I Saw That – Karma!!

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Rod's World

Exceptionalism = Unusual ; not typical. Reading the Philosophers Notes for Dr Bob Rotella’s great book How Champions Think I was struck by the following statement:

“One of the concepts I struggle with when I work with people both inside and outside of sport is reality. … My job with such people is to get them to understand and believe that exceptional people create their own reality. The average person won’t set a goal unless he thinks, and people close to him think, that he has at least a fifty-fifty chance of reaching it. That’s what the average person considers a realistic goal. The average person takes account of all the information that’s out there saying he can’t do something. If let’s say, he thinks about committing himself to become the best basketball player he can be and getting a college scholarship, he’ll be aware of the fact that maybe one high school player in thirty gets a college scholarship. Since that seems to make the odds a lot worse than fifty-fifty, the average person is likely to give up on that goal before he even commits to trying to reach it, settling for mediocrity in high school and giving up the game thereafter.

The exceptional person, the person who does great things, doesn’t see things that way. The exceptional person has a vision—of great performances, of a great career, of a great something— and doesn’t care about what others might say or think. He ignores information that suggests his dream is unrealistic. He just sets about making that vision a reality. He sees things before others see them. He creates his own reality. Afterwards, other people may say to him, ‘We knew you could do it. We always sensed you were going to be one of the great ones.’ But that’s probably not what he heard in the beginning. In the beginning, he probably heard, ‘You have to be crazy to think you can do that.’”

Rotella says: Average people are “realistic.” Exceptional people CREATE their reality.

So how does society relate to exceptionalism, here are some of the things they say:

1. As part of exceptionalism, you must relate to the above koan, because you will not always win.

2. Aren’t we always looking for a sign from God to confirm what we already know, here it is: Gods Plan.

3. From The Monk who sold his Ferrari, luck has nothing to do with being exceptional, you need to put in the hard yards.

4. When you ran those ten extra laps when you were a kid, I can still hear my friends calling me crazy, I later became a marathoner: Crazy, Sexy, Wild.

5. More Ferrari moments.

6. We create a box early on in our life so people can recognise us, how do you expand it to fit in your amazing: Lose Yourself.

7. A new standard of imagination, they don’t teach that to you in schools.

8. Nothing to get in your way as you approach your greatness, they are all left behind: Go The Extra Mile.

9. Back to the 14th Century and the founder of the Jesuits for a quote that is still relevant today, the former deeds are what makes the difference.

10. Actress, model, dancer and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn lived and walked the talk of the second interpretation of the above letters: La Vie En Rose.

11. Find the others who will say it about you, they are your keepers.

12. Because its Maya, and she was exceptional: Love Liberates.

13. Another word for Exceptionalism.

14. Nine to Five is not it: Nine to Five.

15. There is no right way for exceptionalism, you have to do what it takes.

Life is a precious (!!!) gift. We’re blessed with an opportunity to see just how good we can be at something we love doing. We get to have a ball for many years seeing how many beautiful things we can do with our lives. For each of us, this is unique. Get out there on the journey to what is your exceptional gift to give to humanity.

Today’s playlist wanders over the generations, something for the millennials and the grandparents. We begin with Drake and Inna for the younger at heart. Back to the beginning of rap with Eminem. Spoken word from Motivation 2016 comes next then from Grannies time Audrey Hepburn, is that French? We finish with two iconic women, Maya Angelou and Dolly Parton. Here’s the link: I saw that – Karma.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

namasteflower

It’s preceded by Chaos!!

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Rod's World

Marc and Angel time. In chapter 6, Getting Unstuck . of their inspirational book, Getting Back to Happy: The Entry Portal. they write – “The truth is, it’s never too late or too early to be who you are capable of being. There’s no time limit for when you can start living the life you’ve always dreamed of. There is no mythical door that shuts after you turn a certain age, blocking you off from experiencing the things you want to do.

Human beings are experts at trying to avoid change, but change avoidance is one of the biggest factors that leads to unhappiness. When we find ourselves in situations that challenge our self-perception, we often react by feeling trapped or on guard. We often think that the worst thing that can happen is that the status quo will be interrupted. But who wants to spend their life thinking and feeling this way. Happily, life has a way of throwing up red flags when it’s time for us to make a change – we just . have to be watchful for them. With that in mind, take a look at this list and ask yourself: are any of these the reasons I’m unhappy with my life as it is now?

Fear is holding you back,
You catch yourself feeding the negative.
Your mind is everywhere except right here, right now.
You feel pressured to be someone other than yourself.
You feel like you’re competing against everybody else.
A relationship is making you miserable.
You feel bored.
You’ve been resisting change.
Other people are writing your story for you.

If any of these resonate with you, you certainly aren’t alone. Many people are afraid to step forward and change their situation simply because they don’t know how or because they’re afraid to fail. Remember it’s always better to take an imperfect step forward that to take no step at all.”

