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!!! 

    

Daily Motivation

TODAY'S QUOTE: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing—that's why we recommend it daily."... Zig Ziglar

I know how it feels to need a bath... I also know how it feels to need some encouragement. I don't depend on others for bathing and I refuse to rely on other people for motivation. If I receive some from any other source I'm grateful, but if not I know how to self-produce my own. I had to learn the hard way that trusting my mood to others is asking for trouble.

Who better than me to feel a need and fill it... no long lines... no waiting for help to arrive... no muss, no fuss. I decided long ago to wake up in a good mood every day. Seems that seeing a new day as another chance makes them mighty precious in their own right. If some bothersome shit occurs then don't bother looking for me in the "poor me" line. I'm too busy flipping that shit over, searching for the silver lining. And if I can't find one then I get my crayons and make one.

Whatever gets you moving in a positive direction is a wonderful tool. If you have one use it... if you don't own one start building one asap. It can be something small that has a huge impact upon a brighter outlook. I used to carry a worry stone in my pocket to work... I rubbed it when someone was trying to steal my smile. I used to post quotes on the bathroom mirror. I used to do whatever I could to make my three feet a happy space, no matter what surrounded me. Adding to the chaos only pleases the despot.

Why let an evil dictator have control of you? A negative start will guarantee a bad day; string enough of them together and you end up with a hole that's deep enough to swallow, digest, and spit you out. Truly it becomes a hard to break habit long before you realize it. But like any habit once you decide to drop it like its hot it's undoable. If you're bright enough to learn something new then you're plenty smart enough to unlearn something old that never served you well in the first place. Think about it... let it ride... then YOU decide !!!  

 

 

MIND CONTROL

TODAY'S QUOTE:
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes. - Charles R. Swindoll

This quote is long and factual to such a degree that I am not sure if anything I can add will be of any use. I hope that I am equal to the task of stressing its message in a way that will benefit someone.

Attitude is the complexion of our heart, once it is filtered through our brain, and tinted by the enthusiasm of our soul. All three layers of our being have the power to focus our attitude in either direction. Negative or positive is manufactured by one or all portions... the more they agree on a direction the deeper our commitment to traveling wherever they lead.

We possess the power to alter our attitude, but there is no auto-correct. Deciding to be in charge of the notions we digest is the first step to learning how to manage our attitude. Dismiss the dragons... toss out the snakes... filter out the dregs... be the bouncer... man the door and only allow the thoughts that travel in the direction you truly wish to go. Evict all bully's without delay; chances are someone else introduced them, and they really are not worthy of space in such a precious place.

Decorating the room in your head with broken and damaged clutter will never serve you well. A mind left to wander will go places we should never visit, so direct your attention. If you practice this first step and learn it well then all other strides will follow in a pattern that will create peace of mind no matter what happens. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!

  

Self Belief Empowerment

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."... E.E. Cummings

The exercise it takes to develop faith in ourselves is never easy, but the rewards are life-changing. When the things we tell ourselves do not match the things others try to drum into our head then the choice is simple. If the things drummed into our head take root and we buy into any negative just because someone keeps repeating it then the choice is mandatory. Nobody can define you without your permission. Simply saying some random shit to keep a person imprisoned in doubt and confusion does not make it factual.

Boy, how I wish I had learned that as a toddler and practiced it for a lifetime. But better late than never is my maxim, so any regret I suffered for time wasted has grown into thankfulness for all the time that remains. I understand the dynamics now and practice them faithfully.

Knowing our true worth releases us from any boundaries erected by others. Confidence fuels our footsteps and aims us in the right direction. Belief in our right to own our life is the key that unlocks our soul, inspiring it to heights we never dared to contemplate. We are born free of doubts, but that never lasts. The only way to recapture that freedom is to shake off all the negatives voices and replace them with our own.

Risk a transformation... seek your slice of freedom... gamble on a sure bet... just believe in yourself. Why limp in someone's shadow when you can soar without their permission?    
Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!