Daily Inspiration 11-30-17

"Fantasy Football: 

Winning the Super Bowl 

without ever showing up for practice." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[Classic post from 10-5-16]

James Allen said:

"Mind is the master power that molds and makes, 

 and Man is Mind, and evermore he takes 

the tool of Thought, and shaping what he wills, 

brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:-- 

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass: 

Environment is but his looking-glass." 

This morning I read this quote from Abraham, Esther Hicks that just came:

"Each and every component that makes up your life experience is drawn to you by the powerful Law of Attraction's response to the thoughts you think and the story you tell about your life. Your money and financial assets; your body's state of wellness, clarity, flexibility, size, and shape; your work environment, how you are treated, work satisfaction, and rewards--indeed, the very happiness of your life experience in general--is all happening because of the story that you tell." 

As I read that, I pondered it by asking myself, "am I attracting what I want? What are the stories that I am telling myself? Am I wanting the physical results without doing the mental work? If I am where I am financially, physically, and otherwise because of the stories I am telling myself, it might be better for me to pay more attention to the stories in my head."

A day or two ago, I mentioned seeing a pothole in the road. Suppose I see a pothole and then decide to find all the potholes in the city? What do you suppose will happen? I know. I would find a serious amount of potholes and all of them of different size, depth, shape. Some might be "pre-potholes," sort of like pre-diabetic, or pre-cancerous, and such. As I focus on those pre-potholes, they will surely become full-fledged official potholes.

And as I spend my time doing that, I am becoming a pothole expert of sorts. I could then write a book all about potholes, how they come to be, the various ways they show themselves, how to catch potholes in the pre-pothole stage so that they can be repaired before the actual pothole forms. I would have lots of photos of potholes, with scientific drawings, and maybe even links to a YouTube channel so that I could use video to promote my ideas about potholes. But, as I see in looking at YouTube and typing in 'potholes', there are already quite a number of people focused on potholes. I should be surprised, but I am not really, because there are potholes all around the world, and many much larger than those here in my city.

After a time, I see nothing but potholes. Everything around me reminds me of potholes. I write letters, appear at council meetings, cajole officials in public about potholes and how they are taking over the city, and they just ignore me. Sometimes, I just get screaming mad at these low-life politicians who won't listen to the facts and don't do anything about all the fricken potholes all around this city. We're drowning in potholes! They are everywhere! I hate potholes!

My mental life has taken charge of my physical life. My thoughts have built my story. My story has caused my actions. My actions have reinforced my story. I am feeding myself with my own dung.

Or, my story could be what is going well, going right, feels good, is good. I could spend my time building the building, rather than tearing everyone else's down. I could pay attention to my story and adjust as necessary to get what I want instead of what I don't want. I could see the world as good rather than bad, joyous instead of fearful, whole instead of broken. It is a place where potholes may exist, but I don't focus on them. I allow others and things to be as they will as I choose what I want and intend to see, hear, smell, taste, feel, and sense.


"If We Perceived Life With Reverence, We Would Stand In Awe At The Experience Of Physical Life And Walk The Earth In A Very Deep Sense Of Gratitude." -- Gary Zukav 

Spread Some Joy Today--by enjoying your beautiful smoothly paved Thursday.

Daily Inspiration 11-29-17

"The form of what you do

is less important

than the energy you hold

while you are doing it." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[New post]

I've long been a fan of the teachings of the late Jim Rohn. I remember that he said it was valuable to turn frustration into fascination. That has never left me from the moment I heard it on a tape recording many years ago. And, as I know that another of his teachings was that "things do not just happen, they happen just," I find my practice of being fascinated when things are not going according to some plan I had instead of being frustrated by them has changed my life oh so much. I am so grateful for these teachings which I find uses for almost every day of my life.

Today is a perfect example. Each and everything that I had planned today changed. People were not there when I had an appointment, people showed up unexpectedly twice, and so much more. I also found so many blessings during the day that those blessings so outweigh the challenges as to make it a very unfair competition.

I realized today that I have come to a place in my life where I have learned to go with the flow so to speak. I just watch it unfold in fascination and let any potential frustration go. Now, I'm not yet 100% on this because, after all, it is a practice, but it is well within me now so that it is something I will go to very quickly and laugh along the way that these things are happening at all.

We love being in control, but sometimes that eagerness for control is thwarted right in our face, and we want answers and we want to know what is going on and we can't get answers and we don't know what is going on and we might not even know who to blame, but we feel that we must blame. And yet, what good would that do. Our upsetedness leads only to our being more upset and so all that is going toward us instead of who we think should be the one to blame.

Which makes me laugh all the more. It becomes silliness, so why not laugh at it all.

But the lesson for me is to let go and pretend I'm in a small boat with some oars and to try to row upstream is to work like crazy trying to get where I think I want to be, when to put the oars in the boat and just let the current take me where it wants to go and just enjoy the journey wherever it may lead.


Today Nothing Went According To Plan And I Find Myself Thankful Anyway. Or Probably, Especially! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by not sweating the small stuff. It's all small stuff.

Daily Inspiration 11-28-17

"Peace on earth

is possible only when

you put peace before earth." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[New post]

Peace on earth, good will toward men. . . a phrase I've heard so many times, and especially this time of year.

I awoke this morning thinking of peace. What is peace? Is it the absence of conflict? Is it compromise? Is it a willingness to tolerate others in spite of the fact that we don't understand them or approve of how they live? What they do? Their culture, habits, religions?

Then this came to me: Harmony. It is the closest word I could think of to describe what peace is. It is harmony. It is harmony with the environment and harmony with each other. It is not toleration or even basic acceptance, it is harmony.

When I think of harmony, the first thing that comes to mind is music. Whether the music comes from our own vocal cords, or from some type of musical instrument, harmony is essentially more than one single note that is in resonance with the other. The notes are different and yet they are the same when they are in resonance. They are different and because they resonate, they compliment each other. They add to the whole. They improve the whole. Together with whatever number of notes, they become a symphony.

