Over the holiday break, I have been pondering that deep philosophical question? When a friend posts their shiny new image should you reply with Wow or the must more malleable Heart image? Much scientific study has been done on this matter over the short time that Facebook has been in existence. I believe there is a Stanford research paper on the matter that went on for over two years, just kidding, that was me taking the piss.
I am returning to my fourteen quotes, seven-song format, because that is what I know works. I think I will throw in a Marc and Angel list for good measure because they provide such great value, just got to go and grab the book, I will be back in a second.
So we will start with a little bit of Self Love advice from my dear friends:
I am fighting hard for the things I most want.
I am 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.
Thank you Marc and Angel over there in Florida. If you wish to you can support them by purchasing 1000+ Little Things, Happy Successful People do Differently and Getting Back to Happy. They can be found on LifeHack.
1, We all remember our first experience of this.
Who doesn’t love a kiss first thing in the morning, be it human or our dearly belov.
I am still a fan of the Wow,
I’m playing a game with my Facebook Group at the end of the month. The Group is Called Conscious Community Melbourne. We are going to post our three goals for the year, and then make three requests to the community. In the end, you make three offers to the community. The rule is, no money is allowed to exchange hands: Heart not the wallet.
.
A little bet of Self Love goes a long way.
My hell is actually you pull up to the gates, and enter into a barefoot lawn bowls club, and the only entertainment is 24-hour drum circles.
Well, we did not really answer the question in the negative or the positive, I will always be a fan of the Wow. This is where you get to read Rod’s ethos of Interculturalism: Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included and a request to donate to the ASRC. Drop across to the website and we take all denominations.
Namaste,until we meet again. Its seems I have retuned to my two blogs a week.
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.
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.
I had a coaching session with my friend Lou today and as per usual she asked me what was showing up and what would I like to work on today. We have been in lock-down for over 200 days in my state of Victoria in the last year and I was feeling it today so I stated that I felt a little empty inside especially in my hands. We did some exercises and I noticed that I was forming fists of anger instead of contacting my heart to resolve the issue of what was having me feel this way.
When do we go in the direction of our heads ILO our hearts to resolve matters of the body. Often I do it when life has pushed me over, when really it’s time to stand up and push back even harder. Where there is a fork in the road and choices to make, make the ones your future self will thank you for. Today,start:
Choosing you.
Appreciating what you have.
Believing in yourself and your dreams.
Being positive.
Taking action.
Letting go.
Picking yourself back up.
Ignoring negative people.
Staying in touch with close friends and family.
Making time for fun.
Spreading love and kindness.
Being the change you want to see in the world.
So what has society said about listening to the heart over the centuries, let’s have a look:
1. Advice Pocahontas gave to the invaders of her land.
7. Bold, Brave and Strong, such worthy attributes in life.
8. Bryant McGill is a human potential thought leader, international bestselling author, activist, and social entrepreneur. He is one of the world’s top social media influencers reaching a billion people a year:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa7PUQAQ3zo
9. There is a right way to listen, this explains it well.
Believe in your heart. Listen to your soul as well. Trust your instincts. Acknowledge your own strengths. Dream it and dare it. Do what you are afraid of, and capable of. Follow your vision. Know that anything is possible. Know you Can.
A couple of classics on the playlist today. Elton John leads us off. Then Roxette do that song about hearts followed by Neil Young. 2Pac does a rap cover of Roxette next with Michael Kiwanuka rocking one out next. The penultimate song is Eminem and we complete with Twenty One Pilots: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrsF_nUjfphbe4SiEWUmM-ug
I think your heart wants the best for you but sometimes we forget this when we make mistakes following it and we get scared off. My ethos for Interculturalism: Love and Respect for All, Everybody Included comes from my heart-space. I use two Facebook groups to support the spread of it. The first and oldest is Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism, the second is Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949. You are always welcome yo join our band of merry travelers, just click on the links. Until next time my dear friends.
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.
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.
Several years ago I fell in love with a social enterprise in my home city of Melbourne called Lentil as Anything, a chain of restaurants run on a pay as you feel philosophy. The title of this blog is part of their ethos. A question for you: do you walk around thinking my contribution is a gift to the community or more like thinking I don’t really make much of a contribution. What is it that shifts you from the latter to the former.
When life pushes you over, stand up and push back even harder. When there is a fork in the road, make the ones your future self with thank you for. Today, start:
1.Choosing you.
2. Appreciating what you have.
3. Believing in yourself and your dreams.
4. Being Positive.
5. Taking Action
6. Letting Go.
7. Picking Yourself Back Up.
8. Ignoring Negative People.
9. Staying in touch with close friends and family.
10. Making Time for Fun.
11. Spread Love and Kindness.
12. Being the Change you want to see in the World.
I can imagine this is a battle that has gone on between our consciousnesses for a very long time, Let’s have a look at what people of note have said about it over the years:
3. Reading his history Arthur Ashe, tennis player extraordinaire was a remarkable African Americanin a time at best they were called negro if not worse.
5. The first female high school principal in the U.S.A., Ethel founded AARP, an elder activist organization which with membership of 28 million making its magazine and bulletin the two largest readerships in the USA.
15 And the most famous POTUS with a very obtuse question to finish.
This collection of quotes shows that we have thought about contribution being a gift for a long time as a human race, I think we will for a long time in the future and perhaps even resolve the issue.
Today’s playlist goes all over the place, contributions of spoken word, the 80’s, the East and a very education video on black music. We begin with none of these, firstly is Gang Starr, then followed by Marianne Williamson. My unknown is next the Isha Foundation. My favourite Black Eyed Peas song leads us to Darryl Hall and John Oates. The penultimate song is Massive Attack and we finish with Music is Black History: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJlQ3F9bKYrtUz0w9taVPwST5DJcBuhWd
I believe my contribution that is a gift to the community is my ethos: Love and respect for All, Everybody Included and my two Facebook Groups: Interculturalism: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Interulturalism and Thriving People – People who wish to make a difference to humanity: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126100227764949 to allow anyone across the planet join our merry little clan. Until we neet 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.
I have come across my passion late in life. 59 years old exactly. I found it one night at a film night I attended in a place called the Darebin Intercultural Centre. It was a Colombian film and I asked did they need volunteers. 14 months down the track I love the ethos of Interculturalism that is generated by the place. I have also started a business www.rodsrockingresearch.com. its purpose is to empower entrepreneurs to create their businesses from a rocking space. Don't check out. my home page, its boring, the magic and the healing is in the blogs. Take time toscroll down, you never know what you may find.
Jamie Catto is a creative facilitator, mischief maker and trailblazer cutting through the bullshit to clear the way for authentic connection and inner understanding.
Rod's World
I am an Interculturalist 