All posts by Jonathan Hilton

21

Reflection

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What is Your Reflection Telling you? Do you see your true self?

There are stories in which the mirror represents the ultimate truth-teller. Look in a mirror, and you may see the true you peering back at you. There is no denying your age, experience, physical issues, eye color, or any physical trait. They are all there, placed in your awareness right in front of you.  But there is another aspect of the mirror people avoid. It tells the truth about the decisions you are making and have made in your life.  Do these decisions honor you? Do they dishonor you?

The mirror reflects a clear image of this answer.  When we look into the mirror, we need to prepare for the cold hard truth.  Have you been honest with others and yourself?  Have you treated others as you would like to be treated?  The mirror doesn’t judge; it merely reflects your truth to you.  Whether you want it or not.  Be conscious of your mirror today, in thoughts, words, and actions.  Do you like your reflection?

Judgment of  Others

The mirror is not emotional and doesn’t sugarcoat things for you. Instead, it is an accurate reflection of all you have done and do in life.   People spend a lot of time judging other people, their choices in life, and what they are doing financially, in relationships, or in any other aspect of their life.  The irony of the mirror is that we can’t see flaws in others that don’t exist in us.  So before belittling others for their circumstances, take a look in the mirror and see your flaws clearly before harming someone else with your thoughts.

The mirror makes this clearer and brighter as you get more experience in life. Mistakes, misjudgments, wrong turns, bad decisions, and the like are going to happen.  Take the lesson, and they are not harmful. Ignore the wisdom they give, and you will repeat them over and over again.  Look at your reflection before you criticize the flaws in someone else.  There is nothing that will humble you quite like a reflection. It is always essential to focus on your reflection and worry about your actions and let the actions of others represent their value, ethics, and worth as a person. It is none of our business.

What we Might Be

There is another answer in the mirror and its reflection if you look real close.  Within the image that you see is the potential of all you can be and accomplish. Unfortunately, too often don’t want to see this reflection because we are so far away from achieving that.  But there it is, waiting for you to find a way to accomplish it. So how do you do this? One step at a time.

Don’t look at your life as a fixed image. It isn’t.  It is continually changing and evolving into something else.  Your decisions are made each day, and the actions we take determine what our life is capable of producing as you make choices that honor you, the reflection changes accordingly. The same happens if you make dishonoring choices.  There is something to be said for being able to look yourself in the eye with pride. Your decisions determine bright eyes and a clear conscience.

All Things Mirror

All the things that you do will present a mirror image of your life.  Your reflection appears in all the relationships you build, the things you create, the thoughts you entertain, and how you treat other people. All items are a direct reflection of your philosophy of life and your choices to improve your standing in life.

It is a strange thing to see your reflection in your life. It tells you not what you wish you were or what you wish you had but what you are without hesitation or reservation.  The significant part of this is that we are in total control of the reflection we will see.  Forget the past and start entertaining thoughts that are honoring right now. Be honest in all you do today.  Treat each person in your life as if they are the most critical person in the world.  You can do it today, and your true intentions will be reflected flawlessly back to you in your mirror.  Do you like what you see?

“I’m a mirror. If you’re cool with me, I’m cool with you, and the exchange starts. What you see is what you reflect. If you don’t like what you see, then you’ve done something. If I’m standoffish, that’s because you are.”- Jay-Z.

“The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.”  – Thomas Paine.

 

21

Creating

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Most accomplishments in life revolve around the programming we receive in life. Your subconscious mind develops because of it.  From the moment we are born, we are trying to figure out the world, find a place we can feel safe, be with people we love, and where our value lies in ourselves and others.  Some lessons come directly from the words of others, and more often, we take the context clues of how someone behaves in their lives and toward us to create beliefs.  Our subconscious mind takes these experiences and creates our paradigm or model of how to live our lives. But we often made mistakes, misinterpreting things, adding significant meaning to things we shouldn’t. Negative messages can form limiting beliefs that will continue to exist until we change them. Stuff we heard, “You are no good at that.” or “You are not very graceful.” or  “You are not a very good student.” or “You’re not as pretty as others.”  or a million other things someone might have said in passing which for whatever reason you chose to accept as real.  The good news is that you can change any of these beliefs that limit you, and it can start today.

Real Affirmations

Affirmations are short positive statements that state the desired result you want to experience in life. Writing these messages down is the first step to creating something you want to see in your life.  Affirmations alone will do very little, but combined with visualization and intense emotion, it can provide a powerful effect.  Create a statement choosing clear and positive words.  You can bring almost anything into your life.  Change is a tricky thing, even in the best of circumstances. There is a real, volatile reaction to any change, even positive change. However, we successfully exist as we are, so any change is a threat to the all-important status quo.

