FAILURE FORMULA

TODAY'S QUOTE:
I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: which is: Try to please everybody... Herbert B. Swope

Making everyone happy isn't even possible, but some of us try anyway. The mad rush to please leaves almost everyone dissatisfied and the unhappiest will always be whoever is trying hardest to measure up.  Some people find joy in manipulation. They delight in dangling a carrot that can never be reached, but never dare to reveal their pleasure. Showing their hand would end the game... and the game is all they have.

When we become another persons pawn then they doom us to constant failure. They push and prod us into betraying our very nature to fit a pattern they design. Our stumbles become their ammunition and they delight in target practice. Old misdeeds are forever new... reminders are constant and relentless. If their disrespect isn't enough to bring us to our knees they gossip to anyone who will listen. Half truths and twisted facts are their favorite topics.

We change as we go, but never become any different in their eyes. They are reluctant to release a hostage who has given their all to a lost cause. If we escape they may be forced to take a closer look at their own shortcomings. Their petty and mean spirited issues cannot be blamed for our distance... so we once again become the favorite spiteful topic of conversation. Some believe... others don't, but the most vital thing is that we must refuse to carry that burden no matter what anyone thinks.

We have to learn to please ourselves and act inside of the boundaries set by our own nature. We have to struggle out of the costume worn to play the role they assigned to us. We have to stop caring about anyone who misunderstands us and begin to truly understand ourselves. We have to grow in wisdom and take responsibility for our actions. We have to forgive ourselves for what we allowed, and them for what they inspired.

After it's all said and done the most important issue is not how they see us, but how we see ourselves. Their approval isn't possible, so ours must be what we struggle for. We cannot fail there. As long as we are better tomorrow than we were yesterday we are a success. The size of our steps don't matter all that much if our feet are pointed forward. We are only doomed to failure if we take root in someone else's unreasonable expectations.

If we truly love the person we become then who else loves us doesn't hold such power. The right ones will love us, and the wrong one's will continue to judge us by who we used to be. Let them... it's their baggage to carry as soon as we set it down and walk away. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!     

  

WALK ON!!!!

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning. -Mahatma Gandhi

The things you tell yourself help to create a solid belief that will either put wind in your sails or sink the ship. There are enough pessimists all too willing to voice grave doubts about your abilities; agreeing with them instantly dooms you to certain failure. The lesson here is to feed on healthy thoughts and disregard anything unpleasant served by anyone else.

I have noticed that most uninvited guests are up to no good. Unsolicited advice clutters the landscape with things to trip over. Walk on! Some people have trouble seeing anyone else succeed... that is their baggage, not yours. Walk on!! The voices all around may buzz like angry bees; do not bother swatting and do not allow them to pollinate any new growth with their destructive emotions. Walk on!!!

You have the power to populate your mind and your life with positives. You have the ability to become a better person. You have all that is needed, and more, to improve any situation. But if you refuse to believe in yourself all of the things you naturally possess will waste away to nothing.  Apathy will claim everything, while indifference swallows all hope of a life worth living.

Thank God, we are made of stronger stuff than anything life can throw at us. Screw the skinned knees earned from all our hard falls; bless the strength we develop from regaining our feet time-after-time. Find the nerve to chance for a better ending than your less than perfect beginning. Give yourself a mighty pep talk, dust off your knees, stand tall on those trembling legs, and walk on!!!! Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!!

    

REALLY KNOWING

TODAY'S QUOTE:
If you don’t know what you want, you end up with a lot you don’t... Chuck Palahniuk

What a simple truism! I believe that for long periods of our lives we do not know ourselves well enough to have a true notion of, "wants" that are well thought out. We long for some things because advertisements promise that this thing or that will bring us happiness. We want stuff that will prove our worth to our peers by the ownership of the newest, coolest products. We hunger for the hottest mate, and often overlook or apologize for any internal disability they possess. Too much rides upon prime packaging. We overlook so much by placing such lame importance on things of no real importance at all.

Happiness cannot be shopped for; each of us dresses our state of mind in outfits of our own creation. The insecure try to depend upon cool things to transfer coolness. And the shallow are easily impressed, giving life to that lie. Real beauty does not rely on youth... or looks... or size, but stands alone on the brilliance of a pure spirit. Get to know what is deep inside before deciding what is worth wanting. In the end a peaceful soul comes from fulfilling its needs.

The mind will play tricks... the heart will wear rosy glasses until its much too late to back peddle... passion will burn for the ones that please the eye and ignite the senses into senselessness... drama will become addicting... while the soul starves. Try feeding its needs and it will rearrange your wants and redesign your life. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

  

YOUR PRECIOUS SEEDS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. - Robert Louis Stevenson

We often miss out on the crop we invest time and effort in planting. Sometimes we linger only long enough to sprinkle the seeds. Sometimes we only pass them into eager hands for planting after we are long gone. It is not about the harvest... the real importance lies with the quality of the seeds. You cannot grow a posy with a turnip seed.

Do what you can to keep your own garden weed free before you offer help in planting anyone else's. Be wise in what you plant and knowledgeable about how to nourish it for a maximum yield. Negativity will kill any healthy growth and poison everything it touches. Do not waste seeds upon ground that cannot nourish  them to harvest. Once you have a garden to be proud of then share your knowledge and assistance without asking for anything in return.

Do not be tempted to boast about what a fine gardener you are or compare your plot to anyone else's. One plant brought to life by someone who has never thought of growing anything is more precious than a huge garden that belongs to a master farmer. Share your seeds... apply your knowledge... help a friend... assist a stranger... not for what it will earn you, but for how it will bless them. If you do a good enough job, with the best of intentions then they will pay it forward in the same fashion.

