MAX Mindfulness: Fear and Wholeness

Fear is a big obstacle. There are the day-to-day fears that come up for us. Fast traffic on the freeway. A tornado warning. A snake on our front porch. The fear of speaking up in a meeting. The fear we are going to get sick.

But then there are the really big ones. The ones that we all share together as humanity. The ones that are part of our deepest psyches. The three big ones are fear of separation (being alone); fear of failure (self-esteem); and fear of being good enough. These fears cripple us and keep us from being who we could otherwise be.

There are countless books, classes, seminars, and materials devoted to helping us overcome these fears. There are lists, practices, techniques, applications and many many more that are available for us to use as tools to help us overcome these fears. One could spend the rest of their lifetime focused on these. And...they do help. But...they can also be unhelpful. Why?

Because the very things we focus on become even larger for us. If we focus on our fear of snakes, then every time we take a walk or go out in the woods that thought, “My fear of snakes” will only get stronger because what we think about we strengthen. Many of the tools named above can help us overcome our fears but you have to be very careful not to fall into the trap of becoming even more of the very thing you are trying to rid yourself of in the first place.

Let’s say you are out for a walk in the woods. And that inevitable fear of a slithery reptile crosses your mind once again. It won’t work to say “I can’t wait to see a snake. I love them now.” Because you don’t like them and you are afraid of them. That is not being honest with yourself. The answer is in focusing your mind on something you do like. “I love the smell of the woods.” “I hear the birds singing.” “The flowers are so beautiful.” In other words, take your mind’s focus away from the fear to the things you love and find supportive. You focus your mind on something you DO LIKE or you DO FEEL GOOD ABOUT anytime a fear comes up.

I have found that when you do this your chances of running into a snake diminish. They really do! When I focus on the fear of snakes, I inevitably not only tread carefully and fearfully. I usually end up crossing paths with a snake. Why? Because we are more powerful than we can imagine. We can create and do create our realities! Our minds are so powerful we attract that to which we focus our attention, especially IF that attention is coupled by our emotion. And that emotion can be positive emotion or negative emotion. And most of our fears and the effects of our attraction are more critical than just a fear of snakes. So if we focus on the fear it only strengthens that fear.

So if you want to attract the things you love and don’t fear in your life you have to focus on those things that represent love for you. And focusing on the things you love is another way of staying focused on wholeness. That works for both our personal and professional lives!

Photo of Dave Wine

David Wine

David is the President and CEO of the MAX enterprise, having served in that capacity since its formation in 2001.   He has forty plus years of  leadership experience in the business and faith-based worlds, being an ordained minister, having been elected to the highest position in his denomination,  and receiving numerous awards and recognition for his leadership in the insurance industry. He currently serves on numerous boards in the church and insurance sectors.  His hobbies include hiking, biking, skiing and snowshoeing as well as being an avid reader.  David and his wife, Sharon, have three daughters, a son, and six grandchildren.

Happy Heart of MAX Month

February is known for many things – Valentine’s Day, Heart Health Month, President’s Day and at MAX we dedicate February as the Heart of MAX Month.  What are we referring to?  Our Mutual Aid Ministries program!

Our Mutual Aid Ministries program is the Heart of MAX.  It’s what makes MAX different from other insurance companies.  By giving back to our agents’ communities, we help organizations that are doing good locally.  We call this our Agent Community Grant program.  In addition to these grants, Mutual Aid Ministries operates a non-profit which provides grants to individuals facing extreme hardships caused by job loss, health problems and other significant challenges.

So, on behalf of the MAX team, Happy Heart of MAX month!  If you want to learn more about Mutual Aid Ministries, click here or call us at 877-971-6300.

Hofer and MAX Insurance Provide Grant to Hope Reins Equestrain Program

(Freeman, SD) — Disadvantaged children will get a chance to work with horses at the Hope Reins Equestrian Outreach center thanks to a gift from Hofer Insurance Agency and its partner insurance provider MutualAid eXchange (“MAX”).

Hope Reins works with children who are in foster care or who have been rescued from abusive or neglectful situations.  At Hope Reins they have a chance to work with and ride horses alongside volunteer mentors.

“This is a terrific program that gives kids a positive experience working with horses and with mentors who are good role models,” said Carlos Hofer of the Hofer Agency.  “We’ve seen children respond positively after being around the animals, caring for them and getting instructions from the mentor/teachers.”