But change is constant and continual in life, and if you make an effort to, you can guide how evolution works in your life. Remember, things will change one way or another, give change a path, and follow. It starts with a positive statement or affirmation to get things moving in that direction. Most people are afraid to write down what they want because they are afraid of what others will think. Feeling deep down, we don’t deserve to receive our dreams. Or they are worried if they try to get what they want and fall short, then what? All of these fears are just your mind fighting against change. Who cares what someone else thinks? You deserve to achieve things and have things. Fear of not getting what you want is a powerful one because we are afraid of disappointment, but trying is the only way to do anything.  The attachment we create to one particular result is the biggest weakness we have. So let things unfold as they should, and trust it will be a good thing for you.  Learning lessons will happen, accomplishments will pile up, and you will grow.  Only fear stops this.

Seeing It in Your Mind

Our minds are great machines. They create all kinds of images, and learning how to imagine the things we want and visualize our affirmations is the next step. Not only do you write and read them, but you envision them as being a part of your life.  Each day you read the affirmation about your life, then take a moment, close your eyes, and let the scenario of the affirmation play out in your mind.  In your vision, you can control what happens.  Use your wonderful imagination to create the things you want to see in your life.

As powerful as they are, our minds do not know the difference between something happening in the world and something happening in our imaginations. To the brain, it is all the same. If you inject powerful positive images about the things you want, your subconscious will start looking for more scenarios to bring into your life like that.  Many things I have read have stopped here, and this is not the place to stay and create anything. You are on the way, but there is more.

Emotion is the Thing

How does your mind know if something is desirable or not? By the feelings we attach to the experiences we have about the things we focus our thoughts on. You create your positive affirmation, take the time to visualize what it will be like, and then attach real powerful emotions to it.  What will it feel like to have that relationship, freedom, power, joy, or whatever you seek to make yourself happy today?  You will notice I didn’t say money. We all want more money because of what it represents, not for its own sake.  We want money for the freedom, power, or things it will allow us to experience.  It is better to focus on those things and enable them to come to you in the best way possible. Money is just energy.

Emotions are potent connectors between the mind, body, and spirit and tell the subconscious mind what is important to us. Develop your mental connection between thoughts and feelings, and your focus will drive your experience. Thus, helping you bring things you are focusing on into reality.

It Is, and It Isn’t

Some think this is like magic. Well, it is, and it isn’t. At some point, you are going to have to take action toward your dreams. If your goal is to be a musician, you need to learn an instrument, develop your voice, or develop some other skill. The creation process will drive you and bring things into your reality to help, but the real magic is your ability to develop and learn anything you want to experience.  Take your action toward what you state, visualize, and feel.  Taking steps in that direction will bring the reality you desire.

Many will tell you this is not true that creating your reality is impossible. Listening to that message is a choice, but remember, you have been manifesting your reality your entire life. The words you have chosen to believe have shaped everything about you. From the relationships you have or don’t have, the jobs you have held, and the talents you have shared. Your beliefs have brought these things into your life.  It is up to you to create what you want or accept the things society or someone else tells you to take. This choice is always and entirely up to you.

Recap:

  1. Write affirmations and positive words.
  2. Visualize these things as a part of your life clearly and in detail.
  3. Create corresponding powerful feelings about the vision

These will create a swirl of energy around the idea you want to develop and provides a fertile garden to create what you desire.

“The life you want is a manifestation of self-realization.”     Bryant McGill

“When you have done your part, it’s time to release your work into the universe and let it do its part.”   Maria Erving

“Fully inhale your dream and completely exhale manifestation of it.”     T.F. Hodge

“You are the author of your life. If you don’t like how it goes, write it differently.”     Iva Kenaz

 

21

Resolute

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Resolution-a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Each of us has to take a hard look at our lives from time to time and evaluate our progress toward becoming the person we desire to be. This passion can lead to changes like losing weight, being more responsible, working toward a goal, or any number of other tasks we can set our resolutions toward achieving.  Doing this is a positive and vital part of life, and I encourage everybody to look at ways you can improve your life starting today. Because when you are striving to be your best self, you are not only making yourself and your life better, but you are making the world better.  If you have a dream to make your life healthier, wealthier, or just more enjoyable, you should do it with full conviction.  Here are a few areas you can focus on in your thoughts, words, and actions to create positive resolutions for yourself and support positive changes others are attempting.  

Do Things that Make YOU Joyful

There are things we do that bring us joy and things we do that don’t.  I think the first resolution is to do more of the things that bring joy into my life.  resolutionJoy comes from within and can be accessed at almost any time. Of course, there are situations in life when you are disappointed, angry, worried, sad, frustrated, or any other uncomfortable emotion you can think of. Still, hopefully, they are a passing wave in the ocean of your life. I hope the overall current is joy, and I can do the things that bring it into my life.

