the group of women themselves, but also with their special someones back home. What a rewarding feeling for us to hear how the Marriage Masters' stories and wisdom had inspired so much growth in their relationships!

So, if you're using the PE book or film in a group setting and you'd like to share the conversations, feelings, and growths that you've collectively experienced, please email me with a note plus a picture of your group with the book and/or film, and I will post them to our blog. This kind of thing really helps us to remember that our work has meaning for people, especially in the middle of those long, exhausting road trips to speak all over the country!

3. Speaking of Speaking
Mat and I are going to be all over the place this winter and spring! Come catch one of our workshops, signings, and/or talks If you are near any of these cities:

Honolulu (I'm doing signings at Deepak Chopra's event next Monday, 1/28), Los Angeles (Mat's speaking at Miracle Mastery conference this weekend), Sacramento, San Diego, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland

Take a peek at www.projecteverlasting.com/upcoming_appearances.html to get more details.

Also, to update you on the "Living the Life" TV segment we put together for CBN on the ABC Family cable network, it will officially air on February 14th (appropriate?). Again, check the "Upcoming Appearances" page on our site for air time details.

4. Early Notice for The Dream Launchers Seminar

People have been asking us for quite a while now, "How did you make this crazy project happen? What'd you learn? How'd you get media attention? How'd you get a literary agent? How'd you get a publishing deal? A TV deal? And, most of all, how in the heck did you stay committed for 4+ years (before you saw a dime in return!)?"

Well, we've listened, and we've answered...we're putting together an awesome, one day event called The Dream Launchers Seminar right here in Portland, Oregon, later this spring. More details to come, but we're looking at May.

5. The University of Love Sorority Series

All right, and finally, we've just launched an exciting new speaking series for universities and sororities across the country. We've been talking about doing this for a long time, so it's nice to see it finally get off our minds and into reality. To learn more about how you can bring us to your college, visit: www.projecteverlasting.com/sororityseries.html

***

And that's it for now...I've gotta go lick some envelopes. Or...ok, ONE more:

6. Writing Our Next Book

Mat and I are heading off to a self-titled "Mt. Bachelor Writer's Conference" this spring, which is really nothing more than a quaint little mountain cabin in Oregon where we finally sit down to get serious about a book that has been both on our minds and on the page since...well, since the beginning of our project in 2003. We'd originally thought it would be awesome to model what our mentor, Mark Victor Hansen, did with his fiction/non-fiction combination "The One Minute Millionaire".

After a year of toying with the fictional story (based on true events that inspired our Project Everlasting mission), and creating an outline, and trying desperately to make it work with the non-fiction material we'd been collecting from Marriage Master interviews, we finally looked at each other and said: "Dude, we're in over our heads here...let's simplify this before we turn 30 and we don't have any thing to show to a publisher." (Mat and I just made the cut-off!)

So, we're going back to the story we've been dying to tell. If you think you'd like a Gen-Y version of Mitch Albom, you're going to love this novel!

***

Ok, seriously. I need to go brush my teeth...thanks for being with me today. I'm out!

With love & gratitude,
Jason Miller
Co-Author/Producer of Project Everlasting: Two Bachelors Discover the Secrets of America's Greatest Marriages

* PS * We've made it super-easy for you to own a signed copy of the bestselling book + the documentary film at a low, low price of $34.95 (+SH)! Get the Project Everlasting Love Package today so you can be ahead of the game for Valentine's Day!

To Own the Everlasting Love Package (autographed book + film), Click Here:
http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/netcart.asp?MerchantID=85711&ProductID=3746491
To Own the Book, Click Here:
http://www.projecteverlasting.com/buy_book.html
To Own the Documentary Film, Click Here:
http://www.projecteverlasting.com/about_film.html