It seems that there are so many more change agents on the planet these days via social media, etc. but let’s have a look at what history has said about it:

1. Known for his statement on the difference between the East and the West: Asia is one. The Himalayas divide, only to accentuate, two mighty civilisations, the Chinese with its communism of Confucius, and the Indian with its individualism of the Vedas. But not even the snowy barriers can interrupt for one moment that broad expanse of love for the Ultimate and Universal, which is the common thought-inheritance of every Asiatic race, enabling them to produce all the great religions of the world, and distinguishing them from those maritime peoples of the Mediterranean and the Baltic, who love to dwell on the Particular, and to search out the means, not the end, of life.

2. The man behind the origin of the species conversation, this is his major reason for why they survive: We are all Related.

3. And what would our morning walks in Spring be like without the butterflies?

4. No one ever said there would be no pain: Smack That.

5. I grew up in an age where there was no internet, hard to believe.

6. Each wave of your life is a unique experience, take that in: Turn The Tide.

7. Advice from 25 centuries ago that is still relevant today.

8. The Monk who sold his Ferrari, Robin introduces a major reason why we need a change in our lives, It leads to gorgeousness: Gorgeous.

9. From my top ten people on the internet, Alan Watts calls on us to dive into change and life.

10. No equals Next Opportunity: Stand Up For Something.

11. And suddenly it all clears and its time.

12. Nothing in nature stays the same, so why do we as human beings think that we are meant too: San Francisco.

13. What if where you went in life was simply the detour you needed to take to make the change you needed in your life at that particular moment in time?

14. A sobering thought, not something most people would look forward to, but a reality for a lot of humanity: California Dreaming.

15. And sometimes the change may be that our field is returned to fallow – ploughed and left unseeded for a season or more.

So if you are hanging around in the list above, what’s the alternative? It’s in recognising that changing your situation is about taking action in the present. It’s about asking yourself: what are the things that I can do to improve my situation now? It’s coming to terms with the ideas and thoughts in your head that are holding you back. It’s about deciding that you are going to stop waiting, stop making excuses, and start making changes, however small they may be. Allow the chaos to begin and your life will transform.

Today’s playlist is eclectic in its nature. We begin with my favourite Nessi Gomes track followed by some rap for my nephew from Akon. Two pop divas in Sylver and Taylor Swift follow, then a possibility anthem from Andra Day with the list being closed out with two 60’s classics from Scott Mckenzie and The Mama and The Papas. Here is the link for your enjoyment: It’s Preceded By Chaos!!

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Then we have the DNA!!

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Rod's World

“If you spend most of your life trying to be good at everything, you eliminate your chances of being great at anything. Unless your goal is to be mediocre at a lot of things, starting with what you are naturally good at is a matter of efficiency. Focusing on strengths is in many ways a basic time-allocation issue. Every hour you invest in an area where you have natural talent has a multiplying effect, whereas each hour you spend trying to remedy a weakness is like working against a gravitational force. Yet many people spend years or even decades working on weaknesses in hopes that doing so will make them well-rounded. Do everything you can to avoid falling into this trap. While well-roundedness may be helpful for acquiring the basic tools in any trade—such as reading, writing, and arithmetic—it loses value as you get closer to finding a career. At that point, what’s more, important and relevant is what sets you apart. If you want to be great at something in your lifetime, double down on your talents at every turn.”

Tom Rath wrote this in the highly potent Are you Fully Charged: Here is the link to It. I am great with words, it took me about 59 years to realise this and launch my blog, I am an Interculturalist. I now have written over 300 and have a worldwide audience. What are you avoiding being great at? Let’s see what the world says about it:

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1. Notice being mediocre doesn’t get a mention.

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2. I have recently been in contact with the Sceptics association, I find these people repugnant as if their thought patterns controlled the airwaves creativity would stop as nothing new comes out of what already exists: Your Spirit.

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3. I was part of a conversation about Perfectionism begets procrastination on the weekend. This quote points to the same thing.

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4. How many mistakes were made before the first effective light globe came along? P.S. it wasn’t Edison’s, google it if you like fact checking: Foolish.

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5. In 2009, Rogan launched his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience which has become one of the most popular podcasts available; in October 2015, it was downloaded 16 million times. Rogan also is an advocate for the legalization of cannabis, an avid hunter and part of the “Eat What You Kill” movement.

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6. Greatness also means that you will have to make decisions that will mean a lot of goodbyes having to occur to clear the space for the new hello’s that you require to move towards it: Hello Goodbye.

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7. John Hume is regarded as one of the most important figures in the recent political history of Ireland and one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award, the only recipient of the three major peace awards. In 2010 he was named “Ireland’s Greatest” in a public poll by Irish national broadcaster RTÉ to find the greatest person in Ireland’s history.

8. It is never too late to be the greatest, in fact perhaps the later the better: We are the Champions.

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9. Zig Ziglar, one of the early doyens of the self-development movement has some simple advice for us.