As I grow a bit older, it seems these are easier to find.  Time to think and write something that is on my mind. Spending time working on a project with someone about improving in some way.  Learning something new and applying it to life, exercising,  or just appreciating the good things life gives you.  All of these make me joyful, and I look forward to doing more of them in the years to come.

Be Aware of the Unique Experience of Life

Life is a total one-of-a-kind experience. We start it out with no real clue Resolutionabout what is happening and try to piece things together over time, collect information, and think we are figuring it all out.  The fact is we never will, but you can choose to enjoy all the experiences along the way.  The bottom line is that this is a unique and one-of-a-kind experience for all.  Too often, we spend time worrying about the things we don’t have and ignore the experiences we can create for ourselves.

This life is only going to happen once, and then it will slip off into the quiet oblivion, and nobody is going to remember how much stuff you collected or how rich you were. But, they are going to remember how you made them feel, and the tenor of that memory is your legacy to the world.  You only get one chance to do this, and you can spend it being someone that lifts people, or you can spend it being someone who pulls people down. That is the unstated resolution you make every day of your life.  So pay and live your life to the fullest and help others do the same just by having a better attitude.

Be a Better Version of YOU

Finally, I am going to endeavor to continue my pursuit of the .001% rule of life.  I will find a way every day to be at least .001% better physically, spiritually, and mentally.  If I can accomplish that, then I am guaranteed to make a difference in some way.  I hope that I have provided support, examples, and strength to those who have needed it and hope to do the same every day.  People often refuse to see how awesome they are because they focus on limiting beliefs on them by their past.  Let these go.

The simple fact is that you can think, feel and move, and all of these things you can learn or work to do better.  But let’s be clear, you are awesome just as you are. A resolution to change one or two aspects of your existence is great, but the overall package already is pretty awesome. Realize this about yourself and life, and much of the struggle will be over.

Focus on Resolutions

So to focus on the changes that will tweak your existence in a good way.  Stop doing things that are harmful to you, and do more of the things that really bring joy to your life.  Find improvement in small increments,  but most of all, learn to love yourself and know that you are awesome.  You have to start believing it.  This begins by looking at your thoughts, words, and actions and building a conscious awareness of your experiences and why.

Goal Setting, nutrition resolutions, weight loss resolutions, How to set goals, Being a better version of myself, Being better, growing as a person, becoming a great person, Resolution quotes

Resolution Quotes

“His resolve is not to seem, but to be, the best.” ― Aeschylus

“A long December, and there’s reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last.”- Counting Crows

“It is always during a passing state of mind that we make lasting resolutions.” Marcel Proust

“You have to live today. And I think one of my New Year’s resolutions is definitely trying to stop and live in the moment and cherish it.”-  Thomas Rhett.

 

21

Seasons

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Seasons-  each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth’s changing position concerning the sun.

It is a fortunate thing, to be experiencing the spring of the year! A wise person once said there is no way to stop the seasons from changing. That is true in nature, and it is true for your life as well, just like the planet rolls around each year, inevitably bringing an awakening, a vibrant life, and slowly a return to a darker cold slumber. So do our lives move as well. The sad part is that there are over 7 billion people globally, and a tiny fraction ever evaluates their existence in any thoughtful manner at all. The seasons provide us with a natural lesson on how to appreciate things.  Do you pay attention? Or are you caught in your own thoughts?  Look at the seasons of life, and you will appreciate the experience more.  This begins with really looking at the thoughts you entertain, the words you speak, and the actions in life you take because of all of these things.

Season of Eyes Shut

It seems like people live their lives and flow through the seasons with their eyes closed to the change that is coming to them. Each year the seasons move by and with them a lesson. Still, the young person is too involved in the physical world and what other people think of them to pay real attention to the knowledge the world offers—a chance to love, enjoy, and find experiences that color our lives.  Very rarely do young men and women remove their conscious thought from what they want to accomplish to imagine how it all fits into the big picture.

Worrying about your relationships, jobs, and living arrangements dominates thoughts. Life passes you by, and all you try to do is collect as many things as possible. The value of things is temporary, but the value of experience stands the test of time. Youth is wasted on the young, and the spring is wasted on selfish, individualistic behavior.  As you get older and time becomes shorter, you realize there is a reason for this, and you become envious of the time you had that is now gone. Unfortunately, others are frittering it away with their eyes tightly shut, looking at themselves and ignoring the world.

Enjoy the Seasons

It is common in the area I live to look ahead to spring during the winter.  It gets dark early, there are major snow events, and the temperature is frigid. But it provides a unique experience people in areas which are warm all year don’t get.  There are cold hard moments that come in winter. If you pay attention, they will wake you up to the soft, warm moments that will come as the calendar moves toward spring and summer. We all need to appreciate more warm, soft moments.  Winter creates this appreciation.

