Thankful & Grateful!!

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Rod's World

I opened Marc and Angel Chernoff’s fine book 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People do Differently to the article: 12 Things to start caring about today. It begins “Life is about taking chances. it’s about doing something you initially thought you could never do. It’s about being a little bit crazy, following your heart, and not worrying about every detail of what everyone else thinks. And above all, it’s about learning to love who you are and what you have.”

It then follows with the 12 self-caring tools, here they are:

1. Start caring about your own happiness.

2. Start caring about your goals and dreams.

3. Start caring about how you invest your time every day.

4. Start caring about how you think and what you think about.

5. Start caring about how you treat yourself.

6. Start caring about how you treat others.

7. Start caring about how others treat you.

8. Start caring about your health.

9. Start caring about your education and your personal growth.

10. Start caring about doing the best you can.

11. Start caring about all the wonderful things you have right now.

I must admit I fluctuate between fulfilling these things on a day to day basis, I suspect that society does too. Let’s have a look at what they say about caring:

1. Rule 6, Take care how you treat others, there is such a thing as karma.

2. If you worry too much, you are not giving Peace a chance: Give Peace a Chance.

3. Rule ten for me, be the best you can.

4. How many lives have you turned around, include your self in the total: Stand up for Something.

5. Really an Eckhart Tolle moment, Live in the Now.

6. As I say to the woman I love, remember to breathe next time we meet, that’s what love does to me: I will always Love You.

7. Joel Scott Osteen is an American televangelist based in Houston, Texas. Osteen’s televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries. His sermons also broadcast 24 hours a day on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Channel 128. Osteen has written seven New York Times Best Sellers. In 2004, his first book, Your Best Life Now, was released by Time Warner and debuted at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list. The book remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for more than 200 weeks.

8. Uncanny, it’s rule eight, take care of your health, both mental and physical: I’m Gonna Be.

9. Without the latter the former do not matter at all, they would be meaningless moments.

10. Imagine if every day was like a surprise birthday gift. Go on, you can do it: If Today Was Your Last Day.

11. Comes under rule nine for me, especially if you were or are parents. Start caring about their education and personal growth.

12. A mild harsh, but resonates being close to the truth for me: Making Excuses.

13. When is the right time and place to care, right here, right now…

14. The Buddhists have the four noble truths, so does the world of caring: If I sing you a Love Song.

15. Mandy Hale is affectionately known as The Single Woman TM around the world. In just over two years, Mandy has garnered a massive Twitter following of a half a million people from across the globe. With a heart to inspire single women to live their best lives and to never, ever settle, Mandy cuts to the heart of the matter with her inspirational, straight-talking, witty, and often wildly humorous take on life and love.

I have decided to finish this blog with Marc’s introspection for rule twelve: When I watched the Grammy Awards recently, I realised that many of the speeches musicians make when they accept an award go something like this: ” Thi means so much to me. My whole life has been leading up to this moment.” But the truth is, our whole lives have been leading up to every moment. Think about that for a second. Every single thing you’ve gone through in life, every high, every low, and everything in between, it has led you to this moment right now. This moment is priceless, and it’s the only moment guaranteed to you. This moment is your ‘life’. Don’t miss it.

If you are a regular reader you may have noticed I have a love affair with the work of Marc and Angel Chernoff, it has helped me through many a dark moment, I thank them for it.

Music today goes way back for a few – John Lennon and Yoko Ono start the journey, then we return to the present day with Andra Day, then flip back with Whitney Houston and The Proclaimers. Some rock from Nickelback, the little known Mr Heavenly, closing out with Bonnie Tyler.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

H.O.P.E. – Hold On, Pain Ends

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Rod's World

The Steppingstone in time for my Life: 65 Stepping Stones – 2843 Life Power Boosters At Your Fingertips by my ex TMLP buddy Thea Westra: At this site. reads as follows:

Experience “real” life. Are you waiting for “life” to begin? You just need to get some of those hurdles out of the way and need a few things to happen first. The children need to leave home, retirement at work first and then enjoy the things you love, the certain amount of dollars need to be saved, the time needs to be just right, etc. etc. etc… Consider that all these roadblocks ARE your life. When will you choose to experience them fully, along with all the other passing moments?

