I used to religiously write two blogs a week, that is how I got to over 700 blogs and 4,000,000 words on possibility and being read in 160 of the 194 countries across the planet.
Let’s go back to January 3, 2022. Why is that date significant? That is when I wrote my last blog. I had a crazy thought that nobody was reading my words even though empirical evidence showed this to be untrue.
I have sat in front of my keyboard many times and nada.
I have just completed my dear friend Clare Elizabeth Dea’s Love and Money course. One result out of it I did not expect was to get my words back, but I frigging did.
I like celebrations so I will write my first official blog on January 3, 2023.
Until then here is a quote and a song to get back in practice..
Imagination belongs to hope. It’s the creative dance of possibility
We have arrived at that time of the year, The First of the First, and we play the New Year Resolution game. I changed it several years ago to the Passion game. I ask myself this group of questions:
What will you never give up on?
What activities make you lose track of time?
What fascinates you?
What’s something you would do every day if you could?
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
What is something you would hate to go without for a day?
Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
How do you describe passion? 1. A strong feeling or emotion: He spoke with passion. 2. an object of someone’s love, liking, or desire: Art is my passion. 3. strong liking or desire: love. She has a passion for music.
Passion is actually derived from an Ancient Greek word: πάσχω “to suffer, to be acted on so there have been many a quote on the subject, here are a few over time:
15. The CEO of Linkedin India closes our session with a profound station on passion.
Inside our passion, we must Think Deeply, Speak Gently, Love Lots, Laugh Often, Work Hard, Give Back, Expect Less, Be Present, Be Kind, Be Honest and Be True to Ourselves. Remember we hold the passion, the others are just our aides.
Today’s playlist is passionate and from the heart: We begin with Sade followed by Lady Gaga. Next is Anda Day, then Demi Lovato. Hailee Steinfeld is the song before the penultimate number by Mumford and Sons and we complete with Rachel Platten; enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrsRhCOQtEKTUMGpA53C4NID
I am passionate about Interculturalism, I have created an ethos for it: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. I have two Facebook groups to spread the ethos around the world: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183421768519278: Interculturalism and https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949: Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity. You can join on the links, Until next time we meet, my dear friends.
I am not an anti vaccer, this is because as a young child to be kept alive I received quite a lot of vaccines and accepted that you had to take things that you may not like but were in the end good for you. Another term I heard recently regarding this area was Pro-choice which I thought related to the abortion movement, or it did in the seventies.
I have seen people posting via social media utter nonsense, that horse medicine is better than vaccines, that COVID is an international plot and the purpose of the vaccine is to put a microchip in you. If someone started a conversation about these subjects I would have to request that they stop as I am far too logical to listen to it.
What upsets me is that in these hard times I have heard of cases where people have written off friendships because we agree to disagree. Nobody gets through life without losing someone they love, someone they need, or something they thought was meant to be. Here are some lessons we have learnt over these painful times:
You are not what happened to you in the past.
Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t.
Struggling with problems is a natural way of growing.
It’s OK to fall apart for a little while.
Life is fragile, sudden, and shorter than it often seems.
Emotionally separate yourself from your problems.
Don’t make a problem bigger than it is.
View every challenge as an educational assignment.
Things change, but the sun always rises the next day.
Giving up and moving on are two different things.
Perfect relationships don’t exist.
You must love yourself too.
Don’t let others make decisions for you.
Resentment hurts them, not you.
Consciously nurture your inner hope.
It’s better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie.
Not getting what you want can be a blessing.
Laughter is the best medicine for stress.
Worrying is literally a waste of energy.
Even when it’s hard to move, take small steps forward.
You are better off without some people you thought you needed.
You are only competing against yourself.
Life is not easy.
Your future is unwritten.
You are not trapped, you just need to relearn a few things.
Everything in life is two-sided.
You always have a choice.
Let others in when you are in a dark place.
If you ask negative questions , you will get negative answers.
The end is a new beginning.
This is not the first time that disagreements like this have happened over time, I’m sure there are quotes over the decades that discussed this dilemma, lets have a look:
1. I is not worth going over the limit if you know their opinion is different to yours.
11. Eugenia is an inspirational writer and poet. I believe this quote relates to her second book of poetry “Take a step right now towards your dreams“.
15.And for our final lesson, we look at the action versus the practice.
So from writing this, I have come to the solution that we can disagree to disagree but we do not need to give up our friendships.