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10. From being homeless on the streets of Detroit to having Lebron James credit him as the reason behind his championship-winning season. Eric Thomas is proof of doing what it takes to find your greatness: Born To Be Alive.

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11. On the way to greatness, the bills can be exorbitant.

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12. Baby, we were born to Run: Bruce.

13. Magic Johnson’s career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. Here is what greatness meant for him.

14. From being positive Bob Marley became a musical and philosophical legend: Natural Mystic.

15. Choose!!!

We’ll finish with some golden wisdom from Gary Vee:

Most people don’t jab—bring value—enough before pulling back for the right hook—going in for the sale. They’re less concerned with providing value than with making the sale, and it backfires every time. … You want to be tactical, but you have to practice the religion of providing value first. How many people put out stories, give free stuff, or engage with people? Probably quite a lot. Now, how many do that without any expectations in return? Very, very few. Be one of those few. When you have no expectations people can sense it, and funny enough, the absence of pressure or obligation actually makes them want to reciprocate.

Have a wonderful journey on your way to greatness, enjoy the bumps and curves.

The playlist today begins with a powerful number from Tasha Cobbs Leonard, followed by another R and B diva, Ashanti. We then return to the last century for The Beatles, Queen, Patrick Hernandez, Bruce Springsteen finishing off with Bob Marley: Then We Have The DNA.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

namasteflower

Purpose is the Reason you Journey!!

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Rod's World

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” Marc and Angel Chernoff, in their wonderful life-aspiring book Getting Back To Happy: Link to Get It. have the following to say about this quote:

“Any goal you might have might seem impossible when looked at as a whole. The trick is recognising that it doesn’t have to happen all at once. Small acts of positive intention will only help to strengthen your resolve, reignite your passion for living, and. ultimately make it easier for you to turn your life for the better.

It’s important to remember that no act of changing your situation will cause regression, as long as that act is positive and intentional. With this in mind, one simple thing to start with when things are getting stressful, and your passion for taking action is sapped, is to take ten minutes taking a walk to clear your mind. A short walk does wonders. It gives you something new to look at, gets your body moving, and is a quick way to get yourself physically out of your present situation.”

On that ten minute walk we get to remember our passion, to reignite it, here are some of my favourite quotes on the subject of my and your passion:

1. Self Love 101.

2. Gabby Bernstein walks the talk of this quote: Tap Into The Power of Presence.

3. Time to Wake Up!!

4. One of my top ten, here’s some Maya: Still I Rise.

5. Your passion is your gift to the world, please fulfil it.

6. What is you favourite dance floor, time to go there: Dancing Queen.

7. How to get over your fear of heights, don the parachute.

8. Four simple letters that will transform your life: Love has come to Town.

9. From the world most quoted, Ms. Anonymous come a moment to remember when it gets tough.

10. They say that going down to the sea and watching the power of the ocean is a potent way to get in touch with your passion as you see whats possible: We Belong to the Sea.

11. No words needed.

12. I think this has been forgotten in standard education circles. One must go and seek out the education that does this for them these days: Light My Fire.

13. Your life suddenly becomes the long way home when you miss it.

14. Yes, it is. Free form Conscious dancing at 64: Dancing In The Streets.

15. Another passion of mine: More Love Letters.

Marc and Angel continue:

” Many of us are still hopelessly trying to find our passion – something we believe will ultimately lead us closer to happiness, success, or the life situation we ultimately want. And we say hopelessly primarily because passion can’t really be found. When we say we’re trying to find our passion, it implies our passion is somehow hiding behind a tree or under a rock somewhere. But that’s far from the truth. The truth is, our passion comes from doing things right. If you’re waiting to somehow “find your passion” somewhere outside of yourself, so you finally have a reason to put your whole heart and soul into your life and the changes you need to make, you’ll likely be waiting around for an eternity.

On the other hand, if you’re tired of waiting, and you’d rather live more passionately starting today and experience small positive changes, it’s time to proactively inject passion into the very next thing you do. Think about it:

1. When was the last time you sat down and had a conversation with someone you love, with zero distractions and 100 percent focus?

2. When was the last time you exercised and put every bit of effort you could muster into it?

3. When was the last time you truly tried – truly tried – to do your very best?

Stop waiting for better opportunities. The one you have in front of you is the best opportunity.

Todays playlist contains wise words, classic songs and a sea shanty. Firstly Gabby Bernstein and Maya Angelou pass on their wisdom, then two classics from Abba and Talking Heads. Aqua then take us down to the sea, The Doors light our fire and Martha nad the Vandellas close the set having us dance in the streets. Here’s the link to the videos, enjoy: Purpose Is The Reason You Journey.

Namste until next time, my dear friends:

The View From Here!!