Boom, take that, the reality of life is that life is our reality. What has society had to say about that over the centuries, let’s have a gander:

1. Experiences, not things equal reality.

2. Ah, those first moments of relationships – phone calls at least once a day, later on, we may move to this: The Sounds of Silence.

3. One could ask Lady Gaga what happened to the percentages, as a child we live more like 80//20.

4. We are trained from an early age, not to say those things that may hurt another’s feelings. Time to tell a white lie, maybe: Honest.

5. WTF up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher. He wrote critical texts on organized religion, Christendom, morality, ethics, psychology, and the philosophy of religion, displaying a fondness for metaphor, irony and parables. Much of his philosophical work deals with the issues of how one lives as a “single individual”, giving priority to concrete human reality over abstract thinking and highlighting the importance of personal choice and commitment. He was against literary critics who defined idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time and thought that Swedenborg, Hegel, Goethe, Fichte, Schelling, Schlegel and Hans Christian Andersen were all “understood” far too quickly by “scholars”: Experience.

7. This insightful quote can certainly make you think about how you value your time.

8. I had five worst times AKA Pysch hospital admissions, I can so relate to this. The people who hang around are precious: True Colours.

9. We hear from Soren again, don’t focus on the problems, live life fully: Everybody.

10. They stick around because they are the people who love you from the bottom of their hearts: That’s what Friends are For.

11. How’s your search for your reality going?

12. Have you bruised your knees too often, the trick is to get back up and on the horse again: Try.

13. Go on, get out there and do it.

14. And it is said in many ways around the world: Namkeen.

15. And for the final one today, one I have no idea about.

And the final word from Dale Carnegie – If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done.

Music for this blogs starts with going back over 50 years with Simon and Garfunkel, then the Chainsmokers followed by Ludivico Einaudi. Then over to our female entries, Kasey Chambers, Dionne Warwick and Pink finishing with our international guest R. D. Burnam.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

You are stronger than you Think!!

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Rod's World

Kate Swoboda asks the question in her new book The Courage habit – How to accept your fears, release the past, and live your courageous life: Kate’s Web Site. “if my most courageous self-was making the decision here, what would I choose?” The purpose of this question is to honour the value of courage in your actions and to have courage as a “way of being” in your life.

The definition of courage is as follows:

the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery, the heart as the source of emotion. and is used in such Idioms

as follows – have the courage of one’s convictions, to act in accordance with one’s beliefs, especially in spite of criticism.

So how have we, as a planet, acknowledged courage in our lives over the journey, let’s take a gander:

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1, Edward Estlin “E. E.” Cummings, often styled as e e cummings, as he sometimes signed his name, was an American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright. He wrote approximately 2900 poems, two autobiographical novels, four plays, and several essays. According to his testimony in EIMI, Cummings had little interest in politics until his trip to the Soviet Union in 1931, after which he shifted rightward on many political and social issues. Despite his radical and bohemian public image, he was a Republican, and later, an ardent supporter of Joseph McCarthy.

2. Have the courage to fill your life with experiences, not things. People love stories about experiences: Brave.

3. It’s like the decision of courage is an act of self-love.

4. We always can choose to go forward or retreat to those dark spaces we already know.: Hero.

5. Remember – one step forward at a time is the courageous path.

6. A bit like Tonglen meditation practice, breath in the good, exhale the bad: Hideaway.

7. Why is it that most people know the name of the cricket captain in Australia but have no clue who won the Nobel Prize for literature?

8. Young birds learn to fly by the courageous act of jumping out of their nests: I’ll Fly Away.

9. Be courageous, experience all levels of emotion.

10. Sorry, I was wrong. Go on, you can do it: Doing It Wrong.

11. Bad things happen to us all the time, have the courage to take the healing journey.

12. Even in the times of the ancient Greeks, they were discussing the courageous path: Glory Box.

13. It takes courage to leave the harbour, where you know its safe. But nothing ever happens while your ship is tied up at the dock of inaction.

14. Courage is what makes your dreams of childhood stick around and become real in your adult life: 24K Magic.

15. On the courageous path you will face the ignominy of making mistakes, remember if you never make a mistake, you are never growing.