Think of a large symphony and all those different instruments, where there are even multiple instruments of the same type, like say, violins, for example. Even though there are multiples of the same type of instrument, each one is unique, and yet as they are skillfully played they resonate in such a way as to expand what was before to something quite delightfully different.

Then consider all the varied instruments from stringed instruments to reed instruments to horns to drums and percussive instruments, as varied as the piano is to the oboe, the kettle drum to the violin, the French horn to the guitar. They play different notes in different tones and timbre, low, high and in between, softly, and with panache, rhythmic and syncopated, so soft you can barely hear it, so loud it begs you to move. These and so much more come from this varied assembly.

This is harmony. This is peace. This is what peace is like in our world. When we have peace in our world, whether our own individual lives or that of the entire planet, we are in harmony with each other and all that is in that world we are focused on.


May Harmony Show You Peace. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by getting rid of the idea of tolerating others. That is only closing your eyes to something you don't want to see. Instead, find a real solution. Find the harmony that you can be in the symphony of your life.

Daily Inspiration 11-27-17

"The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics

or cynics whose horizons are limited by obvious realities.

We need men and women who can dream of things that never were."

-- John F Kennedy

"You see things; and you say, "Why?"

But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"

-- George Bernard Shaw

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible

is to go beyond them into the impossible."

-- Arthur C Clarke

[Classic post from 3-6-10]

Ever had anyone laugh at your ideas or thoughts? Anyone ever put them down and say what a dreamer you are, or how foolish you are to think that? Anyone ever remind you that you should focus on reality instead of playing around in a fantasy world? Anyone ever say you were crazy and couldn't possibly succeed at something? If so, then you can totally relate to JFK's quote about skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by obvious realities. I especially love the phrase obvious realities. If you are a realist, is there any other kind? Perhaps hidden realities, secret realities, unreal realities?

Anyone ask you why in the world you would want to do such a thing? George Bernard Shaw says a great question to ask back is why not? Who says you have to have a reason? That would be for the reality people. The unrealistic among us have no need for such trivial pursuits as reason or even logic. Philosophy is helpful, but mathematics is not necessary. We can pull numbers right out of thin air. That is where they prefer to float, you know.

Then, our fictional scientist, Arthur C Clark claims that there is only one way to find the limits and that is to exceed them. Rules are meant to be broken? If you can go there in your mind, who needs a spaceship? The state of possible is just beyond the border of impossible, or was it the other way around?

One thing is for sure and certain, I have learned to ignore all of these commentaries from the critical mass of the skeptic and cynics whose horizons are limited by obvious realities. The land of impossible is in a galaxy far, far away. I think why is on third base or was that when? A little aging humor.

Dream of things that never were. It's a great place to be. Ignore the obvious realities and say, why not? Why not? Why not you? Why not now?

You are cleared to move about the cabin. . .


It's Obvious To Me That We Can Do Anything We Can Think Up. Why Not?

Spread Some Joy Today--Go do something strange and fun this week. Take a long lunch and go see a movie in the middle of the day, or some other unusual thing. It will be fun and exciting and will give you such a boost. Go ahead. Take a chance.

Daily Inspiration 11-26-17

"Even while you strive

to improve your life,

you are whole, well,

and perfect where you stand." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[New post]

There's always something on the horizon, otherwise, we aren't looking and moving forward, but it is a reassuring thing to pause just enough to realize and accept that we are perfect right here and right now. We are loved. By many. By God. We are enough, and the pursuit of whatever is more that delights us at this moment is also perfect.


Injoy Yourself Today. Give Yourself Some Love. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by feeling it.

Daily Inspiration 11-25-17

"Facts are the enemy of truth." 

-- Dale Wasserman 

[New post]

Facts:

I paid good money for those things. They have value. I can recoup some of what I paid if I wanted to. I will need it again someday. I hate letting go of it. If I don't use it I can store it. I need this stuff.

Truth:

No one owns anything in this life. Everything is but a temporary possession, whether it be property of any kind or any things. When we don't use it in the present, those "things" become attachments. Our ultimate freedom is in the release. Use it or lose it. I need very little.

What an interesting experience I am going through right now. In the past few weeks, I have let go of many, many things that I have held onto for so many years. I finally threw away the master tapes from a record album I did in 1984. Who would want those? Not even me anymore. They've been in a file drawer all this time. Gone. Silliness holding on to them when they no longer mean anything except that I took part in the recording studio way back when.

Books. My entire personal library. I've boxed up 47 bankers boxes so far and can fill another 6-8 of them. I have 18 boxes of my favorite favorites set aside and now I am thinking that they can go too. I have quite a collection of signed books as well.

Sure all the stuff has value, but I haven't got the energy to try to sell any of it. I don't need the money. I could spend it on something, but I don't even want the money from these things. I'm giving it all away. And that feels like the best thing, the thing that is in most alignment with me to do.

Wow. Over 50 years of stuff. So many bookshelves, years of gathering tools, all the furniture, most appliances. I had no idea that there was this much stuff, most of which I only walked past occasionally. I'm going from 1848 square feet to around 150 square feet.


That Means I Have More Letting Go To Do. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving the things you love and leaving the things you don't.

Daily Inspiration 11-24-17

"Happiness

has nothing to do

with material things." 

-- Corey Smith 

[New post]

I was watching a new video on the Dylan Magaster channel where he interviews people who live in small spaces, including vans. This quote above came through at the end from one of the two being interviewed. They have lived out of a VW van for over five years and seem to thrive on the adventure of it all. And, as happens to me from time to time, something is said or written and I find it and I am amazed. Often, they are simple phrases that speak volumes in very few words as this one.

Sure, we can experience being happy with an achievement of some kind, a gift or purchase of a thing, a material object, accolades, and any number of situations, events, or things. In this, we can be happy which is like a more vivacious style of being pleased.