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Rod's World

Debbie Ford was an internationally recognised expert in the field of personal transformation and a pioneering force in incorporating the study and integration of the human shadow into modern psychological and spiritual practices, She was the Executive Producer of The Shadow Effect movie. She personally led thousands of people from around the world through her renowned Shadow Process Workshop and was founder The Ford Institute. She was the New York Times best-selling author of nine books. Debbie died of cancer on February 17, 2013, but her legendary work lives on. In her fascinating and groundbreaking book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie states the following:

To get past your ego and its defences you need to get quiet, be brave, and listen to your inner voices. Behind our social masks lurk thousands of faces. Each face has a personality of its own. Each personality has its own unique characteristics. By having dialogues with these sub-personalities you will turn your egotistical prejudices and judgements into priceless treasures. When you embrace the messages of each aspect of your shadow you begin to take back the power you have given to others and form a bond with your authentic self. The voices of your unembraced qualities, when allowed into your consciousness, will bring you back into balance and harmony with your natural rhythms. They will restore your ability to resolve your own issues and illuminate the purpose of your life. These messages will lead you to discover authentic love and compassion.

How do you relate to your inner voice, is it your best friend. here are some different takes on it:

1. Its that one statement that keeps repeating and repeating until you quiet your mind and take note.

2. Author of the Dune saga set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, deals with complex themes such as human survival and evolution, ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, and power. Dune itself is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time and the series is widely considered to be among the classics of the genre: Awake O Sleeper.

3. From his inspiring Life’s little Instruction Book H. Jackson Brown points out that this powerful advice is not always in physical form.

4. It reads like song lyrics, here is the version of it: The Voice.

5. Sure enuff, she does.

6. Created Apple, set up Pixar, reinvented Apple, he listened to his inner voice: Without Me.

7. Guy Finley is the acclaimed author of The Secret of Letting Go, The Essential Laws of Fearless Living and 35 other major works that have sold over a million copies in 18 languages worldwide. Director of Life of Learning Foundation, a Centre for Spiritual Discovery in Merlin, Oregon, and the Foundation’s popular Key Lesson e-mails are read each week by a hundred thousand subscribers in 142 countries. Finley’s work is widely endorsed by doctors, business professionals, celebrities, and religious leaders of all denominations.

8. That inner voice does not always give you the best advice, as this statement by one of the greatest painters points out: Vincent Van Gogh.

9. I prefer the name the Inner Pilot Light, much more descriptive.

10. It’s your life, stop living the life other people say you should: It’s my Life.

11. People who remember that child say I am going to become POTUS or an astronaut are more likely to than those forget.

12. You Know: Shine on you Crazy Diamond.

13. If you stop listening one day this may happen.

14. It takes faith at times because what is occurring in the external world may not match: Faith.

15. Trina Hall is an award-winning & bestselling author of the new book, Note to Self: Empowerment. She is also a blogger, speaker and life coach. Trina has published articles in the Australian digital magazine, ONE mag. She has had a tumultuous life – getting knocked down repeatedly until she reached rock bottom. As a result, she has gained decades of incredible wisdom and insight. There is no beating life experience when it comes to learning and teaching!

Debbie learnt of this through a visualisation her teacher Susanne took her through. She was asked to see a bus full of people. In her imaginary bus she saw lots of different people. Some of them were old, some were young. They were dressed in everything from miniskirts to bell bottoms. She saw fat girls, skinny girls, girls with black hair, red hair, big chests and flat chests. She saw every size and shape she could imagine. There were short people, tall people, circus people, people of every colour and nationality. There were hookers and saints. It was a big bus, crowded with people, many of whom Debbie didn’t want to know. Her first thought was ” I can do better than this”. Susanne informed her that she would have to get to know each of these passengers, even the one she didn’t like as they all had something to teach her.

How many travellers do you have on your bus, how many do you know, how many do you deny are there. Have a magical time getting to know them.

The playlist for today begins with two obscure artists, The Brothers Bright and Shel Silverstein. Then four powerhouses and my favourite quirky singer songwriter: Eminem, Jonathon Richman, he’s the songwriter, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and finishing with George Michael. Here’s are the videos for your enjoyment: The View from Here.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

A Hero is Someone Who Understands

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Rod's World

We all tell stories, our lives are made up of them. From our childhood to the day we die there is a story for each day. But do we take radical responsibility for these stories? Clinton Callahan in his book Radiant Joy, Brilliant Love: Get it here, free postage worldwide. writes:

Human Beings are massively creative. We do not usually think of ourselves as creative. We allow that we might be a little creative at Christmas time when we wrap presents or decorate the house. But in every moment we are creating the stories that we tell to ourselves and to other people – the stories that give meaning to what happens in our lives. We do not tend to notice how vicariously we produce stories, because every three seconds the Box generates regenerates stories identical to what it created for us in the previous three seconds. That is how the Box keeps things the same: it ongoing creates the same stories.

