OK, my handwriting leaves a bit to be desired. Its a work in progress. Lined paper will help.
What’s your bias? Are you sharing or compelling?
BIAS
January 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
SILENT JOURNEY
January 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Journey Has Continued (albeit silently)
It has been over 5 months since I posted on JTC. The Journey as of late has been hectic, amazing, frustrating, wonderful, challenging, educational, and as always divine. Every journey, every person is divine in their own way (and own mind). In the end it has simply boiled down to priorities. It always does. There are only so many hours in a day and most of us have conflicting demands on those hours. I have been debating lately if this project has served its purpose. Is it time to officially discontinue this blog? Then I read the concept and all prior posts again. What an amazing impact the process has had on my achieving set goals, on my effort to maintain balance, on my journey to convergence. I need to continue with JTC with large hopes of helping others achieve the same success while at a minimum just keeping my progress and journey focused on that point of convergence. The point is infinite and not achievable, but the journey in that direction is the point.
HOW?
I have reaffirmed the “Why” behind continuing JTC. Now the question becomes “How”? How do I find the time to keep up with posting and sharing here when the list is already so long and stressful that my mind is swirling day in and day out. How do I commit to posting on a regular basis when 5 months have passed since my last post? I could give it a higher priority but that’s a little tough when I have to worry about priority #1, the other priority #1, and then there is that other priority #1. The plate is overflowing so how do I make room for this? What gets pushed off the plate to make room for posting?
In the past a post could easily consume 2+ hours of actual time spread across multiple days. Write, edit, re-write, edit, double think, edit, re-write, delete, start over…. Then there was the searching for a related picture to insert into the post. That can be eliminated for the most part. If a picture inspires a post then it can certainly be included but there is no real reason to expend precious time on the reverse, seeking a picture to align with a post. But there is still the writing….wait a minute….I write nearly every morning. I am a bit of an early bird. I start nearly every day thinking out loud in words in my journal. As of late its been a lot of “How the heck do I get this all done?” but it is part of the art working towards balance and convergence. I love the feel of pen to paper. I love the flow of the ink as I write the words. I enjoy it far more than typing onto a computer screen. All my previous posts have been written on paper before typed into the blog. That transition from paper to computer is where much of the edit, re-write, edit, double think, edit, rewrite, delete, start over comes into play. What if I just scan and post my morning writing? Efficiency and re-purposing of an existing activity to increase the value of that activity! LOVE IT! I’ll need a new journal where the pages are not bound but that’s an easy fix.
SO BE IT!
So the Journey continues. It has proven too valuable to me and my progress to not continue the art for my own benefit along with the hopes of my sharing possibly helping anyone else looking for balance and convergence. I am going to give the scanning process a shot. I can’t commit to how long or how often but its worth a try.
Feeling overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time to do it? How do you balance your priorities and optimize your time?
WORDS FOR ALL!
August 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
NOT JUST FOR TEENS
Yes, they desperately need to listen, hear it, and DO IT, but Teens are not the only ones that could benefit from this message. I am referring to this image of a news article floating around Facebook that is supposedly “Words for teenagers” from a New Zealand Juvenile Court Judge. There is also a posting of these words on this blog and in the comments someone provides a link to what appears to be the original from a Juvenile Court Judge from Denver printed in a Dear Abby column. Regardless of who first wrote these words, they are spot on and need to be spread. And spread to all: teens, 20-somethings, 30-somethings, hell I know a few 40,50,60-somethings that could really use this message. Here is how it was written in the Dear Abby article: (with a little added typographical emphasis)
“Always we hear the plaintive cry of the teenager: What can we do?…Where can we go? The answer is, GO HOME!
Hang the storm windows, paint the woodwork. Rake the leaves, mow the lawn, shovel the walk. Wash the car, learn to cook, scrub some floors. Repair the sink, build a boat, GET A JOB!