As I heard this quote, the real idea of happy came through. Happy is temporary. We are thrilled, pleased, happy for a short time, then we are on to something else. But happiness or happy-ness is an attitude. It is a perspective. It is long-term. Happy is short-term, it's here, it feels good, on to the next thing, and happy-ness is a point of view. It is how we see the world around us that we actually create. It is full of gratitude because it is gratitude that creates happy-ness.

Though happy and happy-ness both feel good, one is a short skip across the water like a flat stone, and the other is swimming in the depths of the world's oceans like a singing whale.


Happy-Ness Has Nothing To Do With Material Things. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by going for happy-ness by closing your eyes and reopening them to the delight and joy of being alive.

Daily Inspiration 11-23-17

"ThanksGiving is good

but,

ThanksLiving is better." 

-- Matthew Henry 

[New post]

It's all in our minds. And we have the only control panel access for our own mind, our choices, our decisions, our actions.

This I know for sure and for certain: Living life in constant gratitude is a beautiful life to live. Every single day of the year, even all throughout the day I find so many reasons to be thankful. And, here's the most interesting aspect of this: It keeps growing.


It Turned To Continual Joy Long Ago. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Thankfulness is where it starts.

Daily Inspiration 11-22-17

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts,

for you will never go any higher than you think."

-- Benjamin Disraeli

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow 

will be our doubts of today."

-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Classic post from 4-19-10]

Ever heard this phrase, "who do you think you are?" It is usually a question that is meant to put you back in your place and keep you where others think you should be. How about some of these: "How dare you think you can achieve that? Have you forgotten who you are and where you come from? Get your head out of the clouds and put your feet back on the ground. You can't do that. You're not qualified to do that."

Well, these statements are plentiful by those insecure and unadventurous souls. They don't want you to grow beyond where they are because it makes them uncomfortable. This could be a parent, a friend or even your boss at work.

It could be YOU.

I truly believe that we as humans can do anything we set our mind to and believe we can do. History has shown amazing changes and what took so long for many was the resistance of others to those ideas. Think about the helicopter. Leonard da Vinci had the concept of the helicopter and made a drawing of the concept in about 1493, it was over 500 years later that one actually was made and flown, in 1906. It was still later in 1942 before they were produced in any quantity. The earliest concepts of the helicopter come from the Chinese circa 400 BC.

In today's world, we don't even flinch when an idea goes from idea to product in weeks or months instead of 2,500 years. What an amazing period the 20th century has been when you look at the whole of human history.

Thinking big and highly of yourself as a creator is the way things get from ideas to reality. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Make your own decision. You can do anything you set your mind and determination to do. The only thing stopping you is your own limiting beliefs.


I Am What I Believe About Myself.

Spread Some Joy Today--If you've heard those negative questions and comments about what you can and cannot accomplish, it is high time that you bring yourself to the top of your priority list. Step one: Ignore other people whenever they speak limitation to you. Step two: Decide you're worthy. Step three: Dream boldly. Step four: Act with confidence. Step five: Have a thankful heart.

Daily Inspiration 11-21-17

"Procrastination is the art 
of keeping up with yesterday."

-- Don Marquis

"[Procrastination.] 
I'm so good at it, I could teach it."

-- Jim Rohn

"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal

hanging on of an uncompleted task."

-- William James

Classic post from 9-26-10]

Guilt is married to procrastination and they both flirt with frustration. What a family that is! I say, let's divorce them all and move on. . . or maybe I should think about it just a little longer. . . I don't want to be too harsh and too quick to judge, you know.

Of course, we put things off. That is part of choosing every day. Choice is good, but guilt about that is bad. Whatever we don't do that day regardless of the list we have, whether self-generated or other-generated, is what we didn't do. So what?

I've started looking at this as just choices instead of procrastination. If I don't participate in procrastination, I have no need for any guilt about it, or frustration either. I'm free to roam about the cabin.

I'm really beginning to like this power of choice thing. . . pretty cool.


It's About Choices: Our Own Power To Choose.

Spread Some Joy Today--Let go and relax. It's okay. It's all a game. Don't take it too seriously. You get to choose how you want to feel and what, if anything, you want to do. You got the power!

Daily Inspiration 11-20-17

"Rules are simply creations

made out of thin air

that are meant to control behavior,

in ourselves out of habit or desire,

but especially that of other people.

They have no meaning in and of themselves.

The only meaning or power they ever have

is that which we give them in our choice." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[New post]

The other day I was heading to the store and came to an intersection. There was an adult pedestrian wanting to cross the road and he got to the intersection just late enough that when he pushed the button for the crosswalk signal to tell him when to walk, the light turned green but he stood there waiting for the entire cycle to come around for the crosswalk light to say, "walk."

When I saw that, I smiled and realized how we obey so-called rules and procedures that have become habitual without using our own discernment. On a green light, he would have been as safe as if the walk-light was on, but because it said, "Don't Walk," he obeyed.

How many times do we do this or something else throughout our days where we are just following rules because they are rules? Every rule ever made was simply made up out of thought. There really are no rules except those that human beings have created. And, they have created so many of them over time that it boggles the mind.


Discernment Is Our Power. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by seeing others through the eyes of Love today. Even if for a short time. Find no fault in anything, for there is no fault in anything.

Daily Inspiration 11-19-17

"Let go, or be dragged." 

-- Zen Proverb 

[New post]

I've never seen this quote before, but it is so wonderful and so true I can hardly stand it. I have to smile at it with joy inside at its incredibly succinct wisdom.


Enjoy The Unfolding! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of all the attachments that you can let go of. Yes! Yes! Yes! Feels better already. . .

Daily Inspiration 11-18-17

"Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[Classic post from 4-28-13]

Anthony Robbins could have said this and has in many different ways.

Essentially, the only way to change is to change your thoughts. As you change your thoughts you change your feelings and your feelings tell you whether you are on the right track or now.

There are two ways to do that. One is to actually just change your thoughts. The other, as Anthony Robbins has taught is to change your state. A sudden release of emotional energy like a scream, running around the track at full speed, and more are examples of changing your state. Ultimately, of course, this takes you to new thoughts.