There are two classes of stories that we can create about what happens. By far the most common story we create characterizes us a victim of the circumstances. That we were a victim seems completely inarguable. The inarguability comes from our habit of interpreting “the facts” to show how we were hurt, insulted, abandoned, betrayed, abused, neglected, etc., forcibly establishing ourselves as a victim of a low drama. Telling a victim story from the Parent or Child ego states creates an ordinary human relationship.

But we can take the exact same circumstances, the same incident, the same people involved, the same actions, and we could create a responsible story about being involved in these circumstances. Responsible stories place us “at cause” or “at cause” for the circumstances. Responsible stories come from the Adult responsible ego state and create an extraordinary human relationship.

How do we as people relate to being responsible, and what do we write about it, here are a few of my favourite sayings:

1. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière ( 15 January 1622 – 17 February 1673), was a French playwright, actor and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and universal literature. His extant works includes comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today.

2. I think if you are being responsible for your whole life the accountability and ownership will be a natural follow-on: The Power of Responsibility.

3. Simone moves it up a notch or two.

4. Joyce Meyer is an American Evangelist whose motto is Sharing Christ, Loving People. Her love includes lessons for them such as the one above: Song for the Asking.

5. As the name after suggests, plugging up your excuses allows those changes that you want to make to fulfil your dreams to start happening.

6. Clinton calls this getting feedback and shifting forward: Slow Down.

7. Yes, those poor me stories you are telling years later, they control you.

8. Wikipedia gives a choice of Ruth’s mother in law from the old testament or a WWE wrestling star for Naomi, my inner gremlin likes to think it could be the latter: My Boomerang Won’t Come Back.

9. From the man who is not your Guru, comes some fine words as to what responsibility can offer you.

10. You have charge of yourself and your reactions, be responsible for them on a daily basis: Changes.

11.

Eleanor Roosevelt
Roosevelt in 1933

1st Chair of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
In office January 20, 1961 – November 7, 1962
President	John F. Kennedy
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Esther Peterson
1st United States Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
In office 1947–1953
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Mary Pillsbury Lord
1st Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
In office 1946–1952
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Charles Malik
First Lady of the United States
In role March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Lou Henry Hoover
Succeeded by	Bess Truman
First Lady of New York
In role January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1932
Governor	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Catherine Dunn
Succeeded by	Edith Altschul
Personal details
Born	Anna Eleanor Roosevelt October 11, 1884 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 7, 1962 (aged 78) New York City, U.S.
Cause of death	Cardiac failure complicated by tuberculosis
Resting place	Home of FDR National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Franklin D. Roosevelt (m. 1905; d. 1945)
Children	Anna Eleanor James Franklin Elliott Franklin Delano Jr. John Aspinwall
Parents	Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt Anna Rebecca Hall
Relatives	See Roosevelt family
Signature

Oops, cut and pasted a wee bit too much, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political figure, diplomat and activist. She served as the First Lady of the United States from March 1933 to April 1945 during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office, making her the longest serving First Lady of the United States. Roosevelt served as United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly from 1945 to 1952. President Harry S. Truman later called her the “First Lady of the World” in tribute to her human rights achievements.

12.

Anne Lamott

Born	April 10, 1954 (age 64) San Francisco, California, United States
Occupation	Novelist, non-fiction writer, essayist, memoirist
Nationality	American
Genre	Drama, humor, literary fiction, Reviews

Oops, did it again, Anne Lamott (born April 10, 1954) is an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical. Marked by their self-deprecating humour and openness, Lamott’s writings cover such subjects as alcoholism, single-motherhood, depression, and Christianity: Definition of Prayer.

13. Start with self-love, then move on, it’s where the juice lies.

14. The man who gave me access to my Why, my purpose. Simon Sinek rocks: Start with Why.

15. More Self Love then the discovery of the juices in life.

We can live from new responsible stories by taking full responsibility for creating our past circumstances just exactly the way they went, so that you can learn all that you needed to learn to get exactly here at this moment, reading this blog.

The playlist contains some wisdom today. it begins with Sir Groovy 2007, two folkie tunes by Paul Simon and Nichole Nordeman. Two quirky numbers from Charlie Drake and Shrek. The wisdom follows from Anne Lamott and Simon Sinek. Here’s the video playlist: A Hero Is Someone Who Understands.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard!!

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Rod's World

The title of the chapter on letting go in Marc and Angel Chernoff’s inspiring book, Getting Back To Happy: Their Website. is Letting Go: Surrender Attachments That Are Holding You Back.

In the chapter, they write the following: Limits illuminate beauty, and death is the ultimate limit – a reminder that we need to be aware of this beautiful person and appreciate this beautiful thing called life, Death is also a beginning, because while we have lost someone special, this ending, like the loss of any wonderful life situation, is a moment of reinvention. Although deeply sad, their passing forces us to reinvent our lives, and in this reinvention is an opportunity to experience beauty in new, unseen ways and places, And finally, death is an opportunity to celebrate a person’s life, and to be grateful for the beauty they showed us

Most of the time it’s tough, to be honest about what we really need and how our lives might benefit by letting go of some things If you have felt any of Marc and Angel’s list, maybe it’s time to reassess your situation.