Help the priest, minister or Rabbi, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army. Visit the sick, assist the poor, study your lessons. And then when you are through – and not too tired -READ A BOOK!
Your parents DO NOT OWE you entertainment. Your city or village DOES NOT OWE you a living. You OWE THE WORLD something. You owe it your time and energy and your talents so that no one will be at war or in poverty or sick or lonely again.
In plain, simple words, GROW UP; quit being a crybaby. Get out of your dream world and develop a backbone, not a wishbone, and start acting like an adult.
You’re supposed to be mature enough to accept some of the responsibility your parents have carried for years. They have nursed, protected, helped, appealed, begged, excused, tolerated, and denied themselves of needed comforts so that you could have every benefit. This they have done gladly, for you are their dearest treasure. But now, you have no right to expect them to bow to your every whim and fancy just because SELFISH EGO, instead of common sense, dominates your personality, thinking, and requests!
IN HEAVEN’S NAME, GROW UP AND GO HOME!”
Now the overarching message here is spot on, but I would edit a few pieces of it if it were my message. There are a few pieces I don’t completely agree with or feel need a bit more emphasis:
“GO HOME” – Since I believe this message is for all, not just teens, lets clarify “home” – No one owes you a home. And for the minors – the definition of home is a sanitary place that protects you from the elements; not some elaborate dwelling you most likely refuse to help maintain anyway. Be grateful for what you have, help maintain and protect what you have and stop expecting someone else to provide it for you. Unless you are reading this from a desolate desert in a third world country (which is doubtful) – someone, somewhere has it much worse than you and they are probably more grateful for what they do have than you are. It is fine to want and dream for more as long as you – yourself – are willing to work hard and EARN that “more!”
“Paint the woodwork” – Ummm, teens check with your parents before you go painting the woodwork. Everyone else, check with your wives. It will save you a lot of grief.
“Learn to cook” - And clean up after yourself when you are done!
“Build a boat” – Do you NEED a boat? If so, have at it. Otherwise, there are probably better things to do with your time.
“Help the priest, minister or rabbi, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army.” – Seems a bit limited – you could also help the priestess, imam, sensei, Manbo, or swami. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are fine but how about the local youth organization or food bank. Hell, how about just helping out your neighbor to start. No excuses – they are right next door!
“study your lessons” – Just wondered if anyone still calls them “lessons.” Do your homework (I know it sucks but DO IT), study for that test, learn a new skill, research that project you have been daydreaming about. “Compete with your current self to become your future self!”
“READ A BOOK” – When you are done with that book - READ ANOTHER BOOK, and another – journey to places through words you may never have a chance to physically visit or to places that may not even exist anyway other than through words. Learn, Read, Learn, and Read some more!
“Your parents DO NOT OWE you entertainment. Your city or village DOES NOT OWE you a living. You OWE THE WORLD something. You owe it your time and energy and your talents so that no one will be at war or in poverty or sick or lonely again.” - just felt that needed repeated!
“Get out of your dream world and develop a backbone, not a wishbone, and start acting like an adult.” – Last one. I really struggle with this line. I get the intention but lets face it – there are plenty of people “acting like adults” under the societal definition of “adult” that are causing many of the problems in this world. Never lose your dream world. It contains your dreams and your dreams may be exactly what stops war, poverty, sickness, or loneliness. Just remember that you are responsible for making your dreams come true. No one else can, will, or needs to do it for you. Keep your wishbone along with your backbone. Wishes create dreams and dreams create beauty. Never, never, never stop wishing and dreaming, but again realize YOU have to make it happen! As far as acting like an adult – unfortunately it really feels like that is synonymous with stale, judgmental, boring, elitist, and selfish. Start acting like the self motivated, self disciplined, independent, divine talented person that you are. Don’t expect anything from anyone, give all that you can, and always be grateful for what you have been given.