Hofer Insurance is an independent insurance agency representing MAX Insurance in Freeman and surrounding areas.  MAX Insurance, based in Overland Park, KS, is a unique fair, faithful and socially responsible insurance enterprise.  Founded on religious principles, the company’s mission is to restore wholeness to communities and individuals in need.  It lives out its mission through a variety of quality, fairly-priced insurance products, outstanding personalized customer service and its non-profit Mutual Aid Ministries (“MAM”) program.

“MAX is more than an insurance company.  We truly care beyond the contract,” said David Wine, President and Chief Executive Officer.  “That’s why we are excited to partner with Hofer Insurance to help the Hope Reins Equestrian Program.”

For more information:

Carlos Hofer
Hofer Insurance
27566 433 Ave
Freeman, SD  57029
605-925-4383

MAX Insurance, www.MAXInsurance.com.

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Troyer-Weaver Insurance Partners with MAX Insurance in Donation to Pryor Ministries Center

Pryor Ministries Center
Pryor Ministries Center

(PRYOR, OK) – The good Samaritan would feel right at home at Pryor Ministries Center.  People in need are always welcome at the center which provides them with food, clothing and other essentials.

That’s why Ken Weaver of the Troyer-Weaver Insurance Agency, Inc. — together with one of its insurance providers, MutualAid eXchange (“MAX”) – recently made a generous donation to the center.

“I felt our gifts would really help the center during this time when families are needing supplies to start the new school year,” Weaver said.  “I really admire what Pryor Ministries Center does for our community.  And, it fits well with MAX’s goals of sustaining wholeness by helping and ministering to those who are less fortunate. It reflects Christ’s love to those who may not have a church home, or they need to know Christians care about them and are willing to share material blessings with them.”

MAX Insurance of Overland Park, KS, is a unique fair, faithful and socially responsible insurance enterprise.  Founded on religious principles, the company’s mission is to restore wholeness to communities and individuals in need.  It lives out its mission through a variety of quality, fairly-priced insurance products, outstanding personalized customer service and its non-profit Mutual Aid Ministries (“MAM”) program.  Mutual Aid Ministries helps communities and families after unexpected financial crises.  It partners with its independent insurance agencies to support worthwhile community charities and programs.

“MAX is more than an insurance company.  We truly care beyond the contract,” said David Wine, President and Chief Executive Officer.  “That’s why we are excited to partner with Troyer-Weaver Insurance on this important project.  We think that’s the way insurance should be.”

Troyer-Weaver Insurance is located at 20 N. Vann Street, Pryor, OK  74361.  Phone 918-825-1814.  Email:  twinsurance@sbcglobal.net.

More about MAX Insurance and Mutual Aid Ministries is available at www.MAXInsurance.com.

Photo:  Ken Weaver presenting a check from MAX and Troyer-Weaver Insurance Agency’s matching check to Angela Boy, Director of the Pryor Ministries Center.

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MAX Mindfulness: Stay out of BED!

by Dave Wine, President & CEO

Mindfulness can be practiced in a lot of different ways.  Besides specific breathing, focusing, listening and other similar exercises, mindfulness can be practiced through focusing on a thought or a sentence or a quote and just resonating with that for a period of time.  Let me share one with you today:

BED:  as in, Stay out of BED!   What, Dave, is that all about?  Well, in this case, BED, stands for three other words:

  • Blame
  • Excuse
  • Denial

These three words form most of the ways we skirt around self-responsibility and mindfulness is really one of the most powerful ways we can stay responsible to and with ourselves.  By blaming others (the opposite of not taking responsibility for ourselves); by excusing ourselves (again not taking responsibility) or using denial (not my fault – something or someone else is responsible!), we create a context that leads to projecting onto others and other things the reason we are who we are or do what we do.  We give up our personal power when we do that.

So this simple mindful exercise is taking a thought we can easily remember – Stay out of BED!- and then taking time to pause and reflect on ways we may be staying in BED in our lives.  The awareness that comes with that reflection can then help us catch ourselves when we mistakenly blame others, excuse ourselves, or deny that we were responsible.   And remember – always do this with a forgiving, loving, affirming attitude toward yourself!   We all do this at times – it is not about perfection – it is about improvement and using mindfulness as a tool to enable this greater awareness of ourselves.


Dave WineDavid Wine

David is the President and CEO of the MAX enterprise, having served in that capacity since its formation in 2001.   He has forty plus years of  leadership experience in the business and faith-based worlds, being an ordained minister, having been elected to the highest position in his denomination,  and receiving numerous awards and recognition for his leadership in the insurance industry. He currently serves on numerous boards in the church and insurance sectors.  His hobbies include hiking, biking, skiing and snowshoeing as well as being an avid reader.  David and his wife, Sharon, have three daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.