Someone constantly expects you to be Someone You’re Not.
A Person’s actions don’t match their Words.
You have a habit of moping and feeling Sorry For Yourself.
You’re clutching Tight ti an Easy Street Mentality.
You truly dislike your Current Situation.
You catch yourself obsessing over and Living in the Past.

Letting Go is not giving up, it’s about surrendering obsessive attachments to specific people, outcomes, and situations. Where in your life could you do this on an ongoing basis?

Much has been said about Letting Go over time, here are a few of my favourites:

1. God, Buddha, Allah, we know what they are pointing to in this insightful quote.

2, It’s paramount that one of them is not yourself: I Was Here.

3, His Holiness rocks.

4. Vacate them from your space, so that there is room for those who are meant to be part of your tribe: Let It Go.

5. I have felt this situation in my life several times. Each time it had to happen for the better version of me to flourish.

6. They were experiences, not life sentences: Climb Every Mountain.

7. Let go of those things that you know are costing you power on an ongoing basis.

8. They say everyone we meet is either to teach us a lesson or to be taught one by them, remember the lessons: Let Go Of Attachment.

9. You can only be you, don’t try and be someone else for someone else, it won’t work.

10. If you are having difficulty with the latter, please reach out to others: Starting Over Again.

11. I love the imagery of this Meme. It hits home in a very powerful way.

12. In the end, the heart and soul are what has the final say over the often flawed logic of your mind: Heart and Soul.

13. If we bodily don’t do this, we die. What difference in our psychological world.

14. In my country, the voicemail number is 212. I don’t answer numbers that I do not know because of my past history with giving too often to charities who onsell your details, they don’t leave a voicemail: Living In The Past.

15, The past is the past, it will not change. Use your energy towards whats next on your agenda in life.

So how can we let go and live better? By realizing that there’s nothing to hold onto in the first place. Most of the things – situations, problems, worries, ideals, expectations etc. – we desperately try to grasp, as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives, aren’t really there. Or, if they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or mostly created in our minds. Life gets significantly easier to deal with when we understand this.

We go further back than ever before in today’s Playlist. We begin with Beyonce and The Frozen Soundtrack then warp back to The Sound of Music. Some Spoken Word from Alan Watts and Co. then soulful Natalie Cole. Then there is our pre WW2 track by Bea Wain and Larry Clinton finishing up with the flute-driven Jethro Tull. Here’s the link to make for easy listening: I Fall Too Fast, Crash Too Hard.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Life Is A Brief Intermission!!

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Rod's World

I had the honour of meeting Nicole Gibson recently. Nicole was appointed Australia’s national Mental Health Commissioner at the tender age of twenty-one. A survivor of anorexia, which Nicole proclaims as her mental illness journey. Nicole has written a fabulous book: Love out Loud – A Millennials Guide to Enlightenment : Get It Here. The focus of the book is to spend your life enquiring into Love and what it means for you. writes the following: “It’s important that all of us are given a roadmap to understand the journey of self-love so we know and accept our need to love and to be loved. It’s beyond me as to why and how this has not yet been incorporated into our education systems. Love has been the single most transformative energy in my life, both in how it’s shaped and moulded my healing and my journey, as well as the transformative impact I’ve been able to have on hundred of thousands of people. Sometimes people hesitate when they hear the word “love”, and that’s because of its deep confrontational nature. Love has the power to light all our shadows and to birth us into a new state of being. Now is the time for this to happen. In 2020 mental illness is set to be the world’s leading epidemic and the biggest health epidemic in history to date. Suicide is now the leading cause of death in under 45’s in Australia – more than car accidents, cancer and overdoses, taking the lives of eight Australians a day. We have half of Australians battling mental illness at some point in their life”

So I wish to put forward the premise that a lot of this is caused by the way mental illness is treated, even the name mental illness suggests to me that we have the treatment of it arse about. My six-year bout was caused by extreme despondency and sadness, my treatment was medication to numb it and six visits to psych units because all it did was tried to hide what I was going through, not actually treat the symptoms. Don’t get me wrong, medication is a necessary part of some people’s treatment but what put me on the path to recovery was when my sister Ruth said something like the following: It doesn’t matter what you do to me, I will still love you. Through all the pain I heard this magnificent act of love and my healing journey began.

So using my formulae of writing about the subject on the page I open, on page 94 is the heading: LOVE HELPS PROCESS PAIN, INSTEAD OF AVOIDING IT.

What a radical idea, and how has the world processed pain over the centuries, let’s have a look:

1. All we have to do is talk to our mothers and the pain they go through at the conception of their beloved children. Very few choose to continue the suffering as soon as they see the bundle of joy that has arrived into their lives.