Spring brings hope and renewal, and summer brings vitality, fall brings sober acceptance of change, and then we are back to winter again. The seasons mimic the experience of our lives. As we age, we go through seasons, but most don’t notice these things are happening.  We are young in the spring, and our summers are spent doing, going, collecting, competing. Fall is the time you realize there is an end in sight, and winter is that end, like it or not. We all hope our winter is a long way away, but………………we never know.

Be in the Moment of the Season

There is nothing as inevitable as the passing of time, and the human experience is a finite thing. Our seasons are flying by, and all you have to ask yourself is, are you making the most of it, or are you wasting your time?  It really doesn’t matter what you do.  The human experience is a gift.  Think of the magic of experiencing a snowfall or a warm summer day with a cool breeze blowing.  Or the fall when the leaves are changing, and the crisp weather is a harbinger of things to come.  The wonderful hope of spring that revives us.

Please pay attention to your life and the people in it.  Spend your time and money accumulating experiences rather than things. Things are finite and provide joy for a short minute.  Experiences lead to growth and sharing and a life to be remembered.

So spend a little time in your day to be a little more conscious of the seasons occurring inevitably on your calendar and life. It all starts where you focus your thoughts and what you appreciate about life in every season—the words you use to express this appreciation to others and the actions which result. So look at your seasons and take a moment to enjoy them all.

“Nature gives to every time and season unique beauty; from morning to night, as  from the cradle to the grave, it’s just a succession of changes so soft and comfortable that we hardly notice the progress.” ~ Charles Dickens

Wherever in the world you may find yourself right now, we are about to enter a new season.

“The beat of drums and the blustering of summer fade away. Everything becomes quiet, more introspective, sad. Autumn always comes with such beauty.” ~ Jaak Drees

 

 

21

What I Like About People

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What is the most desirable trait another person can possess?

What_I_Like_About_You_title_cardI think it is impossible to pick one trait another person can possess. So many factors contribute to a personality and allow you to get to know someone in a real and genuine way. So many people I have met don’t show you their true selves anyway because you would stay far away if they did.

 To narrow the multitude of traits to one would be much too difficult to do in the short time I have to write this to give five traits I think are desirable in others.  I could probably come up with twenty without working too hard, but the list of five will have to do. I am sure they are easy to find.

Be  Positive Or Go Home

Many people spend so much time worrying about the things they don’t have that they miss out on all of the great things right in front of them. The great thing 05d3a5f9a3a2203c98679a3a91b88b66is that this behavior is all choice.

 It is raining out.  One person complains incessantly and lets it ruin their day and everyone around them.  The other looks at it as a great opportunity to wear that colorful raincoat and those new rain boots.

 Being positive is a state of mind, and the negative person is always a chore to spend time with.  Being with a positive person makes the time fly by because it is enjoyable no matter what happens.

 Life is only going to give you a finite collection of experiences, and it is your decision if you want not to enjoy them.  I prefer to enjoy each of them to the best of my ability, and positive people make that happen. So you really have to choose your company well. If someone does not see the positive, think about finding someone who will.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

There are few people in the world that you can trust to be honest about important things. That doesn’t mean little white lies should always be frowned on because Honesty 22sometimes people don’t need to know your opinion. However, open and honest communication must build any type of relationship, romantic or friendship.

 The big things have to be dealt with honestly.  From your hopes and dreams to financial matters, honesty is not only the best policy but the only policy I think leads to long-term success in building a relationship that will last longer than a short six months.

Just because you haven’t been “caught” in a lie, once you lie, the relationship changes; usually, you are lying because you are hiding something. Whatever that is. Something you did or something about yourself: dishonesty is a hurtful, painful thing to impose on someone you theoretically care about.

 Once you start hiding things from someone you love, the list of things you are hiding will continue to grow.  Soon you won’t be able to remember which things you should be hiding.

When the truth comes out, and it will eventually, no explanation can work. So always be honest, stop doing things that you would have to lie about, and be much happier. But, more importantly, so will all the people in your life.

Laughing with Me Not At Me

222333Being able to laugh at life and, more specifically, at my sense of humor is one trait I look for. In addition, I enjoy laughing and sharing a laugh with someone else.

There is no way you can do that with someone sober in thought all the time.  Laughter is the best medicine for almost any problem.

 Some believe that laughter can lower your blood pressure and help you lose weight.  All I know is that laughter makes you happy and makes you feel good. Have you ever been mad when you have laughed uncontrollably? Of course not.  There is nothing to do but appreciate the humor of the situation.

 There are only so many moments in life, and it seems like we shouldn’t waste the funny ones spending time with people who have little to no sense of humor. Or spend too much time worrying about themselves to see the joy in many moments. So I don’t judge them, I prefer to leave them sitting in a quiet, dark house, and I will enjoy the laughter that comes naturally with life.