Your true entitlements are few and wonderful. You will find them in many nations constitutions or declarations although most of their governments have lost sight of them. You are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. That’s it and stop conveniently overlooking the part about “pursuit”. You are not entitled to happiness, you are entitled to the pursuit of happiness. To pursue something usually takes some effort on your part.
How are YOU going to start your pursuit today?
POSSIBILITIES ARE CERTAIN
July 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
ONE MOMENT AGO…
…certainty reached its pinnacle point. Unless and until time travel is possible it cannot be changed. The event is absolute in certainty. However, the impact it has on your NOW and future is still open to change. Even if time travel was possible most would agree that the uncertainty of what changing the smallest aspect of your past could potentially do to the future of not only yourself but also to the future of those you have loved and cared for is far too high of a risk to take. The possibility of The Butterfly Effect is certain. Note: I did not say the effect is certain – the existence of possibilities (infinite possibilities) is certain. And that is the point of this post. Rather than dwelling on what we cannot change, why not instead take the opportunity to change your perspective on the events and the impact they have on your NOW and future while embracing all the possibilities the uncertainty of tomorrow brings?
CERTAINTY & POSSIBILITIES
Much like Yin Yang, Certainty and Possibilities are complimentary opposites. Life – just like the weather is full of uncertainty. It is this uncertainty that most fear causing them to spend enormous amounts of energy worrying. The farther out you look the less certain things become but along with that uncertainty comes endless possibilities. As certainty descends – possibilities ascends. It is my hypothesis that the same holds true for the past in reverse. As you look farther and farther back the certainty descends and possibilities ascend in the vein of perspective.
PERSPECTIVE
How can certainty of the past descend? That depends on your perspective. The event itself is certainly unchangeable but how you view it, how you allow it to impact your NOW and future is far less certain. It seems to reason that the older the event the less certain its impact on your future becomes along with the greater possibilities of changing your perspective. Wounds can heal and become scars of wisdom – if you let them.
Are you allowing past events ruin your present gifts? Have you left what should be “scars of wisdom” to fester as open wounds?
THANK YOU!
May 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Thank you for the EXPERIENCES!
Both Blissful and Sorrowful.
Both Joyful and Depressed.
Both Genuine and Uncertain.
Past Experiences
No regret nor remorse, only valuable lessons learned!
Present Experiences
Gifts of life and living!
Future Experiences
The possibilities are limitless!
Thank you for the PEOPLE!
Both Benevolent and Antagonistic.
Both Supportive and Harmful.
Both Trustworthy and Corrupt.
Past People
Critical characters in your story and growth!
Present People
Shoulders to lean on or challenges to overcome!
Future People
The possibilities are limitless!
Thank You for ABUNDANCE!
Both Discernible and Indistinct.
Both Realized and Unrecognizable.
Both Experienced and Witnessed.
Past Abundance
It was there to nourish you!
Present Abundance
Open your eyes to see it!
Future Abundance
The possibilities are limitless!
THANK YOU!
What are you grateful for today?
KNOW WHEN TO ROW AND WHEN TO FLOW
February 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
LOOSE ENDS
“Loose Ends pierce and slash us attempting to convince us that the path is impassable.”
They are the true burden of the mind. We avoid and procrastinate when in the end whatever reasons we have for avoiding are just a fraction of the burden that the Loose Ends are on us.
We are all guilty of it at one time or another. The release of just taking a step and having control of some sort of forward motion is nothing short of wonderful.
Get it done! Get it off your mind and in a plan!
KNOW WHEN TO ROW AND WHEN TO FLOW. Even in a strong current there can be a potential and very possibly a NEED to steer.
What if IT…
February 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What if IT ended?
Would you dwell on the loss
…or revel in the joy you experienced from IT?
Do you waste precious moments worrying about the what if
…or focus on enjoying IT?
Would you take the loss personal
…or be grateful for what IT gave you when you had IT?
Would you question IT?
Are you questioning IT?