Today’s playlist has two of my favourite songs on it, I will let you guess which one’s. We begin with 2 pop legends:John Legend and Shakira. Three lesser known groups and artists follow: Erasure, Prince Mpfarutsa and Bliss and Eso. The penultimate track is Carrie Underwood and we finish with Rag and Bone Man: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrt9dG5wUc1bJ9E1_DkZkEow
COVID has tested my ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included, but I have set up two Facebook groups to help with the spread of it: Interculturalism – https://www.facebook.com/groups/183421768519278 and Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to Humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949. Whereever you are in the world reading this, I invite you to join our merry bands of travelers.
Have you ever written yourself advice in the past or the future. I have done both several times at different periods in my life, the first being in our counter-culture English teachers class in High School. I came across a list a friend wrote recently and feel it has some great advice as it was written around the same time in his life. It was for his future self to his younger self.
Your thirties, forties and fifties won’t feel like your thirties, forties and fifties.
Bad things will happen to you and your friends.
Everyone can make a huge difference.
First impressions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
Big results come when you narrow your focus.
Love yourself. Become your own priority.
Sometimes you just have t go for it.
In order to get, you have to give.
Not much is worth fighting about.
Don’t try to impress everyone.
Keep having fun.
Keep it simple.
Little things stick with you.
Keep your opinions to yourself.
Manage your time.
Manage your money.
What you learn in school does matter.
Dreams will remain dreams forever if you don’t take action.
What he did different was he interviewed his father who at the time was in his early 50’s. So what have we as a human race said about sage advice for the future, let’s have a look:
So this made me think about advice my parents had given me over the years and the times I ignored them. As my friend said, looking back they were right most of the time. This is one of the gifts of eldership.
For today’s playlist we begin with one of my favourite Australian singer/songwriters Anne McCue. Then the second Elvis, Elvis Costello. Three fine female singers follow: Shakira, Marilyn Monroe and Billie Ellish. The penultimate song is a 60’s classic by Scott McKenzie and we finish with Martin Luther King: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrt4bcuSvPP1abdV9OUkpqgs
Supporting, guiding and making contributions to other people is one of life’s greatest rewards. Everything you do comes around. Who knows what our futures will be, all I know that mine will include spreading Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. I have set the plan in place through my two Facebook groups: Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949 and Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183421768519278. You are cordially invited to join one or both of these groups as the more supporting this ethos the merrier.
Last Thursday in my home town of Preston, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia we reached a notable breakthrough. It was 200 days we have been in Lockdown since the start of the pandemic, number six in fact with short breaks in between. You could let this take you on a deep ride of despair or contemplate what your new future will be after the light has returned..
So how do you find strength in hard times It is these losses that make us stronger and eventually move us toward future opportunities for growth and happiness. here are some thoughts to get through this stage:
You are not what happened to you in the past.
Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t.
Struggling with problems is a natural part of growing.
It’s OK to fall apart for a little while.
Life is fragile, sudden, and shorter than it often seems.
Emotionally separate yourself from your problems.
Don’t make a problem bigger than it is.
View every challenge as an educational assignment.
Things change, but the sun always rises the next day.
Giving up and moving on are two different things.
Perfect relationships don’t exist.
You must love yourself too.
Don’t let others make decisions for you.
Resentment hurts you, not them.
Consciously nurture your inner hope.
It’s better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie.
Not getting what you want can be a blessing.
Laughter is the best medicine for stress.
Worrying is literally a waste of energy.
Even when it’s hard to move, take small steps forward.
You are better off without some people you thought you needed.
You are only competing against yourself.
Life is not easy.
Your future is unwritten.
You are not trapped, you just need to relearn a few things.
Everything in life is two-sided.
You always have a choice.
Let others in when you’re in a dark place.
If you ask negative questions, you will get negative answers.
The end is a new beginning.
As Lockdown is a relatively new term in our vocabulary comments made on it come from our current time, but there are people who have come up with some classics, let’s have a look:
7. Ellen Burstyn is an American actress. Known for her portrayal of complicated women in dramas, Burstyn is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Prime-time Emmy awards, and a Tony Award, one of the few performers to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting”.
15. And we finish with a quote by the famous Ms. Unknown.
Spend your time wisely today and pause long enough to appreciate it. Every moment you get is a gift. Don’t waste time by dwelling on the past. Spend it on things that move you in the direction of your future.