The Smart Choice

beauty-9Intelligence is another trait that I look for in others.  I do not know where I would rate myself on the scale of intelligence, but I know that I value the brains and want to spend time with these people. The intellect of the company you keep will determine how much you can gain from those interactions. Intelligence is one of the most attractive qualities I have seen in a woman. The ability to think, theorize, teach, and grow is the ultimate in individualism.

 Perhaps I hope it will rub off on me, but I know that intellect and intelligence are desirable.  There is something about a smart woman that makes my knees go weak.  I am not sure if intelligence is that way for everyone, but it is definitely for me.  There is always time for silliness in life, but also there is a time for serious discussion and thought. It is nice to have someone around who can share competently in both.

I could probably list many more traits like kind, caring, loving, punctual, accepting, tough, athletic, talented,  and that is without much thought. The fact of the matter is that there are many great people in the world, and they all have a unique set of traits that make them special, and I appreciate them all. But that still leaves the question for you:

What is the most desirable trait another person can possess?

One other trait must appreciate Dire Straits…

 

21

Something Big

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Without purpose, life is an exercise in existence.  Tasks are completed daily for no other reason than to get to the next day. Some find joy in this, but for me, there has to be a purpose to achieve, a target to be acquired, a goal to be accomplished. It is in the pursuit of accomplishments we find out exactly what we are made of.  To find that holy grail, climb that mountain, sing that song, start that movement, or accomplishing whatever goal lights your fire.  The process is one that we all have to learn from experience to see what works for us. When I was fortunate to reach success, there were a consistent set of influences present.  When a failure has occurred, one or more seem to be absent.  Each of us is an individual, and our stories, beliefs, and needs are different, but these things will only help you.

Build a Solid  Foundation– Not with the goal you pursue, but the one you build in yourself.  Develop honesty, integrity, trust, loyalty, love in yourself for yourself.  Every relationship and experience you experience allows you a chance to become these things. Regardless of your past, you are defined by the actions you take today.  Focus on this and build the foundation for success by making decisions that represent the best of you.  This foundation will not be fancy and isn’t done to make you popular or allow you to brag about your talent or accomplishments. This solid foundation is built in stone and gives you a chance to accomplish anything if you are honing your personal skills and standing for the right things. Honesty, integrity, kindness, gratitude, service, and joy of life seem to be a good place to start.

Commitment– There is a constant and consistent effort needed to move your dream forward to a positive conclusion. There are going to be bumps in the road and challenges to face.  Anything of value comes with challenges attached. That is what gives these things their value. Stick with it through the tough times and keep plugging along toward what you want. The most beautiful, practical, workable philosophy won’t work if you don’t.  Keep taking action toward your goal, and don’t give up.  Be committed. 

Learn the Steps– Goals are not all the same. Some are long-term, some are short-term, and some are intermediate. Learning to break them down into smaller steps and understand what each step means allows you to find meaningful action every day. Nobody goes from beginning to end in one step. It takes several to many steps depending on the size of the thing you want to attain. Be patient with your journey and learn what you need to.  Enjoy the steps, and they are the things you will remember most when success comes your way.

Picture it –  Imagination is not just a tool for daydreaming. It is a tool you can use to bring almost anything into reality.  Imagine your goal as if it is a reality.  See what it looks like, feels like, and picture the world with your goal as a part of it.  All things ever created started this way.  To be an image in someone’s mind brought everything ever created into reality.  Practice using your imagination always; it is a valuable skill that you can lose if you don’t use it. Visualization of something will allow you to bring it into reality, visualize it daily.

Be Accountable- Every day, you have the opportunity to move forward or backward. Only you can be responsible for your actions. If you choose to take a day off, you are accountable for the progress you don’t make on that day. Taking consistent, manageable action every day toward your visualized idea will allow you to move closer to making it a reality.  You are responsible for yourself and the actions you take or don’t take. Remember that nobody else is to blame, only you.  Be accountable to yourself always and accept responsibility for where you are.

Roll With It–  No matter where you are in life, life is always changing. The world around you will always change and forever. Don’t fight it. Go with it always.  It is the difference between positive growth in life and stagnation. Keep moving forward with a positive attitude.  Let go of the things that are outdated and relationships that no longer serve a positive purpose. Change is inevitable and constant, so grow with it.  I know this is easier said than done sometimes, painful experiences are not so easy to roll with, but the choice is yours. Follow the path to success or failure. There is no other direction.