Theory is good. Action is often far better. Either way gets you there. Although one is quicker than the other a lot of the time. Guess which one?


AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGHHHHH! Oh, Hello! Didn't See You Standing There. . . 

Spread Some Joy Today--You don't have to cross the border to change your state.

Daily Inspiration 11-17-17

"More things are wrought by prayer 

than this world dreams of." 

-- Lord Alfred Tennyson 

[Classic post from 2-15-14]

I guess today will be a bit of commentary. It's not like I haven't done that before. But, it's interesting that the place I have come to in my life is full of peace, and though I might see some who are fighting against something or trying to get others to join in that fight or share a mutual disgrace about some wrongdoing somewhere on the planet, it's interesting because I have no interest in going there. On Facebook, I just pass those things by, no matter how close the friend may be, and focus on appreciation and joy.

So, I was looking at quotes tonight and I see the title of a piece called When to Pray in School. It reminded me of so many posts I've seen about not being able to pray in schools and a long list of other places.

The first thought that came to me was, who in the world could ever stop one from praying? It wouldn't matter if you were in prison in solitary or in school, or in the desert or on a mountaintop, or in church. Just pray. Whenever prayer requires circumstances, it becomes a ritual. Saint Paul said to pray constantly, but I don't recall anything about having to be in certain circumstances for that to take place.

That reminded me of all the things I see on the Internet or Facebook where people are fighting something or other and trying to get others to like it, like the pledge of allegiance in schools, what Obama did or didn't do about something or another, and the list is endless.

The more we fight something, the more it expands. It's exactly like trying to swim upstream in a river. Fight, fight, fight. Struggle, struggle, struggle. Yet, there is an ease of life by just letting go of any of these things and go with the flow of the river rather than try to fight it. Besides, who really feels good swimming upstream like that?

Some say, "well, you have to fight that injustice or you just don't care." Baloney. If it is true, and I know it is, that by fighting anything, you create more of the same, then to fight would be the opposite of what we really want to achieve.

One of the best stories I ever heard to compliment this idea was by Mother Teresa. She was asked to go to an anti-war demonstration and she refused. But, she said, "if you ever have a peace demonstration, count me in." It may be paraphrased from passing from one to another, but the point is well-taken. Fighting gets us nowhere but to create more to fight about or over. Yet by an appreciation of what is, or what could be, we not only live in more joy, we create more of that. Wouldn't that be a better world after all?


I've Been Praying All Day, But No One Stopped Me Or Even Protested--Or Even Knew About It--Except Me and God. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Find ways to feel good. However that comes about is good.

Daily Inspiration 11-16-17

"Less rules, more intuition." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[Classic post from 5-31-15]

Here's a quote from Seth Godin: "Our culture places a huge premium on choosing the right answer as if we're all on some sort of game show.

Much less credit is given to people brave enough to realize that they've made a mistake who go ahead and choose a new direction, a new strategy or a new set of tactics."

I'm not so sure that we need to use the word mistake, but he's talking about. and he titled this. "The Do-Over." Really what it is would be contrast causing one to evaluate the situation and keep making the same decision or choose a different one. In other words, the contrast causes us to evaluate where we stand relative to what we want-- to what the new desire created by the contrast reveals.

I like this quote from Abraham, Esther Hicks: "Is this pill really an effective pill? Is this process really an effective process? Anything that causes you to allow what you desire is the process of coming into alignment. And so, we're not, in any way, validating or invalidating anything. Many offer their "dog and pony show" as being the one that works. And good for all of them. We applaud anything that assists someone in allowing the Well-being, that they so much want and deserve, to flow."

To think that there is one right answer, one way, one set of rules and that we either choose them or we are lost is ludicrous. There is so much contrast in this world, so many people, cultures, levels of knowing. Potentially, there are billions of right answers, ways, and sets of rules that answer for them the new desire from the contrast that they are currently experiencing. And, how incredibly arrogant it would be to think that we in our own right way, answers, and sets of rules could decide for them. This world is filled with diversity, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally--even Universally.

If we pay attention to the contrast, we are experiencing and the resultant desire that it creates within us, and we follow our intuition to focus on that which we want as we are feeling good about that desire, it is unique perfection. It is right. It is truth. It is the way. For us. Not for others unless they choose it for themselves from their own experience, but our own correctness; our truth; our way. And, as we allow others to make their own choices by realizing that we could never legitimately choose for another, we free ourselves.


Follow Your Own Intuition. Follow Your Own Heart. Follow Your Own Internal Guidance. Allow All Others To Do The Same. Ultimately, This Is Love. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by just being yourself.

Daily Inspiration 11-15-17

"Money is often an uninvited guest
at a decision meeting with your desires.

In almost all cases, it should be

ejected without mercy."

-- Albert K Strong

[Classic post from 6-29-13]

Can I afford it? is often a terrible question, and especially when it comes to your desires. I'll give you some examples.

Besides recently having a book of my own published, I know several other authors who have done the same, and what often comes into people's minds about that is having it sell a lot of copies and make some income. The people who make money on books by selling a lot of copies are few in comparison with the whole. It is always possible, but highly unlikely, yet using the money to make the decision to publish or not to publish is often counterproductive. More often, people give up on the idea because they think it costs a lot of money or they don't know what to do.

Here's something I learned: Making a decision to do a thing is the best way for the resources to get it done come into being. Until the decision is actually made, the questions are nonstop and more often than not, come in such a way as to talk us out of doing a thing.

I think that anyone who has ever wanted to publish a book should do it. I've read a lot of very interesting and even well-written books that are by unknown authors. But publishing is not the main idea here. It is self-expression and that is far more important than just publishing.

Each of us has our own uniqueness and it is always special when we share that with each other. I love finding out about people's inner lives and history because I learn so many interesting things and gain a whole new appreciation of the person. That's why I detest small talk. It says nothing about nothing for no good reason.

Everyone has something to say and to share. Publishing a book is cool and one way to go. I guarantee that once you decide you are going to do it, the resources will come to make it a reality. Yes, it will require money, but you may be surprised that the money aspect is in the minor column.