Use your aptitude with a positive attitude and make the world a gentler landscape for all to enjoy. Do not linger longer than necessary, waiting for harvest time. Seeds will not do anyone any good if you hoard your share. Sprinkle them... pass them on... gift the world with all you can and the garden we create together will be a paradise. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!   

SENSIBLE OPTIONS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
M. Kathleen Casey

Life is overflowing with things to agonize over, but the amount of time you spend banging your head against an immovable object is your choice. Shit happens, people change, players use and abuse, parents fail, children screw up, friends prove false, the list of reasons to be melancholy is seemingly endless. Giving into the negative emotions that any heartache inspires is all too easily accomplished by just drifting wherever they push you.

Too near the edge is not a safe place to abandon yourself to the push of doom. Free-falling into disaster is no way to live, but some of us do it all the time. Things with the power to wound keep on doing so as long as we give them free rein. Learning then moving on puts the power where it belongs. Old hurts will only stay fresh if we constantly pick at them with our thoughts.
It may be harder in the short term to wrestle the negative into silence, but it saves the long term for really living.

Do not make the frog prince a king by renting him space in your mind. Do not let a less than perfect childhood keep doing damage your whole life long. Do not let a liar make you blind to truth, or a false love make you doubt a true one exists.You cannot live a pain free life, but your suffering is mind made after a certain point.

What sense is it to let yourself bleed forever for something that someone else did to you, when soon they hardly remember your name. I forgive myself for being human enough to be easily wounded, then I forgive the one who hurt me. I do not forget the pain or its source, but I refuse to let anyone make me bitter or jaded toward life. With some forethought and a bit of luck one pain will help me avoid another. Hurt whenever you must, but suffer as little as possible. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

DEEP MEANING GOALS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live. - Greg Anderson

This quote should remind us to examine our most dominant motivating force. Keeping our intentions positive is mandatory to being on any road worth traveling. What drives us ought to be something worthy of our effort, time, and emotion. And if it benefits others it will bless us as much as it does anyone else. The expansion of your soul and the broadening of your mind are nice dividends for doing something that makes the world a gentler place. No effort is too small if it comes from the right place.

Soul dreams drive us to serve a purpose even if there are no rewards, except the internal ones. They become so much a part of who we really are that stopping them demands the shutting off of a precious portion of self. Denying what we are meant to do can initiate an internal unraveling... slow at its onset... gaining speed as it goes... until we sit idle surrounded by silly strings of negative thoughts and impotent notions. But even then the dreams do not disappear. They pester us to begin again and again; the echo does not stop just because we do.

Take a breath if you must. Take a break if you can. Take a walk... take a drink... take a nap... but do not be tempted to disengage from it as if it is something we plug into that feeds us from elsewhere. This purpose is internal, eternal, and fed by serving it to others. We become a refection of our purpose. When we deny it we do not disappear, but our image is distorted. Our purpose will not starve to death, yet it will inspire a hunger in our soul that nothing else can satisfy.  It is much easier to just continue even when it is a struggle to do so. Do battle to avoid a war.
    
Too dig deeper inside, looking for your purpose is a wonderful opportunity to get truly acquainted with who you are. You may not always be happy at what you find, but when you do not even know things are twisted it is impossible to straighten them out. Let your purpose do some positive molding and find joy in a remodel by a master builder. Be a constant work in progress and your senses will heighten to levels never imagined.

In a perfect world we would all dream big and have enough breath to bring them to life. We would seek a purpose and not just sit back and wonder why we exist. We would always love and be loved unconditionally, completely, and none would starve for the lack of it. Parents would never wound their children. Kids would be safe, happy, and healthy in body and mind. Elders would possess deep wisdom of mind and soul and seekers eager to learn would tap that precious resource.

The world is not perfect, and people in it cannot claim that distinction either. This is a planet inhabited by walking wounded of every description. Each of us react to our private agony in different ways. The ones that use negatives to self medicate and self sooth may outnumber the ones who strive to make their pain matter in a positive fashion. The angry may outnumber the serene too. We cannot simply refuse to try just because the odds are against us. One positive can outwit, outsmart, and outlive as may negatives as we choose to fight hand-to-hand. And those who change sides will pay it forward and so on and on and endlessly on. And whatever scale each of us can manage is a purpose worth any effort. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!         

I'D RATHER BE

TODAY'S QUOTE:
I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not - Kurt Cobain

Being brave enough to show your true colors, no matter their hue, is a battle for each of us. The fact that we are constantly changing makes it all the more difficult. Our labels constrict us into a pattern as old as time, yet all too often say very little about who we really are at any given moment. And if we live for labels alone we cannot really live fully.

Our roles are important, but our souls peace matters just as much or more. The fact that others have a fixed idea of what we should say and do to make them happy can cause a real tug-of-war. When we can't live up to their expectations their love becomes conditional.The role becomes a punishment of one sort or another and everyone loses. When someone condemns you for not being who they need you to be it's more than unfair... it's soul crushing.

I've been let down by my parents. I've been wadded up by a mate. I've suffered the same fate by many of my fellowman and relatives. Most never ever bothered to know me past my labels which were tarnished by the very one's who were in roles where their love was ideally suppose to be unconditional. They shared notes with others, dooming me to be misunderstood by many. I had no guide... so I learned to not require one.

I'm who I am now due to the neglect of others and my own need to measure up to who I am inside, without caring overmuch what others think. I'm flawed for sure... mistakes litter my past... but clarity is my reality... and peace is my future. I didn't get here by trying to be who I'm not; my failure at that lasted long enough to teach me real love never comes from that direction. I hold no grudges. I forgive all with not a speck of resentment... even myself.

There never was a person who cared more about being loved than me. But over and over the price I was charged bankrupted my soul. I still care, but I know now that if others do not, "get" me it's not because I'm not worthy. Who we are changes daily sometimes. Thank you to all who have been there for me during my biggest metamorphosis and were steadfast in their regard all along.