Today’s playlist contains 4 gods and queens of Rock.We begin with Lou Reed and Pavarotti, a mighty combination. Then the first of two Covid parodies, Coronavirus Rhapsody. Joe Cocker is next then followed by our next duet John Denver and Cass Elliot. Plane Music flies away next. The penultimate tune is the second parody by Ariana Grande and we complete with Johnny Cash: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrt3Nm36QtzpKaeQy7e89nwm
With the world covered by lock-downs I sense that the world need my ethos: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included and my two Facebook groups that spread it around the world Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183421768519278 and Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949, you are invited to join our merry band. Till next time, my dear friends.
Those things I did 20 years ago, what I considered good or bad too often let me hide the beauty that was in front of me. I got caught up in my own head thinking that the few things that weren’t going my way were worthy of creating a manifesto of my life.
Here is a list of several things that this manifesto was made up of:
The inevitable frustrations of an average day.
The little failures you often feel self-conscious about.
How “perfect” everything could be, or should be.
Having complete confidence before taking the first step.
The intricacies of what’s in it for you.
Being an only-only activist for good causes.
The pressure to make a big difference all at once.
The temptation of quick fixes.
Having a calendar jam-packed with exciting, elaborate plans.
Being in constant control of everything.
Blaming Others.
Winning everyone’s approval.
Saving overly dramatic people from themselves.
The selfish and disparaging things others say and do.
Winning arguments.
Judging others for their shortcomings.
Society’s obsession with outer beauty.
Fancy and expensive physical possessions.
All the shallow relationships that make you feel more popular.
Distant future possibilities.
So what has the human race said about what is important later in life, let’s have a look:
15. It’s like a third stage in life, but you can’t life the third with out the first two.
As you continue to travel the road of life, do your best to avoid letting anyone or anything get in the way of your joy. Life a life that rocks and makes you laugh out loud every day of the year. Here are some things that will help with that:
Think Deeply.
Speak gently.
Love Lots.
Laugh Often.
Work Hard.
Give Back.
Expect less.
Be present.
Be Kind.
Be honest.
Be true to yourself.
Today’s playlist contains two spoken word pieces, both very different in origin. We begin with one of the U.S.A’s biggest recording star Tim Mcgraw. Kings and Queens follows from Africa then Jamaica’s Capleton and Chronixx – Help the Weak. Dhar Mann learns a lesson next. WE then travel back in the decades to The Beatles and Cat Stevens. We complete with the fame of Julius Erving: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYruLSCPtLlJbkIxfk9D8EFXw
So this blog definitely fits in with my ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. Remember you can join my two Facebook groups I have created to spread it across the universe. The first is Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humankind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949 and the second Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism. You are invited to join and add your countries version of these. Until next time my dear friends.
We are raised on music, from our mothers singing nursery rhymes to us to the top twenty hits we full in love with at primary school to listening to our parents music they play during the day and night that keep styles existing across the ages. As the title say someday there won’t be one of these songs in our heart, but it requests we sing anyway.
Nobody gets through life without losing someone they love, someone they need, or something they thought was meant to be. But it is these losses that make us stronger and eventually move us toward future opportunities for growth and happiness.
Over the past decade, I’ve had my share of painful Losses, Losing both of my parents and several friends. When the time of mourning was over in each circumstance, I pressed forward with a greater understanding and respect for life. Here are some things to contemplate:
You are not what happened to you in the past.
Focus on what you have,, not on what you don’t.
Struggling with problems is a natural way of growing.
It’s Okay to fall apart for a little while.
Life is fragile, sudden, and shorter than it seems.
Emotionally separate yourself from your problems.
Don’t make a problem bigger than it is.
View each challenge as an educational assignment.
Things change, but the sun always rises the next day.
Giving up and moving on are two very different things.
Perfect relationships don’t exist.
You must love yourself too.
Don’t let others make decisions for you.
Resentment hurts you, not them.
Consciously nurture your inner hope.
It’s better to be hurt by the truth than comforted by a lie.
Not getting what you want can be a blessing.
Laughter is the best medicine for stress.
Worrying is literally a waste of energy.
Even when it’s hard to move, take small steps forward.
You are better off without some people you thought you needed.
You are only competing against yourself.
Life is not easy.
Your future is unwritten.
You are not trapped, you just need to relearn a few things.
Everything in life is two-sided.
You always have a choice.
Let others in when you are in a dark place.
If you ask negative questions, you will get negative answers.
The end is a new beginning.