But, there are other avenues to share publicly and in today's world most of them are free and cost no money at all. My favorite is the blog. I have several blogs and have fun with them and find ways of expressing myself at the same time.

And, truly, when it comes right down to the nitty gritty, whether someone else actually reads what you've written or not has little importance. Self-expression is an end in itself and a powerful outlet of creative talents that we all own.


Sharing Yourself Is Extremely Empowering.

Spread Some Joy Today--Let your real self out. You'll be glad you did.

Daily Inspiration 11-14-17

"Find perfection 

in what is 

rather than 

what will be." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[Classic post from 6-25-16]

I absolutely love this quote because I think that it states the simplest path to well-being and joy. 

Someone might say, "well, I'm broke, have loads of obligations and I don't see anything even approaching perfection in that," or some other of the millions of versions of pointing out what-is as being completely undesirable. Yet, I've come to realize through experience that regardless of how it may seem, there is benefit in there somewhere. One might even say, there is benefit in there or you wouldn't be experiencing it.

There's a deeply insightful and popular quote by Abraham Lincoln where he says, "I don't like that man. I'll have to get to know him better." Find the perfection in that man, what's good about that man, what is likable about him. We all have initial judgments about things and people that cross our paths. That is perfectly normal behavior, and often it cannot even be helped as it is pretty much automatic; however, we need not linger there more than a moment. There is plenty more to see as we allow ourselves to look around some. And, I think we will find some amazing things there as well.

There are a lot of lessons, or benefits that come from being broke. When we allow that openness to what they may be, being broke will lose its hold on us.

The real benefit is accepting and owning our experience. Whatever we are experiencing, we have ordered it in one way or another. The Law of Attraction is unwaveringly fair to all. It is no respecter of persons, only thoughts and feelings. It responds to negative as easily and efficiently as positives. So each experience then, if accepted as if we ordered it on purpose (though we may have not been paying attention), is perfect. It is a creation of our own making. We may be blinded to how that could be possible with our "things just happen to me without my wanting them" thinking. I like how Jim Rohn said it: "Things don't just happen, they happen just."

Without accepting the responsibility for the experience, it is far more difficult to find any perfection in it. By accepting responsibility for the creation, it is pretty easy to see the benefits, the perfection. It's also easier to see how all this perfection is in play by looking at the rearview mirror. Realizing this now, I can easily see how I created everything, naming some of them good and some of them bad. We each get to name them since each is our creation. Is there benefit or perfection in bad? Absolutely. Bad is just a name with a feeling attached to it. We're in charge of all of that and can change it at will.

There's a popular question from years back, and a book as I recall, "why do bad things happen to good people?" Yet, in all fairness, it works the other way too: "Why do good things happen to bad people?" Those are all just labels mixed with thoughts and feelings. I've had bad things happen to me too. I don't say it like that anymore, nor do I question any more why bad things would happen to me, because I can clearly see how I created it all. I can see now how I held on to it for how long I held on to it. I can now see how I might even do it over and over again thinking that the same thinking could work to change it. As Einstein said and I paraphrase, the thinking that created the problem will not solve the problem, as it will require solution thinking not problem thinking to find the solution.

In other words, finding the perfection in what-is, allows me to move beyond what-is. Whereas, blaming what-is, keeps me in what-is. The key to the transition is accepting our creative powers, and not looking outside for someone or something to blame.


Seek The Perfection In Your Own Creation. 

Spread Some Joy Today--because you're loving your life and living your love. Joy is love. Love is joy. Loving is spreading joy.

Daily Inspiration 11-13-17

"Let life surprise you." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[Classic post from 4-30-16]

Are you open to the unexpected joys of your life--those that are not planned, not even considered? What about just leaving it open to surprise and delight you as it may in its own time? How about an affirmation to begin the day:

I await with eager anticipation all that life has to offer me today. I love being surprised with new appreciations and joy. I am renewed one joy at a time!


Consider Switching Sides From Time To Time. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by giving it and allowing it.

Daily Inspiration 11-12-17

"I merely took the energy 

it takes to pout 

and wrote some blues." 

-- Duke Ellington 

[Classic post from 5-31-16]

One of the things that most of us don't think about and don't realize is that we can't be standing with our arms up in the air and be depressed. It just doesn't work.

I've learned so much from Anthony Robbins, or I think he goes by Tony Robbins now. The most important thing to me that I learned from him, I've shared several times and it has to do with the choices we make in vocabulary. When someone asks, "how are you?" It is oh so common to say something lame like, "fine. Thanks. How about you? But, it is a whole other adventure to say, "I'm off the chart today!" Or, "I'm supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!" Or, "What's rockin' your world today?" These are all far better choices and instantly wakes people out of their boredom and sleeping while standing on the job.

The second most important thing I learned relates to the subject today. It is that mood or emotion creates our state, or helps create it. We all know that. That's easy to figure out. But, what is so cool about what I learned is that state can create emotion! I used to teach this in some of my training classes.

Just as a different choice of words makes all the difference in an interaction with another human being, a change in state does it too.

Quite often, when I've been asked to speak somewhere when it's my turn, I ask everyone to stand and stretch. It changes their state. Part of it is getting the blood flowing better, moving some muscles, but most of it is because that little act prepares the brain to receive better.

So let's look at this a bit. In order to be depressed, downtrodden, bummed out, feel powerless, feel grief and despair, you need to be in a certain state physically. It's typical for the head to hang low, the shoulders to be inward, more often sitting, and so on. Feeling sorry for ourselves requires the participation of our body. Then we can really get into those low feelings.

But, if you were feeling any of those kinds of emotions, it is much harder to try to convince you to let go of those thoughts. You might even take exception to my brashness and uncaring attempts. However, if I can get you to stand and lift your arms and look to the sky and go up and down on your toes, your thinking is instantly changed. Why? Because our state creates a feeling, and our feeling creates a state. In other words, they are co-creators.