Be whoever you truly are from start to finish and you'll never have any misunderstandings. If the roles given suit you then play them for all they're worth. If unconditional love surrounds you then thank your lucky stars... if not then learn to love yourself without boundaries. What we can't get from others we can and should gift ourselves. And never change for anyone... and never stop changing for yourself. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!! 

THE POWER OF ONE

TODAY'S QUOTE:"The power of one is above all things the power to believe in yourself. Often well beyond any latent ability previously demonstrated. The mind is the athlete, the body is simply the means it uses."Bryce Courtenay

Possession or use of this power is not automatic; some have very little confidence in their judgment or belief in themselves, but it can be built up with exercise. The critical things other people say can affect our equilibrium, yet more often than not it is the critic in the mirror that does the most lasting damage. Training that voice to use encouragement instead of criticism is no walk in the park, but allowing negative reinforcement to be the navigator will guarantee a brutal journey to nowhere nice.

Why concentrate upon everything that is wrong? Any dark picture that is stared at will only grow bleaker unless some light is directed upon its surface. Looking at just the negatives over-shadows the positives until forgetting that they even exist is all too effortless. Gazing at the good will not make the bad disappear, but it makes the next battle less overwhelming. And battle we must, whether we want to or not.

The bloodiest battlefield is often the one where we war with ourselves. Losing there can and will set up failures elsewhere. Blaming others for the things you are determined to hold soul-deep is as asinine and senseless as constructing a bomb, arming it then sitting smack dab on top to watch it explode. Time would be better spent in building a bomb shelter. The most protection from life's explosions comes from the power a person grows inside. A healthy garden there begins with healthy seeds and the better weeded it is the more nourishment it will produce. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

IMPERFECT ATTENDANCE

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"You don't have to attend every argument you're invited to." Unknown

Well, that gives some comfort and makes such a simple kind of sense that it's too often overlooked. Everyone receives those bothersome invitations to spend our precious time in negative interactions of one kind or another. Often we knee-jerk into battle without taking the time to decide if it's even a war we care to win. Some people need the stimulation of senseless debate to feel alive. Some feel they are always right and grow in stature in their own mind by attempting to shove their point of view down someone else's throat.

I always resent anyone using me in a negative way to stimulate their own needs. Mental rape isn't any less invasive than physical. Shoving and assaulting with words and concepts is the fastest way to get me to shut all borders and dismiss everything said before I stopped listening in self-defense. Being right doesn't need the assistance of added volume or insane tone of voice. Just refuse to engage... someone so desperate to be listened to will be bothered most by your refusal to hear. No words of yours are necessary... fact is anything you say just prods them to continue their assault.

Negative people cannot be altered by your sunny disposition. Fact is they're desperate to infect you with their gloom and doom. If they can change your smile to a frown it validates their attitude. Don't waste any smiles on hopeless encounters. The danger is real that it's a battle that cannot be won. It's like trying to dance across quicksand. No matter how graceful and light your step you're doomed to get sucked under.   

At times it's our party and we're in control of the guest list. Trust me when I say that it's much better to leave it a party for one. Fight your own demons... find your right mind... set yourself straight... give thanks for all the drama that you avoided creating... then invite honored guests to a celebration worthy of your precious time and their priceless presence. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

BULL-SHIT SILENCE

Today's Quote:
“After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut." ... Will Rogers

Ahhh, this quote made me chuckle then nod. All good sense made nonsensical enough to push a hard lesson home with the magic of humor is worthy of a spotlight. There are many different avenues to follow to reach wisdom. The true seekers vary their routes enough so they will eventually travel them all.  A soul with depth is aware that the instruction at the end of each difficult journey teaches something vital to growth. And a hungry spirit understands that all roads teach us the different coping skills needed to thrive in the most hostile of environments.

Mindfulness is mandatory to real wisdom. Wasting time trying to maneuver through a wadded up mind is as frustrating as trying to find a corner in a round room. It simply cannot be done, yet we are all guilty of the attempt. The trick is to, "get" that quickly then avoid all round rooms in the future. If you begin the exercise with a crowded brain then clutter will quickly cover everything underfoot, hiding both the rough road and the tuff lesson. Do not travel in tight little circles trying to learn about things you cannot see. Calm your heart and clear your mind before every new venture toward a wiser outlook.

We are trained early to view things in a certain fashion. The world would be less complicated if we were all trained the same way by the same person, but we each mirror the reflections of our ancestors... until we get a mind of our own. The struggle to find our true place should not take a lifetime, but it often does. A parrot can  be smart... but it cannot be wise. Get a firm grip on your mind then tilt your head until what you see matches what you feel. Your point of view is important... if you lack one then no road will lead you anywhere of importance. Do less listening to others and more listening to self. Do less talking and more thinking. Do not feed on bull then pass it on as fact. You will never find wisdom by following the foolish. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!    

For Sight

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."... John Lubbock

Normally you can find a portion of both negative and positive in any situation. They vary in size and placement; one may overshadow the other, but their dimension or position are not signs of their importance. Good and bad sits side-by-side like comfy cousins, but the only one who dances is the one you fiddle for... or fiddle with, whichever applies. If we pay attention to the negative it will jerk us around in frantic circles. If we focus on the positive we glide with grace along a much smoother surface.

We may not choose the situation, but we always own the right to select the music and our partner. But time is limited so do not dwell overlong. If you hesitate then the one with evil intentions will jerk you out on the dance floor and out of tune notes will assault your senses. What there could possibly be to ponder between good and bad is not something easily understood. Do not wait for a hint from anyone else about which way to lean or falling on your face will be your certain fate.