STOP! ENJOY IT! LEARN FROM IT! FIND IT!
What is IT? That’s up to you to fill in or find out.
So what is IT for you?
THE PAST IS PAST
February 5, 2012 by 1 Comment
Ouroboros
There is a mystical archetype called the Ouroboros that comforts my soul and calms my mind with its symbolism. I look to it as a representation of how I both hope and strive to live my life. It symbolizes the need to apply a finality to the past and a need to let go, forgive, and continually renew on this journey called life.
Here is a small excerpt from Wikipedia:
The Ouroboros (or Uroborus)[1] is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The name originates from within Greek language; οὐρά (oura) meaning “tail” and βόρος (boros) meaning “eating”, thus “he who eats the tail”.[2]
The Ouroboros represents the perpetual cyclic renewal of life, and infinity, the eternal return, and represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth, leading to immortality, as in the phoenix.
Markings of Wisdom
I would add “forget” to that list of interpretations, however it is not a complete obliteration as the term “forget” would imply. We need to forget the specific event and its details obliterating all the pain and judgement those details may invoke in us while still retaining the wisdom that past experience provides. They make us stronger if we retain the wisdom but can actually weaken and debilitate us if we don’t let go and continually relive the details and negative impacts. The past is past – learn and live! Grow and teach! Let the markings make you a better person not a lessor.
They are markings of wisdom on our soul. Some are beautiful and elaborate artwork tattooed on us for eternity. Others are scars of past trauma’s that have made us who we are. None of them need to be open wounds robbing us of what we can be. Don’t give them your power!
The Four Agreements
Just as the Ouroboros consumes and digests its tail taking on only the nutrients it provides – we too must consume and digest the past only retaining the nutrient wisdom it provides.
One of my favorite and one of the most impactful books in my life is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It is a quick read that is so complex in its simplicity that I am confident anyone can find at least a few positive points to take away from it in their pursuit to master the dream of their life. The Four Agreements are simply:
- BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
- DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
- DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
- ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.
Clean the space for renewal as the Ouroboros does and live the present and future with The Four Agreements in mind, that is my intention, hope, and will. If you would like to pick up a copy of The Four Agreements you can do so by clicking on the image below. (affiliate link, all affiliate revenue will be donated to a worthy charity).
I highly recommend the book to anyone seeking relief from the unproductive drama’s of day to day life. You won’t be disappointed.
Are you allowing your past to be an open wound or scars of wisdom?
CONVERGENCE BEAT TYPE 2 DIABETES
January 8, 2012 by 4 Comments
The second ring of the Health point of focus on my 2011 Convergence target was to have an average blood sugar of 140mg/DL with medication. I am both proud and pleased to share that I not only achieved that goal – I BEAT IT! My average reading for the last four months is down to 100mg/DL and it is completely med free. I am extremely grateful to have this in check without having to worry about the possible long-term side effects of the medicines previously needed to keep it in healthy range. There was a a lot that went into accomplishing this goal but the most important step was setting the goal!
“In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.”
The Secret
I whole heartedly believe in the power and magic of manifestation. But it is only one piece of the puzzle. It is a very powerful piece that can accelerate the achievement of your goals and dreams by both telling the universe of your desires and then surrendering to the flow of the energy to manifest those desires. I do, however, worry that too many proponents of manifestation are selling it as the only step necessary as if you can focus and visualize your dream and then just sit on the couch with a bowl of chips and wait for it to be delivered like a book ordered online. Not quite that simple. Definitely tell the universe of your desires, surrender to the flow of the energy, but then listen to the universe on what your next actions need to be and DO IT!
My Journey
I tell the universe of my desires and visualize them through the convergence target. The target covers many areas and lots of ground but the universe clearly directed my energy towards the highest priority. I didn’t consciously prioritize where to focus, it just flowed. In hindsight it makes complete logical sense that my first order of business needed to be fixing my body and subsequently my mind as a predecessor to achieving the desires in the other points of focus. I could research and even execute some actions in the other areas but body and mind had to be top priority. They all flow together and are interconnected, complimenting and supporting one another as my good friend Lou highlighted in his guest post.