So, all Duke Ellington needed was to find the energy in pouting, which he probably has had experience with just like all of us, and there in that state, a different flow comes in his thinking. More feelings like that are attracted. Often creative people do this. I've done it and so I think I understand it pretty well. Of course the same is true for the positive emotions, and that they are co-creators with energetic physical positions and movement. This is one reason why exercise is so beneficial to us, including Yoga and Pilates, etc.

Next time you're feeling down about something, whatever it may be, try changing your physical state and watch what happens to your feeling.


You Could Call It The State Of The Union. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by expressing your joy physically as well as mentally. Can't help but do it, right?

Daily Inspiration 11-11-17

"I've developed a new philosophy. . . 

I only dread one day at a time."

- Charlie Brown (Charles Schulz)

"It is not work that kills men, it is worry. 

Work is healthy; you can hardly put more on a man than he can bear. 

But worry is rust upon the blade. 

It is not the movement that destroys the machinery, but friction."

- Henry Ward Beecher

[Classic post from 10-30-09]

Every day I hear someone speaking of worry. It's the economic times, the lack of sales, the recession and where it is positioned (over or not over), paying or not paying their bills, the cost of this or that, where the country is headed, the flu pandemic, the state budget shortfall, and an unlimited number of other things that some people worry about.

It's no wonder. We are conditioned to worry. All the headlines in the paper condition us to worry. The television news (how many channels now?) condition us to worry globally. Open up msn.com or aol.com and there are more things going wrong. Take it in and indeed, the world is in a big mess with no end in sight.

If you survive that, there are the personal worries to get through. How are the kids doing in school, what about the neighborhood, the crap going on at work and all that stuff? It's enough to worry a person to death.

And, really, what good is it? By worrying about any of these or a million other things, are you able to change them for the better so that worry is no longer necessary?

Businesses worry too. I see managers worrying about the lack of sales, what's going to happen if it doesn't turn around soon, what to do, what to do, what to do. I think I'll eat some worms. . .

Tell you what: Keep on worrying and keep it to yourself. When I hear you complain or worry, I excuse myself to take that important call or something I've got to do. Or, worst case, I shut my ears and just nod my head.

It's all glass half empty stuff and you can have it. I choose HOPE! I choose ABUNDANCE. I choose JOY. I choose EXCITEMENT. I choose INNOVATION. I choose GRATITUDE. I choose SUCCESS. I choose FAITH. I choose LOVE. I choose ENJOYING TODAY ANYWAY EVERYDAY IN ALL WAYS!

Doesn't that sound so much better? Damn, it jacks me up just writing it! I choose SPREADING THAT WORD! It serves us both equally!


I Choose! No One Else. I Choose.

Spread Some Joy Today--Purposely Interrupt Anyone Complaining Today. Change The Subject For Them.

Daily Inspiration 11-10-17

"Abundance is not something we acquire.

It is something we tune into."

-- Dr. Wayne W Dyer

[Classic post from 12-16-09]

There is abundance all around us and most of us focus on the lack instead. We are so easy to see what is missing, rather than what is there. It is only after we 'tune into' abundance being there that we begin to see it and have it enter our lives in a way that has never been before.

Let's make a list.

There is an abundance of air to breathe. There is not only an abundance for you, there is enough for over 4 billion and counting. If we get it dirty, we can clean it, but it is there and we are breathing it and there is an abundance--virtually an unending supply of it and it is constantly being made.

There is an abundance of opportunity. There is opportunity all around us and until we open ourselves to that possibility, we believe in the lack of opportunity. Change your thoughts about that and opportunity is virtually everywhere in unlimited supply.

There is an abundance of water, sand and soil. That is, after all, the surface of this entire planet. We could never get around to using it all.

There is an abundance of love. You have an infinite supply available to you. It will never run out. You can choose to withhold it, but the source is unlimited. The same would be true of hate. It is a choice.

There is an abundance of ideas. Just when you think that everything that can be invented has already been, there are millions of them waiting outside for you to open the door and let them in.

Kind thoughts. Uplifting thoughts. Encouraging thoughts and words. There is an abundance of these available for immediate use. You don't need to stand in line and wait your turn, just push the button and there they are.

Truth is, there is abundance everywhere and all we need do is think that is true and it is. As the eyes are opened, they can see and there is an abundance to see.

So cool.


I Am Abundance!

Spread Some Joy Today--Since you have so much, why not give some away today. It will be replaced in an instant. How cool is that?

Daily Inspiration 11-9-17

"One of the best ways

to realize that age is an illusion

is to have your body get older

and realize that you are

who you have always been." 

-- Alan Cohen 

[New post]

Birthdays are interesting things. Today I am 68 and yet I don't feel anywhere near that age unless I am lifting heavy objects for a time. Then I notice it. In reality, I am not old at all, or very, very old, depending on how you look at life.

I am who I have always been, and thankfully, wiser in the process of my journey. I didn't change, but my knowledge, my perspective certainly has. I am not more than I was, I am more of who I really am, and I realize that my journey is now clearly focused on knowing myself in my fullness and depth as a Divine aspect of God incarnate.

What fascinates me is this year and how my journey has been one of transformation. I suppose I've always been on this journey, but in the majority of my life this far my ego was so much more in control. Now it is so different. I think differently. I see the world differently. I see myself differently and yet I feel that I have much more journey ahead, and in this, I find nothing but joy.

Heck, just in the last six months, my expansion has moved to a much higher level for me. What is even more interesting to me is that it has almost nothing to do with my external life, and everything to do with my internal life.

I am filled with love. I am filled with unconditional love for myself and all other people. I no longer react to things and events and instead flow with them, understand them at a deep level whereas in the recent past I would react and then work on letting it go. I've become an observer. I have let go of judgment and reprimand and have accepted the Divine in all and in respect and admiration of their individual journey and experience.

I know it may sound way off the edge, but this is where I have come. My delight in arriving at this place is beyond words. It is best expressed as pure love, of being in-love. Fear pokes its head periodically, but I recognize fear so clearly now. I am learning to simply let it move on through as it continually seeks more fear to grow on. I have no food for it here.