The sane choice is to train yourself to always choose the positive, no matter how tiny. A wee positive will grow with loving attention. A small negative will feed upon its host to gain mass. Sacrificing self for the nourishment of such a hungry gluttonous creature will not signal any closure. It is in fact just the beginning of your role as an all they can eat buffet. Once you choose the positive the negative begins to wither and die. It will leave a corpse, but just go about your business and all too soon it will just be dust blown away by the winds of change. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!! 

CURVEY ROADS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. - Author Unknown

None of us like constant change, but I doubt that we would be any happier with a life that never altered. Humans are so easily bored; the same-old-same is often all too tiresome. Each of us has a speed we feel comfortable traveling. Out of control thrills some. Barely moving comforts others. A sharp turn in the road inspires dread or delight, but if panic drives chances are sitting idle will be your destiny.

What is just around the next curve or over the next hill should encourage forward motion. The urge toward discovery pushes some of us, while others lack the nerve for exploration. Just the chance of a bad outcome can halt the faint of heart. Being brave does not mean that you lack fear. The bravest among us are the ones who fear the most, but take the chance in spite of almost overwhelming panic. Vibrating may make you weave as you go, but it will not cause an automatic collision.

Stop moving altogether and in no time roots will sink deep and it will become almost impossible to alter your position. I battle panic every day, but it never totally defeats me. Allowing it to drive would doom me to standing still beside the road, watching all the traffic pass by. Fear is a passenger... but I ignore any back seat driving advice. Living through stuff leaves an echo; each new challenge leaves its mark too. We continue to faintly hear and see the things that changed us and helped shape us into who we are, but any power it still possesses we have to supply.

There is no sane reason to empower any negative so I simply view them as vital exams I passed and I feel grateful for what I was taught, even if it was a brutal lesson. I nod as I pass, but passing is mandatory. What I see and hear propels me forward, yet it would have been all too easy to allow it to stick me solid in a prison of my own construction. Be grateful for the straight easy stretches of your journey, but do not be satisfied to avoid all the curves you encounter. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!     

Settling Temptations

TODAY'S QUOTE:
The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little. -- Thomas Merton

The urge to settle never infected me. Just the thought of being satisfied with the status-quo, when it was so much less than I deserved, was always unsettling. I did not struggle when I should have, but I was never satisfied. Some lessons can only be learned the hard way, and true understanding often has to be aged before digested. Now that my reality better suits my nature it is easy to imagine that if this is all I ever get it is plenty. Selling yourself too short happens much too often, which only encourages others not to value you enough, if they value you at all. Never be satisfied with that.

Dust settles naturally, but people doing the same thing is unnatural. Raise your head... raise your expectations... raise hell if necessary, but do not let too little ever be enough. It may be easier in the short term to not make waves and demand your due or walk away. But the big picture is a whole different ball game. We should always think long term, because whatever you settle for today may be what you are stuck with for years to come.

It never gets easier to wait to set your boundaries. Pause too long and you will find yourself battling invaders at every turn. Wait to lift your head and you may have so much weight upon your shoulders that raising anything else will be impossible. One life is all we have... do not settle into a bad situation and hope it gets better. It rarely improves without a war of some sort. Do not settle for being someone else's victim when you have the power to be your own champion. Life is not for settling its for living. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!    

Real Riches

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"Being rich isn't about money. Being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to take time to stop and eat the heart of the watermelon. And some of us will be rich without ever being more than a paycheck ahead of the game."... Harvey B. Mackay

You see folks... everything of any lasting importance begins and ends with our state of mind. The height of our joy and the depth of our sorrow is regulated by how we set our mind the same way a house is either hot or cold according to how we adjust the thermostat. What we look out at is not what defines our placement in the world, but our outlook most certainly does.

From our posture, to the tempo of our footsteps... we advertise the validation we assign to ourselves. And that does not have a thing to do with how much money we own or how much we owe. Dimes and pennies... dollars and cents are manufactured in a factory. If we have a lot we worry about how to keep it. If we have too little we fret about how to get it. But our true value cannot be calculated by what we own. If we set that as God then our soul is totally ignored as not worth even two cents worth of thought.

Real riches cannot be stashed in a vault for safekeeping. Joy, passion, and love are bankable valuables and our soul has unlimited storage space. But unlike worldly  riches the only way to earn more is to give it away. Then the real magic begins. The more we gift to others the higher our pile grows. Sharing earns a mighty dividend. Real riches are never manufactured in a factory of any sort. The treasures inside of each of us are priceless beyond any earthly measurement. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!
   

A New Ending

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." -- Maria Robinson

Everything that has happened up to this moment is done. You cannot undo what is history; rewind is not available. It may be possible to mitigate some of the damage, but that is not a do-over. Make your pardon where necessary without trying to justify actions that no excuse could explain. Take what lumps you fairly earn then move on. There are no do-overs, but there are start overs. They exist in every moment we live, but we have to go down that path willingly. And we have to be committed to making changes wherever necessary to become a better person. If we are not making improvements then it is a pointless exercise.

Starting over often means that we have to alter not only our attitude, but also our companions or our location. We may have to change jobs. We may be asked to end many things we never thought would become an issue. It may seem all negative to a certain point, but the health of your soul is paramount. As we design an environment fit enough for our spirit to find peace the positives begin to flow in from every direction. Self protection becomes second nature. Self loathing becomes impossible. Balance is found core deep and whatever hard work or heartache we suffered to find our center is rewarded with joy and contentment of unimaginable proportions.

Once you set foot on the start over path the things you drop by the roadside or fling over your shoulder will mark clearly any progress you make. The further you travel the less debris... the firmer your step the less effort it takes to keep moving. I have noticed that if your commitment is strong you really do not have an urge to turn around and look behind you. Whatever you drop is either of no real importance or it is a real danger to your success.  Dwelling on what broke you or kept you broken has no place in a new beginning.