Team Up–  When you set out to accomplish something, it can be an idea in your mind, but it takes others to really make things happen. Build a team that is like-minded, goal-oriented, and change-minded people.  It is going to take support, not fighting to get you to your desired destination. When like minds are employed in a venture, it moves faster, and it is a lot more fun.  Life is a game meant to be played in pairs. Find someone who believes in you and allow them to help you.  Understand what a great gift this is.

Tell Few–  Tell your plans to only those you trust because the first inclination of someone is always to discourage you and tell you what might go wrong or why your dream/goal/desire is unrealistic. Tell only those who will support your efforts. The process is hard enough without hearing negativity from your “support system.”  Better to keep it to yourself. But those of a like mind will support you. Those who care about you and love you will want nothing but the best for you. So tell few and never boast to most.

Write It Down –  Make the goals you are after a checklist and when you can check them off, do it and celebrate the win. No matter how large or small, celebrate it.  Putting it down in ink is a process that will allow the accomplishment to take shape in reality. There is a transformation from thought to reality when you write something down. It starts to become real somehow. Do this to your dreams, and soon they will become a part of your life.

Use Reflection– What you become seeking your goal/destination is far more important than what you get at the end. Skills will be developed that will allow you to achieve other things.  Take time to reflect on all things you do, and ask good questions about what you learned and answer them honestly and completely.  Reflecting on your experience is a powerful teaching tool for yourself.  Never miss a chance to look for personal growth.  Never let a momentary setback be the thing that derails you.  Each “failure” is a gift to accomplishing the ultimate prize. Don’t take failure personally. Take it for what it is, a lesson. Reflect and learn from it, and the perceived weakness of a mistake becomes a strength of your great accomplishments.  Reflect and learn.

There it is,  a simple method for accomplishing success at whatever you are seeking in life. All people have goals at some point. I urge everyone to keep setting them until the day we are no longer a part of this wonderful experience called life.  Whether you follow this process or develop one of your own is not important as long as you find one and know that creation and accomplishment are in your hands.

“You have to remember that the hard days are what make you stronger. The bad days make you realize what a good day is. If you never had any bad days, you would never have that sense of accomplishment!” -Aly Raisman.

“You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.”- Zig Ziglar.

“Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It’s a strengthening of his powers of accomplishment.”- Thomas Carlyle.

 

21

Thoughts

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Trapped by a thought!
Trapped by a thought!

How is it possible that a phrase can get stuck in your head? Like a song that you wish you could stop singing in your head. The phrase is there banging to the beat of its own honesty.  All you can do is think it over and over again until it inevitably expresses itself in words.

The phrase in my head I read in a glimpse, as I was watching a video on YouTube of all places. It was a  fantastic video, and the message was I Am, and who hasn’t contemplated what finite groups of messy things compile themselves to create their existence.  I do it all the time. So why did this phrase jump out at me? Why won’t it leave my head?

The phrase is: I am trapped in a brothel of clowns and loneliness.

Now on first observation, the fact that it mentions clowns will grab my attention because I really have an uncomfortable feeling around clowns.  They are just creepy to me, and they must be hiding something behind that mask of paint.  I, for one, do not want to know what it is. But, on the other hand, I don’t want them anyway around me.

 

Stupid Clowns Always Bothering Me!

Stay away from me clown!
Stay away from me, clown!

Clowns have bothered me since I was a child, and I went to the circus with my family. These clowns were wandering through the stands doing “clowny” things, joking with the people who laughed along, encouraging him.  I was a timid kid, and this clown started asking me questions, like where was I from, so he could yell,  “Anybody else here from your town.”  I had seen him do it and was absolutely petrified to talk to him, he kept picking on me, and I eventually gave up my town name. Afterward, the clown said, “There, was that so bad?”

In my mind, I answered, “Yes, it was.”  for these reasons.

-I was scared to tell him where I live because he might come to find me.

-I thought it was a waste of time because I came from a small town, and even at a circus, I would know if someone was there I knew.  

– I believe that clowns are like ghosts, wearing perpetual smiles that mask a desire to do great harm. These apparitions would appear from nowhere to haunt me.

That phobia by itself was enough to bring this phrase life of its own in the movie in my mind. But that was only a part of it.

Emptiness In the End

Good Question
Good Question

Now back to the phrase, it also describes the way I have felt about much of my life. Even though you don’t feel or look lonely on the surface when you look beneath, into the depths, there is a truth that reveals itself when you are honest.  All of these people around me everywhere, yet they are all just players.

As Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.”

I have often wondered about how the play of my life would look, incredible highs, unbelievably devastating lows, some boring times you would gloss over, and I think the bulk of the show would be my incredible experiences with love.  I was in love three times in my life, encompassed years, and each I guard because should anyone know the depths I was willing to feel, they might only show me pity because each was irrevocably destroyed and disregarded. So all that is left is the empty spaces of the places they once possessed in your soul.