As I celebrate this birthday, this journey and especially the last six months, I see so much more ahead in my own expansion, enjoying so much more fully the expansion of all.


I Am In-Love As I AM Love. As We, All Are In Truth. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting all that fear, those petty disagreements, that reprimand of the self and of others go today. Just for today. You can pick it back up tomorrow if need be. Today there is peace. Today there is Love.

Daily Inspiration 11-8-17

"Our intention creates our reality."

-- Wayne Dyer

[Classic post from 6-24-11]

When we think about the word intention, we might think about it in a commonly used way as these: "I have no intention of _________," "I had no intention of ________," "I don't think they have any intention of _________," "My first intention was ________," "He, they had good intentions," "They had no intention of ________," and so on. These are all looking at intention from a less than positive light.

Let's try another way: I intend to _________, or I intend ___________. Doesn't that sound so different, and far more powerful? In Dr. Wayne Dyer's book, The Power of Intention, he makes numerous references to using intention in such a powerful way to create what we want.

I heard about it before Wayne Dyer's book from Jerry & Esther Hicks on a CD titled Segment Intending. The idea was at the beginning of something today, to intend the way you want it to be, and then it will be that way. Well, it sounded easy enough, and so I began making use of it. It is the practical application of knowledge that makes it valuable. It has now been approximately 3 years since I've been practicing this and I have to tell you that it is working quite nicely. I am beginning to not even think that much about it, but just set my intentions and go.

Now, I don't use this in every area of my life yet, but one area, in particular, I have used for all this time and that is traveling. At the beginning of my travel for the day (these are immediate intentions just for one day at a time), "I intend pleasant, effective and efficient travel to and from all destinations this day. I intend to have very enjoyable and timely travel where ever I may need to go today." Then, I relax. If I feel myself tense up for any reason at any time, I acknowledge my intentions for the day and let it go and consciously relax.

At first, it was hard to relax in it. I wanted to watch the rearview mirror for cops, and otherwise be on the lookout, but as I practiced it, I did that less and less and now don't even think much about it. It seems like I almost always arrive on time or maybe early even when I am leaving later than I wanted to. I just relax in it as if my intention has the power to modify time or something.

Someone was riding on a number of trips this week and made mention of how surprised they were about the traffic being easy going, and that it was very unusual. I said that it happens all the time to me. And, it was at that moment that I realized how well this has been working because what I said is true: it happens to me all the time now. I also find that I arrive much more relaxed and calm. I don't feel the need to try to exceed the speed limit by large amounts but just flow with it. Making intentions works.

Try it!


I Intend Good Things Happening To Me All The Time.

Spread Some Joy Today--Speaking of joy! What a great thing to intend every day. I intend joy to be in my life today. I intend joy. Watch what happens!

Daily Inspiration 11-7-17

"A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought.

There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor."

-- Victor Hugo

[Classic post from 4-13-12]

Just sitting or standing in thought can be either exhilarating or tiring. The body is involved even while not moving. If you've ever had a couple of 2-hour meetings back to back, you know what I mean. That's a full day of work right there.

The thing that I've learned and found myself constantly playing on is to find a way to feel good emotionally. Then it isn't really work at all, but play.

If you find yourself there and you really don't want to be there, find a way to feel a little better about that, then a little better until you find yourself feeling good about it. Sometimes we are excited to participate in thought and sometimes we have to find a way to be excited, but being excited or feeling good is the ultimate goal.


They Say 'Go With The Flow' And That Means Downstream! There Is NO Flow Upstream. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Play on feeling good.

Daily Inspiration 11-6-17

"Can't see the forest for the trees." 

-- Common and very old phrase 

[Classic post from 12-23-15]

I was looking at the phrase, can't see the forest for the trees, and generally, it is intended to mean that someone is paying so much attention to the details that they cannot see the bigger picture.

Dan Miguel Ruiz says something similar in this: "We are not aware of what we really are because our attention is so focused on what we are trying to be."

I love how Abraham, Esther Hicks puts it in perspective in living a happy life: "A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don't allow the happy moment, because they're so busy trying to get a happy life."

I'll let that last one sink in. . .


Happy Is A Choice, Not A Destination. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by deciding to be happy and joyous. There is no need for the season to assist; however, assist it very well may.

Daily Inspiration 11-5-17

"All appropriate behavior

is consigned out of the basis of approval

Approval, of course,

implies a level of conformity."

-- Paul Selig

[New post]

It's interesting after writing yesterday's post and talking about all the songs in cassettes on my wall and I said that it was my ego all over the wall because I began thinking about that which opened up to the need for approval and how that is something that drives us so often.

In Paul Selig's book, I Am the Word, the guides are saying that "eighty percent of what you are doing in your life has been motivated by a need for approval from someone else, or a cultural belief that what you need to do is a certain thing, or by a certain time. You have these beliefs and you operate with them as if they are truths."

It is enlightening to consider just how much of what we do, how we act, choices we make, and virtually everything in our lives is sort of pre-programmed in a way from our earliest teachings from our parents, and all of our interactions with all those other people and their own conditioning. We may not, and I have not seriously considered the depth of the information that we have received in learning how to live our lives and how that has such an effect on that life we are living.

It's not like we are doing it wrong or anything, or that we need to fix anything, it's just mind-boggling to consider how we have craved approval in all kinds of ways and how the need or desire for approval has guided us.

What if we gave that up? What if we never again needed approval from anyone to guide our life? It's not about not caring anymore, but what if we cared so little that approval wasn't even something on the table?


Hmmm. What Would That Be Like? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by considering your own approval processes. Then let some of that go for the joy of the release of it. As you are moved to do so, of course.

Daily Inspiration 11-4-17

"Why do we own so many things

when we don't need them?

What is their purpose?"

-- Fumio Sasaki

[New post]

In April of this year, Fumio Sasaki published a book titled, Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism. I bought it and read it a couple of weeks ago and it was absolutely fascinating. I had previously bought and read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, also from Japan, and also about getting rid of clutter and things that don't bring us, ongoing love.