So I went with the flow and it continues to pay dividends. Through my actions and focus to beat this malady I actually brought the entire “Health” point of focus into convergence through diet and exercise. This was my “Health” point of focus as proclaimed on January 17, 2011.
It is now not only fully complete but actually exceeded. I am probably in the best shape of my life. Even better shape than my Army days since my weekends no longer consist of consuming mass quantities of dark German beer like they did back then. Now its time to regroup and proclaim my 2012 desires in the form of a convergence target and see where the universe takes me.
What are your desires for 2012? How will you manifest them into reality?
ITS UP TO YOU!
THREE WORDS FOR 2012
January 2, 2012 by 1 Comment
ITS THAT TIME AGAIN
One of my first posts as I launched JTC roughly a year ago was about Chris Brogan’s recommendation to choose three words as guideposts for the upcoming year instead of the standard New Years resolutions. The idea of guideposts instead of hardfast resolutions resonated well with me and how I looked to structure my journey. Three words to guide my focus while utilizing the convergence targets to set goals beneath the umbrella of those three words.
Last year my three words were ”borrowed” and thrown together fairly quickly but they still served me well as I considered where I wanted to go on this journey and the paths I wanted to explore. For 2012, I have been thinking long and hard about what my three words should be for nearly a month now and still go back and forth on them each morning as I consider what I want the guideposts for 2012 to be but its already January 2, 2012 so its time to ink them and get started. Here are my three words for 2012 and what they mean to me.
GRATITUDE
I believe this one needs a permanent spot in every year, every day, every second. I can see the future of this exercise becoming “Three Words + Gratitude”. Keeping and expressing gratitude for all the resources, people, and experiences I have, am, and will be blessed with is simply the cornerstone of maintaining balance and happiness. It is ironically overlooked when it is needed most – when challenges arise. I look to meditate on all I have to be grateful for, every time life’s challenges try to bring me down.
I do, however, personally believe that some can mistake a lack of complacence for a lack of gratitude.
- I can be grateful for my health and still strive to improve my body and strength.
- I can be grateful for my career and the means it provides while still working to build additional and new resources to allow me to better serve, provide and support as many as possible.
- I am forever grateful but never complacent.
GRATITUDE is my first word for 2012 and every year hereafter.
FLOW
I find it interesting that I basically “flowed” into this word as a focus for 2012 over the course of 2011 and my work on JTC. It is not in my nature to just flow very well. I tend to heavily plan, heavily analyze and look to control every next step of life just as I manage projects and business in my career. The original plan for the use of convergence targets was very rigid with heavy expectations, strict milestones, and very discreet deliverable’s. Once I surrendered to the natural flow of things and let go of the rigid expectations my traction and progress increased exponentially.
Life is far more complex than a series of tasks and goals. It is magically filled with energies flowing through all of humanity and nature. Although I will continue to set goals and focus my energy towards the areas I see in the most need through the convergence target I will also surrender to the natural flow to guide me down the right paths toward achieving those goals.
SHARE
This was one of my 2011 words and it has many elements to me that need a bit of my energy. Its not just the standard sharing of thoughts, knowledge and resources but also an overall sharing of self.
- Reaching out to others to share in my goals and projects vs. always trying to do it on my own.
- Sharing my fears and dreams in a more open way with those I love and trust.
- Speak more both to those already in my life as well as to complete strangers.
- Strengthen my personal and professional network by reaching out for advice and providing the same when asked.
- Sharing my journey by asking more to join me.
SHARE is one of my three words again this year.
GRATITUDE – FLOW – SHARE are my words for 2012. What are yours?
Health, Happiness, and Prosperity to you and yours in 2012!
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