Once you stop making the same mistakes they lose their power over you. Their only benefit is as a true measure of just how far you have traveled. They can be used as examples to encourage others to start over and begin a new ending. It is not where you were yesterday that matters overmuch. The before picture may be ugly with deeds of every vile description. How bad you were will not alter how good you can become. And a bad start will not guarantee a bad ending unless you give it permission to do so. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

     

Average Power

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"If the average person realized the power he wields over his life and destiny, he would live in a perpetual state of wonder and thanksgiving." ... Earl Nightingale

It is true that the aware among us are sorely outnumbered, but it is not because of any lack in aptitude of the multitude. Every right minded person has an equal opportunity to access the same information. Our capability to process it or the depth we are able to sustain may vary, but certain knowledge is basic enough for everyone to comprehend. What we build upon its foundation is unique to each of us, which makes for an interesting landscape.

We come to our personal awakening points at different times in our lives, if we bother to come to them at all. Automatic dawning's simply do not exist. No signs direct us from chaos to peace. Each persons discovery of self is primal, sacred and magical. But it is not easy by any measure. We must be willing to suspend any blind beliefs we have about who we think we really are. Too much of what we know is a product of what other people need us to be. Their expectations... their judgements... their beliefs, and their agendas do not produce a valid reflection of you. Most times very little, if any, of their input has anything to do with the real you. Building a life using sloppy seconds is barely living at all.

You are more than the sum total of your many labels. You are a child of someone; probably a sibling too. You may be a parent, with a spouse or without. You may be a student or already secure in a profession. These labels matter... they define your roles, they mark your boundaries, and they allow others to see at a glance our placement in society. If this is as far as you go then you may have a life, but you miss out on the real magic.

You may travel the world, but if you never make an internal journey of discovery you remain a simple spectator of the obvious. Being shallow takes many different forms and the most basic is not digging deeply enough to get past where someone else's opinion ends and yours begins. Your souls potential knows no limits, except the ones you apply. Search out self... view your depth and your height... then simply fill the space with who you really are. That is the moment when the magic begins and as long as you are in perfect tune with your soul then the magic has no reason to cease. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!    

Friction

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"It's not the work which kills people, it's the worry. It's not the revolution that destroys machinery it's the friction."... Henry Ward Beecher

I love this quote for its simple, easy too understand example that is deep enough to allow me to ponder it in my own way. Worry is so useless... it changes nothing... it erects towering mountains over top of the tiniest of mole hills. But worst of all it often infects our soul with unnecessary sorrow over an imagined outcome that never even happens. It  inspires stress and trust me stress will quickly take you hostage. That prolonged tension will choke any positive it touches and if it remains master it will eventually kill you.

I have learned to ask myself if it is worth dying for when something starts to stress me out. You would be surprised to know how many things are not worthy of even a minute of our time. We donate too much of ourselves to this little bit of nothing or that speck of useless nonsense. We act as if there is an unlimited supply of self to use and misuse in life. If you can alter something that is worrisome then do so. If it cannot be fixed then accept it, alter your outlook, and move on. Anything else is just slow suicide. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

     

BACKWARDS WISDOM

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards...
Soren Kierkegaard

A truer statement was never said. It is such a shame that it sometimes takes a lifetime to stifle the urge to walk blindly forward while looking back over your shoulder. Memories can be carried along safely. Past lessons are important to future happiness so must be filed away for later research. The study of the past is history and it benefits a persons life to fully understand all the stages passed through on the way to any present day phase.

Study it in quiet moments. Recall it in as healthy a fashion as possible. Analyze it to its fullest if that is your inclination... just do not allow it to steal your present, or poison your future. You can be a scholar on the subject of what makes you tick without standing stationary. Looking backward will not make the images any sharper... what is gone is truly gone. All you will really see if you gaze down that long road is piles of debris scattered all around.

It is a bit like watching an episode of Hoarders. You know there is a house there somewhere but it is so littered you cannot define its dimensions. Chaos of such monumental proportions comes from agony that was never validated or dealt with. Now that is a picture perfect example of what happens when we stop at the moment of impact and never move forward. Life piles up all around and we huddle mostly alone.

I do not advocate forward movement as in simply following the crowd. It may all seem like fun and games until you end up somewhere you would not have willingly visited. Even if you are not certain of your final destination you should always be committed to a direction of your own choosing. We each have a path of our own to tread. Others can and should stroll along with us, but we should also be quite comfortable walking solo when need be. A higher power will always have us in sight.

Keeping alert to all our surroundings will keep us safe from stepping off any cliffs. We have all watched people who were looking backward run into things that were clearly visible directly ahead of them. Hell I have even stepped off a few curbs and crashed into a number of things myself. Head up, eyes forward, and debris free is the only sane way to travel. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!  

    

TENDING FORGIVENESS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
How does one know if she has forgiven? You tend to feel sorrow over the circumstance instead of rage, you tend to feel sorry for the person rather than angry with him. You tend to have nothing left to say about it all... Clarissa Pinkola Estes

The fact is you will do all those things and more. There can be no real peace without real pardons being passed all around. Some to offenders who never meant to offend. Some to people who wounded you on purpose and found joy from your pain. Some to ones who deserve to be forgiven. Some to others who deserve nothing except the bad karma they earned. Some to yourself for failures in judgement, sins of both the intentional and the unintentional sort, or simply occasions when you were a hot mess without the good sense God gave you.

Alexander Pope said, "To err is human, to forgive is divine" and no truer words were ever spoken. One definition of divine is, being or having the nature of a God. We are made with the power of forgiveness at our fingertips. We may learn through life to hold a grudge, but any lesson learned can be unlearned when we learn better. I like to think He grades on the curve when we show we are trying. And I firmly believe He will judge me as I judge others... so not forgiving would be a poor investment in my souls future. We do not earn any points for just forgiving the smallest offenses or the sweetest offenders. If you cannot pardon all, you just might as well not pardon anyone.