2. The old giving the power over to another trick, this works in the area of love too. Self love is self-responsibility: Who Says.

3. As with my experience, and also Nicole’s recovery takes a long time, and there are no physical signs that you are “ill” so often people make the assumption that all is well far too early.

4. All that efforting to not worry your dear ones that there is nothing wrong. What is we could use that energy to actually express our true feelings of pain and sadness and get the help we truly need: Stronger.

5. I love this outlook on the use of words : “I choose to choose few words each day. Yes! few words that count. Few words that can make impact. Few words that talk much. Few words that can make people ponder to wonder. Few words that are indelible. Few words that can leave distinctive footprints on minds. Though we may fail to mind our words, we shall never fail to mind the works of our words.” by Ernest Agyemang Yeboah.

6. What you cannot feel you cannot take care of – a revolutionary thought in our instant gratification driven society: Feelings.

7. As neither is an excellent life, you must deal with it all, the dark and the light, the pain and the joy, etc., etc.

8. Known as possibly the world’s greatest artist who suffered severe bouts of depression Vincent speaks to how being over zealous can have counter effects to what you are seeking: Vincent.

9. A question that we can answer about very few of the 7 billion humans on the planet. We come to most of our relationships with our box of what it will be well in place.

10. We need to build a bridge to get over and out of these situations: Bridge Over Troubled Water.

11. And they are out there, we just must make that journey.

12. I can write the words, but have great difficulty shedding tears, how are you with doing it: Teardrops.

13.

Dale Harbison Carnegie spelled Carnagey until 1922 was an American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. Born into poverty on a farm in Missouri, he was the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936), a bestseller that remains popular today. He also wrote How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1948), Lincoln the Unknown (1932), and several other books.

One of the core ideas in his books is that it is possible to change other people’s behavior by changing one’s behavior toward them.

14. The pain of flashback, when we tell ourselves we are over him or her, but each time we see a reminder it comes back in all its glory: Papa Was a Rolling Stone.

15. All of it, The light and the dark, really!!!

Nicole makes three points in the chapter:

Hold people in their pain, rather than rescuing them. When we are the hero. others become the victim.
Endings are always followed by beautiful beginnings.
The key is to celebrate the growth, rather than wallow in the loss.

It’s a special ove when you love someone enough to be with them in their pain, instead of trying to save them from their pain. To save someone from their pain is to rob them of a deeper connection to love. Allowing them their darker experiences whilst supporting them to work through them is the ultimate gift you can give somebody.

The playlist for this blog is truly a blast from the past. It begins in our current century with Selena Gomez and Kelly Clarkson but then retreats to the time of flares and quirky dancing with Andy Williams, Don Mclean, Simon and Garfunkel, Womack and Womack peaking with a Temptations classic. Here is the Youtube playlist for your listening pleasure: LIfe Is a Brief Intermission.

Namaste until next time we meet, my dear friends.

Headphones On, World Off!!

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Rod's World

I am reading Brene browns new book, Braving the Wilderness: Brene’s Website. Using my formulae of writing about what is on the page I open the book too, today we are discussing the rise of loneliness amongst our society. Sorting, or living and hanging around with people who hold the same beliefs as you have become more prevalent: in the American 2016 election 80 per cent of counties gave either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton a landslide victory. In 1980, 20 per cent of American reported they were lonely; the figure is double that now.

This seems counterproductive, sorting and loneliness. If we are living in a like-minded community, shouldn’t we naturally feel like we belong? In her book, Brene quotes neuroscience researcher John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago who has been studying loneliness for over 20 years. He defines loneliness as “perceived social isolation” and states we feel loneliness when we feel disconnected. At the heart of loneliness is the absence of meaningful social interactions —- an intimate relationship, friendships, family gatherings, or even community or workgroup connections.

So, what does society have to say about the state of loneliness? There were many negative quotes, but I have chosen to stay with the more positive aspects of loneliness:

1. Rocker philosopher Henry Rollins paints a beautiful scene with his words on the matter. How great is the term “A Special Burn”.

2. Can’t quite make out the name of who said this, but how many times have we curled up in life to our favourite tracks hoping that they will make the pain of loneliness go away: Perfect.

3. During my Mental Health crisis of six years, this thought was always in the background.

4. On this walk, you get to realise that it is you who has to make the final decision, alone or not: You’ll Never Walk Alone.

5. Two words – Self Love.

6. How we define a situation can clearly give it a different meaning: Solitude.

7. For those who have suffered the abuse, we wish didn’t exist on our planet.

8. Some people use escapism to get away from it: Time After Time.

9. There is someone I am hoping is thinking this at the moment.

10. John Steinbeck wrote this quote. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature” for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception.” He has been called “a giant of American letters,” and many of his works are considered classics of Western literature: Precious Things.

