Mark Morford writes a twice weekly column for the San Francisco Chronicle and he's pretty right-on in just about everything he writes.
A lot of folks, though, might find him a bit hard to take as he's pretty irreverant, but I love the way he strings together a run-on sentence of adjectives to make a point about the true absurdities of life.
So, if you've been feeling inadequate lately because you can't seem to "do it all, and have it all" then you gotta read his column today:
"Read this column before you die" and you can find it right here.
It's March 1st and today is BE POSITIVE DAY
Marty writes from Mimbres, New Mexico...
I couldn't let today go by without sharing with you that it is BE POSITIVE Day.
If you're tired of the constant barrage of negative news and events in our world today, then there's something you can do about it: celebrate Be Positive -- Do Something Positive Day.
The brainchild of Harold Cameron, this is an official day set aside for all of us to do something positive to improve our world today.
It may be as simple as giving someone a smile today.
You can get more ideas for making our world a more positive place, not just today but everyday, by clicking here:
http://tinyurl.com/ytpd3x
Have a great weekend!
So tell me, how did you make the world a more positive place today?
This is a quote that really spoke to me this morning.
Maybe it will also speak to you in some way. Enjoy.
"You must not for one instant give up the effort to build new lives for yourselves. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway to life. This is not an easy struggle. Indeed, it may be the most difficult task in the world, for opening the door to your own life is, in the end, more difficult than opening the doors to the mysteries of the universe." -- Daisaku Ikeda
How many times do we make life harder than it has to be?
More than a year ago I bought a brand new Macintosh laptop as we were leaving on our big RV travel adventure because, well, I had the cash, and I wanted it. Plus I knew it would make my work go faster.
I’d already been using a Mac laptop for a number of years, and it worked just fine. The new Mac was so new that it required all new software upgrades for the programs I use to earn a living.
Now, I’m one of those people who is slow to adopt anything new. I want to make sure that all the software bugs are worked out before I make a change. And the new Mac, also had a learning curve of its own with its new operating system. So as I was learning the new Mac system, I kept doing my client work on the old Mac.
And I KEPT doing my work on the old Mac. And I KEPT doing my work on the old Mac. And I KEPT doing my work on the old Mac. Do you get my drift here?
Since everything was working fine on the old Mac, it was just easier to keep doing it. Plus, I had decided that when I moved everything over to the new Mac I was going to encounter all kinds of problems. And I didn’t have time for problems.
So the weeks passed and the months passed, and I kept working on the old Mac even after it was urging me to give it up. I could no longer get on the Internet with it, and older programs stopped working. And I was spending a good deal of my time transferring files back and forth between computers the hard way with a little jump drive.
Then, the old Mac crashed. I tried reviving it. But it was dead. And guess where all the files were that I’d been working on for the last year? You got it. On that old Mac drive.
Well, it took a very savvy technician, a miracle or two, a good chunk of cash, and a lot of time that “I didn’t have” to get back all of those files. And in the meantime I was forced to kick into high gear and make all those programs work on the new Mac.
Guess what? They all worked beautifully and seamlessly. And blazingly fast.
And then, I actually said out loud, “Geez! I wish I’d done this a year ago!”
For a whole year I was making my life harder than it needed it to be. (I think again of that commercial running these days: Thunk on the head -- “I could have had a V-8!”)
Have you ever done that? We cling to our old ways of doing things, or to our old belief systems that no longer serve us, and then we complain to anyone who will listen about how our life isn’t working very well.
Sometimes we have to walk away from, not only things or beliefs, but people as well. We realize that a person we routinely rely on for some service is not real swift, but it’s too much trouble to find someone else to do the job. So we just grumble and go back yet again.
What are you hanging on to that is no longer serving you? What could you cast aside that would allow more joy into your life?
There’s only one person you have control over, and that person is you. Any change you want to make in your life has to start with you. And when you do it is up to you. How many lessons do we need to learn that sooner is better than later? Don’t do like I did and wait until a crisis forces you into finally making a change. Make the decision now, and start now.
So, let me ask you this...
What can you let go of that is making your life harder?
I think that’s a pretty good motto for all of us to adopt. It pretty much sums up the idea behind the Law of Attraction in one neat little phrase.
Of course, we first need to know what to expect. We do that by becoming very clear about what it is that we want for our lives and then leave it up to the Universe to provide it.
We don’t have to know how it will happen, we just need to “place our order” so to speak, get out of the way, and then expect our desire to show up.
And then be very grateful when it does!
So, for all of 2008 (and beyond), expect the expected!
Tell me this:
What are you expecting in 2008?
This past week a group of us gathered together on the phone (just like we always do on the last Wednesday of every month) and talked about the Law of Attraction and how that fits in with the recent California fires. We also shared with a caller some helpful ways of looking at using the principles of the Law of Attraction when you've just started a new job, you've got 90-days to prove yourself and you're afraid you won't make it.
You can listen to that call by clicking here, then clicking on October 31.
After the call, a first time participant emailed to tell me that she enjoyed the call, found it to be enlightening and a fun group of people to be with and remarked that she was glad to learn that I was a real person and not just some anonymous entity hiding behind the internet.
She reminded me that we are all part of a larger community of people who share the same struggles and who want the same things from life.
For the longest time I've moved through life, always trying to solve my own problems, trying to keep up the appearance that I've got my stuff together and that nothing fazes me, when in truth I struggle with the same problems that everyone else does and sometimes I get things right and sometimes I don't.