At the end of such things, there is a feeling of loneliness that can’t be compared to anything else, and although we are playing our part with others.  As you wait around in the bar of life waiting for that next love to come along, that feeling of emptiness subsists at least quietly in the background, like the music setting the mood.

So here I am thinking, “I am trapped in a brothel of clowns and emptiness.”  Reliving those emotions of what I was irrationally afraid of and having the realization once again that what is gone will never be replaced.

21

Adventure

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Adventure-an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

Adventure is a word most distance themselves from as they get older. On the adventuresurface, it sounds nice, but with all adventures, there is an element of uncomfortable challenge that one tends to avoid if they can. It is the attitude of not wanting to sleep in a tent in the wilderness when there is a perfect hotel not far up the road.  The adventure is disregarded for the promise of comfort and ease. I urge you to put aside the desire for comfort and ease and look for adventure in life. In moments of excitement and doing something difficult, you find out exactly who you are and what you are made of.  A night in a tent will make a much more interesting story than a night in a hotel sleeping comfortably.  Many experiences in life can be seen as an adventure if you train your focus on your thoughts, words, and actions.   

Escape the Ordinary

We work hard to establish an ordinary existence where there is little risk in what we face every day.  It makes sense, and certainty brings confidence and adventure illusion of control.  But we always must remember it is only an illusion.  Eventually, life is going to test you. Ordinary is not much of a training ground for this.  It doesn’t mean that you should abandon all comfort, but you shouldn’t hide from the uncomfortable either.

Think of the moments of your youth that you treasure the most. Were they the ones where you were comfortable without challenge?  Or were they spent doing something adventurous and allowed for growth and understanding of life? Weren’t the best challenges, adventures in proving someone else wrong? Thinking about the venture and putting the ordinary aside for a time allows fou to grow and become a deeper soul and better person.

Experiences over Things

The adventure will allow you to collect the most valuable of possessions, experience.  People tend to focus on the things they can own. A home and adventurethe junk you can fill it with are all nice, but they are just things. What we own does not define who we are. Possessions are just a collection of stuff, and it makes your life like a museum. Each piece has a perceived value to you, but in reality, those things do not make you a better person and help you grow. They are nice, but an adventure will supply you with an experience and a story to tell about that adventure.

So instead of working to buy something for its status, pay attention to the chance that every day brings to have an adventure.  This doesn’t mean you have to climb a mountain or go skydiving, although you could.  It just means that there will be some things out of the ordinary that you can try.  Each person has a different level of adventure in them. For some, trying a new restaurant is about as adventurous as it is going to get. For others, the sky is the limit.  It is the conscious thought and intent behind the action that counts. Try it for the experience. If you hate the experience, don’t do it again. Always look to add to your bank of experience. It will build wisdom and understanding.

And So the Adventure Begins

Each day is an opportunity to begin almost anything, and a new adventure is definitely an endeavor worth your time.  Be open to trying new things, adventuremaybe a little out of your comfort zone.  Push yourself just a little and see how far down the road it will take you.  It is one of the best ways to learn the lessons that life has to teach you.   One of my favorite stories has always been The Hobbit because it took a character out of their comfort zone and showed how great they could be.  Bilbo Baggins believed, “We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”   Yet it was in the adventure that he gained everything.  This could happen to you in your own experience.

It will begin by taking a moment to change your focus from fear to a willingness to try something new.  It begins with our thoughts, words, and actions.  See where your adventurous spirit can take you today.

Adventure Quotes

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Hellen Keller

“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”  -Ernest Hemingway

“Adventure is worthwhile.” Aesop

“‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” J.R.R. Tolkien

“Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure.”  -Irving Wallace.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by.”  -Robert Frost.

https://youtu.be/UtqwL-ZPhAA

 

21

Time, Time, Time

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Positive Thought Project

Time~    the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

Life is nothing but the rolling of time and the experiences that each person collects along the way. We choose if we spend our time wisely or foolishly. Time is irrefutable, non-negotiable, and inevitable.  We only get a finite amount of it, and our consciousness should be spent considering how we spend this most valuable of commodities.  Evaluate your life and the people you spend time with, the thoughts you entertain, and the activities you participate in daily.  Are these things a valuable use of your time?  Be conscious of the things you love doing that make you feel alive and the people who add value to your life.  Then spend more time with them doing things you value.  It all begins with a conscious awareness of time in your thoughts, words, and actions.

Value of Our Time

Of all the possessions we have, time is the most valuable. Each of us has an invisible hourglass in which the sands of our lives are flowing continually. Unfortunately, we can’t see how much sand we have left, and ours could run out at any moment.  This fact should make people treasure every second. If you knew today was your last day, then what would you do? What would you say? Who would you want to spend your time with?