Forgiveness is strong medicine for heartaches and soul sickness. We do not have to become best friends. We do not have to forget either, but I have found that once forgiven the need to dwell evaporates. If I refuse to rent any space inside my heart for a grudge then my mind resents them taking up any space there. I place the pain of their offence in Gods hands and their punishment in karmas lap. I have too much to do. I cannot waste the time and effort it takes to lug a grudge around. I cannot accomplish anything positive with a heart full of negatives. And I cannot reach for the divine with dirty hands. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!    

TRUE WISDOM AND POWER

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. - Author Unknown

Most of this quote I agree with, but a small portion makes me a bit uneasy. I figure the author must have meant the mastering of others in the gentlest of fashion. I will have to miss out on any strength gained from being master of anyone besides myself. I suppose that once a person has suffered from being meanly mastered by another human being they just naturally shy away from that role. The shadow left by heavy hands may be covering a deeper meaning. If you, "get" that portion feel free to explore it with me here.

The mastering of self is very powerful and very possible. You cannot ease into it like you would slide behind the wheel of a car. It is tough love at its finest. The power to control our thoughts, feelings, and actions evolves in just that order. First you gain control of your mind and what enters there. Thoughts need to be managed... negatives ejected... depth increased... shallow notions take up too much space and reward us no grace. Spite and revenge steal all chance of understanding and peace. Once we have true control of our mind then managing our feelings is possible.

Emotions are like selfish children. When we allow them control then drama is certain. We often give in to them and end up acting out in ways totally foreign to our nature. There is nothing quite as destructive as a child throwing a fit. Let the child have control and the adult will have to clean up a mess they never intended to make.

I am not suggesting not to feel. I am saying to grow in understanding of why you feel... acknowledge the pain... validate the emotion, but do so with forethought. Never be satisfied to simply be controlled by a knee-jerk reaction to any negative emotion. Do not fight against the pain; some things are meant to be painful. Feel it, but do not become it. Do not build a monument at its base. Do not worship it by becoming its victim. With enough practice at controlling your thoughts and emotions then your actions will just naturally follow a saner pattern.  

There is true wisdom gained from self-knowledge. The better you know what makes you tick the more you empathize with others. And empathy is such a wondrous thing... almost magical in its ability to join souls together. We should all take time each day for some internal exploration. We have enough time to spare if it is of enough importance. We waste so much time trying to find peace from other people or joy from ownership of things. Why bother looking elsewhere for something that you can only find inside yourself? Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

HIGH SIGHT

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. - Helen Keller

The fact that this quote was made by a woman who could not see is a wonderful irony. Helen Keller may not have had sight, but she viewed the world and its inhabitants more clearly than most people ever do. She could not hear any sound outside of herself, so she learned early on to listen to her heart. Her view of obstacles as challenges, her hunger to learn, and her trust in the positive people who believed in her hidden brilliance made failure impossible.

Her whole life was a glorious struggle, but she never backed down from a battle. If she had she would never have even known her own name and others would have no occasion to remember it. The summer of my 12th year I read, "The Miracle Worker" from cover to cover. That inspired my love of reading, but it also taught me that no matter what you face in life it is attitude more than aptitude that really matters.  

Her advice is spot on and timeless. Facing the world eye-to-eye demands a heads up posture. When we keep our eyes on the ground and our head bowed we adopt a victims stance. The world is overflowing with people who will be all too glad to use our own stance against us to gain control. If our own posture can cause such damage it only makes sense to walk as tall and proud as possible.

I used to be an eyes on the ground person, and I paid a heavy price. I was by nature and nurture quite overcome by mean natured people who where the ones who professed to love me the most. It took almost a lifetime to lift my head up. In a way I was both blind and deaf, but all obstacles were mountains I carried on my back.

All it took to get free of it all was one blinding moment of clarity. I thought... "40 more yrs of this... then the nursing home... then the cemetery." After that I had no choice but to raise my head, straighten my back, and demand my due. If Helen could overcome... if I could overcome... then anyone can. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!   

OUR OWN RECKONING

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"And, above all things, never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you very much at your own reckoning." - Anthony Trollope

Having positive thoughts about yourself does not make you an egomaniac. One is a direct avenue toward growth, while the other is an abnormal certainty of perfection. Thinking too little of yourself is just as harmful. Everything in life is harder if you imagine yourself too lame for success. We program the view seen by how we look at our own image. Self portraits are rarely as accurate as they may seem.

Most of us are smarter, more capable, and better looking than we view ourselves as being. We lack confidence more often than we lack ability. And we censure ourselves more harshly than we ever would anyone else. We wear negatives on our face never realizing how beautiful we are when we smile. Our expectations may be too lofty, when our stamina is too low... guaranteeing failure. A healthy balance between the two is possible if you simply readjust the way you view yourself.

Fear of success is real too. The cost of getting to the top is great, but the price of staying there is often more than we bargain for. The monster you know seems safer than the one you do not... life is funny like that. But the least we can do is  too do all we can to be within reach of that threshold. Crossing it may never happen, but knowing you could validates all doubts suffered for its sake. Fairly earn a good opinion of yourself then pass it on. Have faith, exercise it with grace, and others will view you with pleasure.   

What other people label you with before you are aware of who you really are is useless information, better left behind. The weak and mean spirited love to stand on others to increase their height. What they think of you can never matter, since they cannot even like themselves. Do not bother trying to alter their view... but waste no time before you begin altering your own. Think about it... Let it ride... then decide!!! 