But, Fumio's book was quite enlightening, and maybe I mean that literally. I loved the audio version and delighted in all his suggestions and particularly how he came to feel about his life when he finally let go of so many of his things.

I've been so interested in the last few years of downsizing, living in a tiny home, or a smaller space and letting go of stuff. I grew up with the old adage that he who has the most toys wins, and so I would collect things.

Let me go back to the quote at the top and bring the whole quote to light:

"Why do we own so many things when we don't need them? What is their purpose? I think the answer is quite clear: We're desperate to convey our own worth, our own value to others. We use objects to tell people just how valuable we are."

My home of 32 years has been on the market and is now sold. I am going through stuff and filling trash cans, recycle bins, and stacking things to donate or sell at a garage sale soon. So much stuff.

From 1984 through the early 1990s, I wrote a lot of songs and recorded them, increasing the technology of my recording equipment several times. I estimate that I spent somewhere around 10,000 hours in the act of recording music, re-recording it, mixing it and remixing it, downloading into compilation tapes, and so much more. I had a wall with well over 500 cassettes of songs I'd written and recorded and compilation tapes and other recordings that I did for other people. They have been on my wall for so many years.

Yesterday, they all went in the trash and the recycle bin. Every single one. It is so interesting how that felt. I felt free. I laughed aloud a good deal of the time doing this because of how it felt.

When I started, I took a couple hundred of these and put them in a box to keep them. Then I started just letting the rest go and then I stopped looking at the labeled cassette boxes and just started pulling them out and discarding them. Then I got the box I saved and did the same thing with it. They're gone. They're so old news.

I realized that it was my ego up on that wall. There was no other value. I was trying to demonstrate my worth not so much to others, but to myself--by dragging around the past and putting all that on the wall. It's all gone now. The past is dead.

I like how Fumio said, "What is their purpose?" What an insightful question. I'm also realizing that now I no longer need any of those things. Old awards and all that stuff are gone too. I've cut loose of hundreds of books, movies on DVD, music CD's, papers, and much more.

I won't have space in the new place anyway. I'll be going from 1868 square feet to around 500 square feet.


I'm Looking Forward To The Freedom. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by simply deciding that you're worthy and that you can as you choose. Easy!

Daily Inspiration 11-3-17

"Who understands what giving means

must laugh at the idea of sacrifice."

-- A Course in Miracles

[New post]

Think about it. If it is a sacrifice, we are trying to give from lack, but giving can only really come from a place of fullness, or enough-ness. Then it could never be a sacrifice then, could it?


There Is No Sacrifice In Giving. There Is Love In Giving. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by giving what you have from your enough-ness.

Daily Inspiration 11-2-17

"Listening

is often more effective

than advising."

-- Alan Cohen

[New post]

I love this quote because I have tried to pay attention to my interactions with people so that I can discern whether they just want to be heard, and maybe even understood, although that is optional a good deal of the time, or whether they are looking for advice, suggestions, ideas, direction.

My experience is that a lot more of the time than my ego would agree with that person that is in front of me simply wants to express themselves and to be heard.

Just as we know ourselves, there are many times where we feel that way too. We have a need to express ourselves verbally, but we aren't really seeking any kind of response other than acknowledgment of our presence and expression.

If we will pay closer attention in our interactions with others, we might see that same need in them and thereby be of service to them by simply listening and acknowledging them.


It Was So Great To Hear You Again! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving whoever is in front of you.

Daily Inspiration 11-1-17

"I look at modern life and I see people

 not taking responsibility for their lives. 

The temptation to blame, 

to find external causes to one's own issues 

is something that is particularly modern.

I know that personally, I find 

that sense of responsibility interesting."

-- Edward Zwick

[Classic post from 9-13-12]

Ever have a flash in the night of some ah-ha understanding of some subject that you didn't even know you were thinking about? It's weird, but I had one last night.

I was thinking about business, but it applies equally to our personal lives. It was that we so often find reasons, blame things that are external to us, or to our business that we can show as justification for the way things are. It doesn't really matter if they are up or down, although probably the down will be blamed more than the up. You know what I'm talking about. . . it's the economy, the President, the administration, the government, the politicians, the weather, the lack of resources, and this list could go on forever.

But the thought that struck me in the middle of the night is that in my own experience in businesses that I have managed, worked in, been around, including my own, the external thing or things is not it. In fact, the external thing actually has very little to do with the way things are in the business, or in our personal lives.

It is internal.

As I thought about that it was as if I was transported through many years of many businesses and many problems and much blaming and it was sped up so that I saw about 40 years worth in just a few seconds. That was a trip! But, all of a sudden it jumped out at me that it seemed to be always the internal that was the problem.

One example is a business I was a manager in and the market was way off, but there were glimmers of prosperity here and there. It was easy to blame those circumstances, but the real problem was all the internal fighting, massive egos bouncing off one another, extremely poor decisions, slow decisions, selfish and even unethical behavior, cheating, lying, and more. Frankly with all that internal stuff going on, I could not see any hope of this business doing well even if the market was on fire. Nobody seemed to care, and especially the ones in charge. Killed from within, not from without.

I see a number of small businesses that die from within by working against themselves, not sticking to a plan of action long enough for it to work, afraid of making decisions and more. They may blame the economy for the decision to close the business, but the economy didn't kill them. It was suicide.

I did that in my own business back in 1981. I killed it. It was my ego not allowing me to make better business decisions and the store was closed for good.

I think the lesson is clear. If something is not working. Don't look outside, but look inside. It's not the business climate, it's the climate between our ears and with each other and how we view things. Ask good questions and make none of them about the world. The world will be what it is, but we have so much more control than we think if we only look at the real culprit in the mirror.


It's Not The Storm, It's The Termites.

Spread Some Joy Today--Step one: Stop blaming anything on the outside. Step two: Take a good look at your own behavior, attitude, and work ethic.