So given the power of music, I wonder what has been said about it over the centuries, Let’s have a look:
1. Indigenous societies still use this thusand yeay old method that western society replaced by pills.
2. Santayana is popularly known for aphorisms, such as “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, “Only the dead have seen the end of war”, and the definition of beauty as “pleasure objectified”. Although an atheist, he treasured the Spanish Catholic values, practices, and worldview in which he was raised. Santayana was a broad-ranging cultural critic spanning many disciplines:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0cBhdvXfJA
3. Music could be said to be like a car. It warms you up, gets you there and back, and chills down at the end of the day.
13. In 2007 neurologist Oliver Sacks released his book Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain in which he explores a range of psychological and physiological ailments and their intriguing connections to music.
15. And for our final quote Nelson Mandela sets us free to dream wit the power of music.
Whether our heart has a song it or not, I believe the quotes talk to the powerful remedies that music has to offer on a day to day basis.
The playlist today contains the first classical track I have used in over 750 blogs. We begin with Shaina Noll then stay around this time frame with John Legend. Ludwig Van Beethoven is next who is followed by two rocky numbers from different periods of time, Elvis Costello and the Foo Fighters. The penultimate track is from Ed Sheeran and we finish with Cyndi Lauper: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYruGUWns9UHcFOQwbJznIYaQ
There is a world of music out there and I believe is supports my world ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included. To spread the ethos around the world like my readers from 160 countries I have created a Facebook Group, Interculturalism, here is the link for you to join our tribe: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism.
Laugh when you can. Cry when you need to. Focus on your priorities. Make decisions not excuses. And always stand up to your values. Today is the perfect day to stand up and say:
I am fighting hard for the things I want most.
I an taking action now.
I am focusing on the next positive step.
I am proud to wear my truth.
I have a lot to smile about.
I am making the best of it.
I am letting go of yesterday’s stress.
There is enough time today to do something I Love.
I am priceless in someone’s eyes.
It’s not too late.
If we allowed each and every person in our lives to do and feel the above we could say that there is a modicum of love towards them in our life. What do we as the human race say about love over the generations, let’s take a look:
13. Dubbed “The Love Doctor” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Daphne has been a workshop leader at the Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California for more than 18 years and has done her signature emotional healing work with individuals, groups and couples for more than three decades.
15. And for our final lesson we return to our childhood friend, Dr Seuss.
Focus on those who love you and accept you for what you are, and shower them with the love and kindness they deserve. And above all, cherish the people who saw you when you were invisible to everyone else.
Today’s playlist is all love songs, some you may like, others may belong in your if I hear that song one more time I will puke category. Whitney leads us off followed by the Isley Brothers. Then a group often mentioned as one hit wonders, A Ha. Minnie Riperton is one of my all time faves so she gets the next gig. The queen of Love Ballads follows, Celine Dion, then we move up to modern times for Sam Smith and we finish with Marvin Gaye: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrsA7HHbnAiR8WZWCzbntC-q
Do people really love each other, I hope so under all those news stories and racial differences. That’s why I have created my two Facebook groups to spread my ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included across the planet giving the people from the 164 countries who read y blog to join them. They are Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183421768519278 and Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949. If you wish to become a member of the tribes that stand for this you can join either or both. Until we meet again my dear friends.
I’ve gone back to getting my subjects for my blogs off my kitchen wall. The title for this one comes from my We build Tribes chart. The purpose is to build a purpose-driven community, I actually have two: They are Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism and Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to Humankind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949. Both have the ethos of Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included at their core.
Each community has the following behind it:
10,000 people woke up this morning shedding private tears because they need a solution to their problem. You have that solution, go find them.
No other individual was placed upon this earth to do what you were uniquely born to do. Be you and the world will transform.
We live in an abundant world, allow that abundance to flow through you and you will never be without it.
Build a tribe that changes the very fabric of society, That is what you were born to do.
Whatever your goal, dream or desire is, It’s yours for the taking. Never accept you can’t.
Be consumed with a vision for tomorrow, go there in your own life and people will follow.
In a world of increasing isolation, be the campfire that attracts friends, laughter and authentic moments of transformation.
No-one ever got lucky, true success flows from consistency and persistency. Never, ever give up.
It’s going to be hard, It’s going to be tough. Remember, when you quit, No one wins.
Be their leader, be their servant, be their guide. But whatever you do. Make sure you “be”.
Don’t ever love others to the detriment of loving yourself. There is no one more important than you.
Rest, love, allow yourself to be loved. For as much as you feel the world rests on your shoulders, it doesn’t.