The difference now, though, is that I've got a community of people that support me in my struggles and I support them. It is so much nicer when we're all in this together.
So you're cordially invited to join my wonderful community of like-minded souls. It doesn't cost you a thing. Take what is helpful and contribute your unique wisdom when you're moved to do so. It would be great to hear your voice on the next discussion group call on Wed., Nov. 28th at 7pm Eastern time.
In the meantime, just know that I'm here for you and I know you're here for me.
Namaste.
Have you read your local newspaper lately? How about watched your local television newscast?
On a recent trip to Rochester, New York I picked up the daily newspaper there and here is a sampling of the headlines that appeared in the local section.
"Man survives shot in head"
"Call leads to arrest in 1996 slaying"
"Crash victims identified"
"Biker faces DWI charge"
"Accident hurts motorcyclists"
"Fire victim still in hospital"
"Taxi alliance says strike is on"
"Accidents in Ontario County injure 6 people"
"Man shot in leg at parade"
"Man arrested in fatal hit and run"
Weekend violence plagues upstate"
The sad thing is that these could have been the headlines in any daily newspaper anywhere in the USA.
Oh, there were a few stories that were not about murder and mayhem sprinkled in there, but the violence, the killings, the accidents, and the various shootings filled the pages. Listen to any nightly newscast on the television anywhere in the USA and you'll get the same kinds of stories.
Why? Well most folks will tell you that violence is what sells. Maybe it does.
But in my experience, they run those kinds of stories because they're cheap to collect and print. Anyone on the staff can go to the public records -- and today they can do that from a computer right in their office (in my newspapering days we had to go to the courthouse) -- and get all of those stories without having to pay someone extra to collect and write them. It takes no brains to report because there is no thought required with these kinds of stories. No investigations needed. No real journalism to worry about.
The trouble really comes when we fill our brains with this stuff. It creates fear where none is probably warranted. It creates feelings of anxiety and doubt about our safety. If we believe the papers, it would appear that we are all in danger of being shot or hurt in some way.
The logical solution, of course, is to not watch or read this stuff at all.
Personally, I choose to not start my day by watching any newscast. Neither do I wake up (anymore) to NPR because -- while I think they have excellent programming -- I found that by the time I got out of bed I was either angry at my government or weeping because of all the injustice in the world. I had to stop.
I don't watch news at the end of the evening either because I just don't want murder and mayhem and the inanity of the antics of those we've elevated to celebrity status to be on my mind just before I go to sleep to infect my dreams. It's bad enough that we're surrounded with this stuff while we're awake.
So, my question to you today is: How do we live in the world and not be a part of the world? We want to be informed citizens, yes, but how does this stuff the media tries to pass off as "news" really affect us and our joy for living?
I'd love to hear your comments about how you are coping with this onslaught of negativity.
Here's a site that may intrigue you:
Click here: World Clock
Perhaps you'll be as fascinated as I was to sit and watch the rapidly changing numbers relating to events happening on our planet including such things as incidences of newly diagnosed heart disease, cancer, deaths, births, marriages, abortions, immigration and so on.
An interesting snapshot of our world today.
In a radio interview I heard this morning that he had done quite a number of years ago, he was saying that he and the Beatles were so busy making records, making movies, making public appearances and playing concerts that he never took the time to reflect on what was important to him.
When he finally did stop long enough to do some personal reflection, he wrote some of his most memorable songs, most notably, Give Peace a Chance and Imagine.
We get so busy ourselves, living our day-to-day lives, that we often don't take the time to do any personal reflection either.
So, in honor of John Lennon's memory, perhaps just for a few minutes today, you can take a few minutes and look inside.
I've been doing that all day.
Back when I lived in a real house (instead of traveling around the country in my RV) I looked forward to sitting with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. Eventually I realized I was taking the paper for two reasons only: the letters to the editor and the comics.
After I got on the road and was no longer taking the paper I realized how much I missed the comics and discovered that you can subscribe to different comic services and get only your favorites delivered via email every single day.
Having them come in my email guarantees that I can always start my day with a laugh.
Or not.
You see, the comics are also a great place for social commentary. Ever notice how cartoon characters or the ventriloquist's dummy can get away with saying things that humans might not be able to?
For years I've enjoyed two comic strips because the characters have become like family to me. Those comics are For Better or For Worse and Funky Winkerbean.
I've watched these characters grow and change, live through life's many ups and downs and sometimes, die.
The current storyline in Funky Winkerbean revolves around a woman who is about to die from cancer.
I've watched her struggle with this disease and how she has handled it every step of the way. Recently she decided it was just all too much and made the choice to let go. I've choked back many tears as I've read that strip because of the very realness, the very humanness of the characters involved. Many of us have had to, unfortunately, watch family or beloved friends go through the very same things.
And luckily, in the comics, at those tearful moments, all I have to do is scroll a little further down to find a comic that makes me laugh.
It's no different in real life. It would be nice to think that if we just think positive thoughts all the time that life will be rosy and sweet and that we'll never face another challenge again.
Luckily, life isn't like that. Luckily? Yep! It's those challenges we face that make what comes next all the sweeter.
I'm a firm believer that there is always something to laugh about. Some good that always comes from tragedy.
So the next time you are faced with adversity, what can you find to laugh about? I guarantee that laughing will always make whatever you are facing easier to bear.