TWO THINGS

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Two things are bad for the heart -- running up stairs and running down people. - Bernard M. Baruch

My running days are mostly over, unless my life depends on its resurrection. Even then it would only briefly delay the inevitable since my accelerator is stuck firmly somewhere between slow and stop. I am at an age when falling down stairs is much more possible than running up then ever was. Tripping up them is still well within my ability. I realize that is nothing to brag about... and neither is running down a fellow traveler.

People may lose the stamina for the physical portion of this quote with age and illness. But the ability to run people down never ends as long as speaking is still possible. If we cannot lift each other up it makes more sense to just leave one another alone. The need to interact with someone we do not approve of is often a part of our job. The ability to do it well without creating drama is invaluable. We have no right to voice our opinion to them about what we view as their shortcomings. And we have no right to pass our venom along to others.

If I wanted to walk daily and the path of my choice was overrun by pests I would select an alternate route. Same with people. We cannot like everyone... and everyone does not like us... it makes neither of us better people to listen to or repeat negatives. I think God was pretty serious when he pointed out that the fashion with which we judge our fellow man is the pattern that will be used to judge us.

Good karma is what I want to earn; positive inspiration is what I deal in... first to myself then onto others. Gossip has no place in my life. My ears refuse to hear it and my mouth refuses to repeat it. None of us gets through life without doing a multitude of things that could be used against us. It makes good sense to alter our behavior when it gets too close to gossip worthy. And it makes no sense at all to point out the shortcomings of anyone else while we are still tripping upon our own. Remember that God hears our nasty whispering about others, and if he were to use our scale on us when the time comes we may be a bit too heavy for angel wings. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!     

SHOP LOCAL

TODAY'S QUOTE:
We choose and consume, feast and forget, then rush on to the next hot thing. There's no point chasing that kind of success because it's so transient. Far better to follow (our) own paths and be true to (ourselves)." ~ Emili Sandé

The world runs on consumption of goods... the more you have the more you want. We self-soothe, measure self-worth, calculate the value of others, and equate a good life by how many goods owned. We chase a happiness that does not exist in possessions that we grow bored with when anything bigger, faster, or better comes along. Having things is not a crime, but letting them have you ought to be classified as one.

Things of real and lasting value do not cost any green paper that they make in a factory. Real happiness cannot be manufactured, but it can be grown. We can rush back and forth filling shopping carts in a frantic dance to music that plays in the endless advertisements that promise us heaven on earth. But the only way to find what we seek is to stand still and firm inside ourselves and find out what we can produce. Shop local!!! Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!! 

WHAT LIES WITHIN

TODAY'S QUOTE:
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes it takes a lifetime to realize how complex we really are. Some people never explore what lies beneath their basic layer. They just coast along, satisfied to skim across the surface unaware of the treasures buried all around. The unlimited possibilities get overshadowed by their daily humdrum same old, same old routine.

I spent half my lifetime shadow walking. My reasons for being clueless had to do with self-preservation, but the life I was preserving was just a hollow cave dug by a shallow jailer. I do not bother mourning the time lost... I am much too busy gathering treasures. Our reasons for not exploring ourselves are numerous, but whatever the cause the result is always the same. Without focus we bobble-head through life, never landing long enough in one position to make sense of much of anything of real importance. 

Some obsess over their appearance as if that were all they are made of. A pretty face or beautiful body holds them captive in front of a mirror in a kind of twisted worship. They focus on hair and nails, or brawn and buff as if the packaging of a soul was any kind of indicator of its content. Shallow minds by nature just bury deeper the only portion of a human that gets more beautiful with age and wisdom earned. The glory days for an ego maniac end when their looks fade... the glory days for a soul are eternal.  

Digging takes strength and requires a fair amount of time to reach a place where sense can be made of yourself. The what, when, how, and whys of a lifetime compose an equation that is meant to be solved. Without closure of past issues we are doomed to march between tasks like worker ants never knowing there is more to life than the endless to and fro. The entire world may be open to exploration, but the vast majority of us are limited travelers of our outer surroundings and even more stunted with our internal space. Even a short road trip taken soul deep will add more depth and knowledge to your life than months out on the open road. Think about it.... let it ride... then decide!!!   

A FLEXIBLE APPROACH

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach. - Tom Robbins

There are a variety of avenues open to us for reaching every destination we seek to visit. Some are more difficult, yet much shorter... some are more scenic, but add miles to our journey. How we approach is always a choice made by us in accordance with the importance we place in certain variables. We may be in a hurry, or we may have all the time in the world. We may be in the drivers seat or we may simply be a passenger... either way the choice to travel at all belongs to us.

Decisions made have the same scope of variables to consider. Once we adopt a stance we have chosen a destination. All that is left to do is choose the approach that will gain us the most distance with the least of amount of damage to ourselves and too others. If the decision leads to our certain happiness but may inflict pain on someone else it is only proper to do everything possible to ease their burden as much as we can, without abandoning our own happiness.

We may be willing to go the shorter, more difficult path, but if we are not traveling solo it might be necessary to take the scenic route. The passenger that we were certain would be happy to ride along may jump ship; the only certainty in life is its uncertainty. Our decisions may be rock-solid, while everything around us is fluid. Flexibility and patience are mandatory to give others time to adjust to our readjustment. Gentle is always better, although it is not always possible; personal growth occurs at its own timetable and hard decisions only get harder and more desperate with wasted time. With a destination certain all that is left to do is choose the mode of transportation and the path that best suits your soul. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

THOUGHT QUALITY

TODAY'S POST:
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.
Marcus Aelius Aurelius

There can be no true happiness as long as unruly notions and whinny what ifs are allowed to rule inside a brain that has been overfed on negatives. The same way bad eating habits make a mess of a body, bad thinking habits can wad up even the roomiest brain. It is easy to forget who rules what goes on in there when the door has been left wide open, allowing entry to every type of visitor. If every person on earth is not equally admissible inside your home why is every single thought made welcome? An open door policy for a mind is a dangerous way to operate a ruling portion of any human being.