Support one another, cherish one another, inspire one another. We can make an even greater impact when we do so together.
Give someone a smile, give them money, give them a moment – when you have the capacity to do so… give.
With money comes influence, impact and opportunity – freedom comes when we cease fearing the pursuit of money & we embrace it.
So what has society said about communities – lets walk down that path:
I have had faith in intentional communities to transform out planet, it will take something but to me has always been possible.
Today’s playlist is truly eclectic. We begin with Martin Luther King’s most famous speech. Then one of my favourite pop divas, Taylor Swift. An Aussie legend follows, Lee Morgan. Then another of my favourite spoken word giants, Maya Angelou. Back to the 60s or 70s with Bread. Ava Max is the penultimate track, then we finish my favourite dance crew, The Desert Dwellers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrsTT_-LiPDrKqshrgpwBoPh
So I will complete with my ethos one more time: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. Until we meet afain my dear friends.
After a failed relationship which was my first in ten years I have become hesitant to dip my toes in the water again. But even with this hesitancy the opportunity has risen again and a wondrous women has appeared in my sights. I have wanted to kiss her almost from the moment I saw her across the room and attending a community dinner with her after the event we were at reinforced why I would want to do this.
I see the people from this event once or twice a month so if I want more to happen the hesitancy will have to go away. She kissed me goodbye last time we met and I have been flustered by this ever since. All the stories that raise their ugly heads have arisen since then.My friend Angel suggested a few things to do to move on from this:
Free myself from negative people.
Let go of those who are already gone.
Give people you don’t know a fair chance.
Show everyone kindness and respect.
Accept people just the way they are.
Encourage others and cheer for them.
Be your perfectly imperfect self.
Forgive people and move forward.
Do little things for others every day.
Pay attention to who your real friends are.
Always be loyal.
Stay in better touch with people who matter to you.
Keep your promises and tell the truth.
Give what you want to receive.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Allow others to make their own decisions.
Talk less and listen more.
Leave petty arguments behind.
Ignore unconstructive, hurtful commentary.
Pay attention to your relationship with yourself.
So what has the human race said about this dilemma over the centuries, let’s have a look:
1. Morgan Harper Nichols is an American Christian musician, songwriter, mixed-media artist, and writer, whose work is centred around the question “how can we create connection?”.
3. They say the feeling between fear and excitement is only in what you choose to call it.
4. The period of Catherine the Great’s rule, the Catherinian Era, is considered a Golden Age of Russia. The Manifesto on Freedom of the Nobility, issued during the short reign of Peter III and confirmed by Catherine, freed Russian nobles from compulsory military or state service. Construction of many mansions of the nobility, in the classical style endorsed by the empress, changed the face of the country. She enthusiastically supported the ideals of the Enlightenment and is often included in the ranks of the enlightened despots. As a patron of the arts, she presided over the age of the Russian Enlightenment, including the establishment of the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, the first state-financed higher education institution for women in Europe.
5. Preferring Waldo to Ralph , Emerson was considered the 19th Centuries preeminent philosopher.
6. While Moore dealt with alcoholism and health issues throughout her life which make this statement by her ring true, it’s her work with television that will forever be remembered. And she amassed quite a hefty fortune thanks to her work. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Moore died with a net worth of $60 million: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSbnvgF-vOk
7. From a beautiful Coastal town in Australia, Lupytha is an aspiring young philosopher of this century.
15. And for our final lesson today, Mary Tyler Mooreoffers us a beauty.
Family and lovers are not always blood. They’re the people in your life who appreciate having you in theirs – the ones who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways, and who not only embrace who you are know but also who you want to be. These people – your real people – are the ones who truly matter.
Today’s playlist has a bit of cabaret in it: We begin with songstress Bernadette Peters, then an Olympic song by Boney M. One of America’s sweethearts Mary Tyler Moore is next before we access our three rock entries, David Bowie, The Cranberries and P.I.L. We complete with some sage advice from Brene Brown, Enjoy this diverse playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrscdcrz4k2Uhkp9ArVfJ4Na
Wouldn’t it be beautiful if we were able to express how we felt to each and every person, to show Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included. This is the ethos of my two Facebook Groups, Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to Humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949 and Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism. By clicking on the links you can join our merry bands of adventurers.
Jamie Catto is a creative facilitator, mischief maker and trailblazer cutting through the bullshit to clear the way for authentic connection and inner understanding.
I am an Interculturalist 