11. We assume that our life will remain the same, change is the reality.

12. Carl Jung knew that speaking up was the solution to loneliness. Time to make some requests: Don’t Speak.

13. I was not a hugger for 59 of my 64 years. They work.

14. Time to reach out when Satre’s prognosis is in place: Bad Company.

15. Find the Others.

Here are the final remarks from an interview between Bill Moyers and Maya Angelou:

Moyers: Do you belong anywhere?

Angelou: I haven’t yet.

Moyers: Do you belong to anyone?

Angelou: More and more. I mean. I belong to myself. I’m very proud of that. I am very concerned about how I look at Maya. I like Maya very much. I like the humour and courage very much. And when I find myself acting in a way that isn’t…that doesn’t please me—then I have to deal with that.

Today’s playlist begins with pop icon Ed Sheeran, then we fly back to the 1960’s with Jerry and the Pacemakers. Even further back to Billie Holliday. Then three fine female singers: Clare Danes, Bic Runga and No Doubt. One of the classic English rock bands Bad Company brings it to a close. Here’s the video playlist: Headphones On, World Off.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

As Soon As I Saw You!!

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Rod's World

Finally, I remember to Bring Brene Brown’s great book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead: Her home page. I write my blogs at Darebin Intercultural Centre, where I teach English as a second language three days a week. Using my trusted method of writing about the subject that is on the page I open today we look at appreciation. Brene says:

“Just as our experiences of foreboding joy can be located on a continuum, I found that most of us fall somewhere on a perfectionism continuum. In other words, when it comes to hiding our flaws, managing perception, and wanting to win over folks, we’re all hustling a little. For some folks, perfectionism may only emerge when they’re feeling particularly vulnerable. For others, perfectionism is compulsive, chronic and debilitating – it looks and feels like an addiction.

Regardless of where we are on this continuum, if we want freedom from perfectionism, we have to make the long journey from “What will people think?” to “I am enough” That journey begins with shame resilience, self-compassion, and owning our own stories. To claim the truths about who we are, where we come from, what we believe, and the very imperfect nature of our lives, we have to be willing to give ourselves a break and appreciate the beauty of our cracks or imperfections. To be kinder and gentler with ourselves and each other. To talk to ourselves the same way we’d talk to someone we care about.”

So what has society said about appreciating ourselves, here are a few of my favourite quotes about the subject:

1. I fill out my Danielle LaPorte’s daily planner religiously every day, on the page is a space to put what you are grateful that day, works for me.

2. Not yet, I’ll do it when… Whats wrong with this statement?: Unwritten.

3. From one of the two most prolific quoters on the net, Ms Unknown comes this beautiful quote pointing out that the act doesn’t have to be a huge one to make a profound difference for someone.

4. Back to the second century A.D. for this quote from the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was a practitioner of stoicism. Amazing that they thought so much about happiness such a long time ago: Being Alive.

5. What is your essence in life? , mine is Beauty in Life. At the moment I move between contentment and pure joy.

6, Simply, Appreciation 101: Thinking out Loud.

7. I have been to some amazing places in my 63 years. One of them was the U.S.S.R. to run the Moscow Peace Marathon the year before the Berlin Wall came down. My memories are of Lana, Sergei and Michael Jackson, three people we met in a cafe in Leningrad who become our besties and showed us around for five days.

8. Do you accept compliments easily, that’s all part of your worth and value on the planet, don’t rip people off: Love Myself.

9. Life truly is a journey, on a journey, you will have your ups and downs, guaranteed.

10. I think I have found that someone else, Yay!!: We found Love.

11. Repeat after me, LOVE YOUR LIFE!!

12. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, His Holiness the Dalai Lama uses a gardening analogy in this quote about the importance of appreciation: Guide to Happiness

13. From Little things, big things grow – great saying and great Aussie song, look it up on Youtube.

14. How many people have you outlived, we always assume that we will be here tomorrow, not necessarily true: Need You Now.

15. Toni Payne is a creative writer, film director, poet, visual artist, media personality and entrepreneur. She enjoys working with still and moving images to create visual masterpieces. She also enjoys writing inspirational quotes, short stories, and poetry about various topics from romance to self-love. At her leisure, she does voiceover readings of short stories and flash fiction on her podcast and writes travel, exotic cars and beauty lifestyle articles. She also writes musings about pop culture, entertainment, relationships and more.

Brene talks of three areas in your life that help you raise your appreciation levels: they are Self Kindness, Common Humanity and Mindfulness. Add these to your menu and I’m sure you will appreciate life at a greater level.

The music for today begins with Natasha Bedingfield, followed by actor Neil Patrick Harris doing what he loves, cabaret. Some modern popsters in Ed Sheeran, Hailee Steinfeld then Rihanna. His Holiness the Dalai Lama follows and we complete with Lady Antebellum. Here is the As soon as I saw You video playlist: Video Playlist.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.