Look at what you want to accomplish and see if it honors the time you have left or not.  All of us are going to end this physical journey. That is the price for life. It doesn’t go on forever. That is what makes it valuable.  Yet too much of our focus is on things that really don’t matter.  How much money you have, the size of your house, the professional accomplishments, the time spent doing things that have little meaning and provide no real value to yourself or the world.  Look at your time as the most valuable possession you own because when it runs out, the game is over.

Wasted Time

So we can’t control time. It moves at its own pace, slowly moving forward toward the next second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, decade, or century.  All that we can control is how we use our allotted portion.  We have ultimate control over that.  Every option in the world is available to you every day.  Do you use the time to become better? Or do you let time use you? This is the basic decision we all make with each mindless activity we choose.

Time is slipping by, and the opportunity you have to make a meaningful addition to your life is disappearing with it.  What do you want to accomplish?  Are the things you are doing with your time taking you closer to that? Or moving you farther away?  These simple questions applied to your activities, from work to personal relationships, should help guide you along the way.  Most importantly, look at your people. Spending time with people that support and build you up is vital. Don’t waste time with small conversations containing cheap gossip about others or participating in activities that do not honor you.  Time is marching, and your life is slipping by. Please don’t waste it. DON’T WASTE IT! Be conscious of what you are doing and who you it with.

Today

The strange thing about time is that it moves like a river. The important things are going to be gone and moved on downstream, and there is no getting them back.  So spend as little time as possible complaining about them.  It is wasted effort and will distract you from the things in your stream at this moment. Prepare for what is coming in the future but spend as little time as possible worrying about it.

Spend your time living in the moment available to you right now.  Today is the most precious of commodities. Every 24 hours, you get a new one, and they are full of potential and possibility.  Have thoughts about what you would like that possibility to include and take actions that will move you in that direction.  Learn from the results of the day’s effort, and tomorrow you will get to try again when it becomes today.

Focus on the time you are in right now and make choices that allow you to make the most of your time.  Make choices that honor you and what you want to accomplish.  Riches, fame, love, or anything else can come to you in time.

Be conscious of your thinking (or not thinking) about time, people you are spending time with, and the actions you are taking to fulfill your goals and dreams.  Always remember that the clock is running, and the choices you make will determine the joy and happiness contained in each precious second.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

“How did it get so late so soon?” ― Dr. Seuss

 

 

21

The Arrival of Happiness

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Happiness withinHappiness does not come due to what we experience on the outside of us, it comes from within, and it is up to us to decide whether we are happy with our relationships, jobs, or lives or not. There are many reasons I believe this to be true, but here are a few of my favorite thoughts on happiness.

So Often We Rely on Things

For much of my life, I was a person who thought that it took things to make me happy.  A relationship, a house, a new car, or new clothes would make me feel like I was happy.

tumblr_lxrc7kkCNo1qcwoauo1_500Yet, like many people, deep down, I was not happy.  How can this be?  I dreamed of getting something and following a plan and got it all, yet I was not happy inside.   This feeling of unhappiness made me research how others look at happiness and what this crazy game of life should be about.  This is what I learned. If you found something or someone you rely on for happiness, then I feel sorry for you because if that person or thing is taken away, so is your happiness.  And worse you have no control over this, you are a prisoner of your situation.

Things Do Not Make You Happy

No matter how many things I accumulated, any happiness was short-lived and didn’t last.  Two things resulted, I wanted more stuff to get happy about, and I worried that I would lose my stuff, and of course, then I would never be happy.

Finally, I started reading about how happiness comes from within, and it is based on your thoughts, emotions, and perspective on life.   Regardless of your experiences, you always have the ability to choose to be happy about life.

Find What You Love, Love What You Find

The more people I meet, the more obvious it is that everyone is born with some skill or talent.  Many forget it as they grow up and have expectations put on them, and are happiness-quotes-1conditioned to think and feel as society tells them.

Think back to when you were young and the dreams you had. You may have dreamed of being an astronaut or a cowboy or whatever, I don’t think the dream is important, but the person who dreamed was. Remember them and how they thought before a world of expectations and conditioning turned them into what we are today.

I think that what you love will come to you.  It doesn’t really matter what book you read or a philosopher you follow, and all agree that finding what you love to do is important.  Once you find that, do it and don’t worry too much about the money, it will follow your passion.

Choose to Be Happy

If you look at some aspect of your life and aren’t happy about it, change that thing.  I know it sounds simplistic, but isn’t looking outside of yourself for an answer unnecessarily complicated? You look in the mirror and see what is there. You then choose what you think of that reflection.   Choose to look at that person with love and understanding, and you will find your happiness in other areas will go up as well.

Today I am grateful that happiness comes from within, and I hope that if you are unhappy with an aspect of your life, you will decide to change it.

  It’s a GREAT day to be ALIVE.