Our homes have doors and windows have screens to keep out unwanted people, varmints, and insects. When we camp our tents are kept secured from uninvited visitors as well. Any insect inside a dwelling is either part of a deliberate collection or an enemy which we quickly hunt down and evict. We may gently assist it back outdoors... it may end up deader than a doornail... point being either way gone is gone. Likewise any animal is  either a pet or an invader; the difference is easy to identify. If it makes you smile it is a pet. If it makes you scream and run outside it is an invader. We do not waste any time or spare any expense to rid our home of uninvited animals.

Why we do not protect our mind in the same fashion is a real puzzler. Wandering thoughts seem to have a preference for seeking out trouble of some kind. Worry is one of their favorite destinations, where they quickly get lost between past regrets and future fears. The noise and confusion of a tangled mass of negative notions quickly drowns out the gentle positives scattered all around. Protect your mind the same way you do your home. Screen out pests, man the door so you can redirect or ignore the uninvited, and if something finds its way past all your safeguards do whatever you must to reclaim what is yours. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!! 

The Way It's Always Been

TODAY'S QUOTE:
The most damaging phrase in the language is: It's always been done that way."... Grace Murray Hopper

This is scary true, and the mind-set formed by its message erects solid walls to keep the status-quo tamper proof. The higher the level of the person who lives by that maxim the more widespread the damage. If they hold a leadership position at work or at home then they have followers... some willing... some not... but from top to bottom insanity rules. The only difference is that some recognize crazy and some do not; either way it is the top dog that is leader of the pack.

If you have to follow crazy then sprinkle enough sane around to make things better whenever possible. All progress is not impossible, no matter how bleak it seems; subtlety is a sane persons best weapon when they are stuck-in-stupid. The, "always done it" people lack vision, but love flattery enough to slowly change their behavior if they, "think" it is their idea. It becomes an easy fix to convince them of their brilliance once you persuade them "their" idea will gain them praise.

Change is hard for some of us. Life is fluid, alterations are necessary no matter how things used to be they are not meant to remain stagnant for all eternity. A stuck in the mud mind may be tiresome to deal with, but it is not a contagious illness. We may look upon it as stupidity, but all it really signals is fear. If you work or live with someone who fights against change use empathy as your guide in dealing with them. If you are the one stuck trying to halt progress then learn to manage your fears. Allowing them to manage you will doom you to growing roots where you stand while the rest of the world passes you by. If God meant for us to remain stationary he would have created us torso high, without legs for motion and feet for balance. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

A FRESH START MOMENT

TODAY'S QUOTE:
If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. - Mary Pickford

I agree with this quote, but I would alter the, "If " to, "When" to better reflect reality. Mistakes are certain; only the choice between repeating or repenting is an uncertainty. Realizing that each and every mistake holds an important life-lesson is not automatic, but it is mandatory to moving on. "Duh moments", require either a lingering reflection afterward or a  long pause beforehand to inspire a dawning of the mind and the changing of the heart. The thresholds created by our, "duh moments" are gateways to a fresh start. Stepping across is voluntary... ignoring the chance is deliberate... the choice is always ours to make.

Change rattles some of us so hard that any step is difficult. Fear freezes some so solidly in place that any step is impossible. Even seeing the sense in forward movement does not guarantee even an inch of advancement. Sometimes we simply carry so much baggage that even the thought of travel in any direction is so exhausting we just vegetate in place. The reasons for not making the effort are endless, but then so are the rewards we gain from any attempt at rebirth. I take comfort from the knowledge that as long as we live the opportunity is there for the taking.

Starting fresh does not mean that all that went on before is magically forgotten. It means that you have learned something life changing and have incorporated it soul-deep. It means that you found the strength to stand up one more time, and walking wounded or not... at least you are walking. It means that admitting misdeeds and resolving issues becomes much easier without the need of making excuses. It means that you have reached a point where truly knowing yourself begins. It means freedom from old tired negatives and the harvesting of more positives than you ever imagined possible. Lift your foot, step an inch, and travel to a place where real peace is inevitable. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!  

  

THE COURAGE OF THE SOUL

TODAY'S QUOTE:
The supreme courage of life is the courage of the soul. It is living, day by day, sincerely, steadfastly, serenely, - despite all opinions, all obstacles, all opposition. It means the wine of inspiration from the crushed grapes of our sorrows. This courage makes the simplest life, great; it makes the greatest life - sublime. It means the royal dignity of fine individual living. - William George Jordan

Life is not for the faint-of-heart.  Some days it requires real effort to even open our eyes and face reality. But face it we must, or it will toss us on the battlefield with no weapons, no protection, and no hope of victory. Since sneak attacks are common-place from the unlikeliest of people trust yourself above all others and God most of all. Let your soul soar above life's irritations instead of burying it under a mountain of fractured thoughts and negative emotions. 

It is the hard-knock lessons that we master which gain us the most wisdom. It is the sorrows we survive that earn us the tools to rebuild. Patience is rewarded to those of us who learn to stay calm in the face of chaos. Strength is built by the weight we carry and the tilt we use to balance the load. Life may wobble your knees or slam you on your ass, but one small grain of hope sheltered inside a grateful soul is enough to rebuild your universe upon.

Courage of the soul is equal to the faith invested in it; there is nothing it cannot overcome. Your body may betray you... your mind certainly will, but your soul is eternal. It will survive long after the rest of you is dust in the wind. Our soul is ageless, without ending; by seniority alone it should be the leader of the pack, and by wisdom it should rule over mind and heart. Do not allow fears born in organs to infect the spirit. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!