To change your whole life at once through your new found courage, could be qute daunting so Kate asks us to ponder “What three things would I be doing differently if my most courageous self-was running the show” Areas to look at include Fun and Recreation, Career and Work, Money, Family Relationships, Romantic Relationships and Sensuality, Friendships, Health and Body, Physical Environment and Personal Growth and Development.

The music for this blog is dominated by female voices – we begin with Sara Bareilles, followed by Mariah Carey , then newbie Daya makes way for Gillian Welch. Over to the men with Drake, back to the women with Portishead, completing with Bruno Mars.

Namaste until next time my dear friends

All you need to get started!!

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Rod's World

I attended a free workshop called Present Your Message by my friend and old choir leader Richard Lawton last night, he is known as the Voice Doctor having been an actor, theatre director, singing coach and presentation coach for over twenty years. He has written a book called Raise Your Voice: Transforming How You Speak, Sing and Present – the book’s website.

When I was in Soulsong, that’s the choir’s name we used to do 17th-century french line dancing as the warmup as well as German drinking songs to the tune of Beethoven’s Ninth.

Richards ability to get you out of your head when speaking in public is remarkable because as we all know, this is a human beings greatest fear.

He asked who likes hearing the sound of our voice being played back, one out of twenty people put their hand up. Then we had an enquiry into why we thought that was the case because if he had asked children the numbers would have been reversed.

Where did we lose the love of our voice, when did we make that decision and what does society have to say about the power of the voice:

1. How many people do you have in your life that this happens with? These are the ones you trust.

2. Don’t let your inner voice be one of your main hecklers, there are plenty of others whose opinions do this for us. Hands on heart and step forward courageously: The Voice.

3. What do you want the Universe to hear, for me, it’s Love and Respect for all: Everybody Included.

4. Possibly the sexiest voice in the world, Tom is a fine example of someone who fully expresses his voice: Kiss.

5. Someone who did not listen to the inner critic, judge and censor that lives within us all, Malala has created a worldwide movement, do you think you can?

6. Laurie Halse Anderson writes children and teenage books that make them think as well as battling censorship and the need for diversity in publishing: Express Yourself.

7. You do the world an injustice when you withhold your truth because you feel they might get upset.

8. Perhaps he would have made a better opera singer than an emperor, in the end, he wasn’t too great at that: Best Day of My Life.

9. When I read his name, I must confess the words to The Year of the Cat entered my head.

10. Echo has five different meanings in the online dictionary, I think what this quote is talking about relates to this one: one who closely imitates or repeats another’s words, ideas, or acts – The Voice Within.

11. I’m sure many of you have seen Wild, Wild, West, the doco on Netflix that belittles Osho and his followers. My take on it, Everybody has Shadow and Light: I relate to the wisdom and freedom that his words and insights provide for humanity.

12. Remember their opinion isn’t about you, It’s always a reflection of the person saying it: Ironic.

13. So when you are about to present to 2,000 people you are imaging all of them to be naked this is the voice to listen to.

14. Or another way of saying it is, you can’t get the moment back. Hand on Heart, stride forward powerfully and say what has to be said: Opportunity.

15. And of course, the last one must be the most serious and profound.

I mentioned the Judge, the Critic and the Censor under one of the quotes. Richard says these are the three characters that take our vocal power away. The Judge will give you a mark out of ten (usually three or less). The Critic will tell you that not only is this rubbish, but it’s the same rubbish you did last time and the time before. The Censor will tell you to keep your head down, keep quiet and wait till it all goes away.

So how do we get past this, my recommendation is BUY THE BOOK.

Music for this blog is one of Australia’s icons, John Farnham, The sexy Tom Jones, the ever eternal Madonna, newbies American Authors, the versatile Christine Aguilera, The woman who played God – Alanis Morrisette and ends with the sultry Sia.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends

If Not Now , When?

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Rod's World

“When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see them you will see yourself. As you treat them, you will treat yourself. As you think of them, you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in them you will find yourself or lose yourself.”

It is amazing how many quotes written in this and the last century still use the sexist terminology of single genders, I have taken on replacing these words with more appropriate ones that include everyone.

How do you treat your daily encounters with each person? Is it I know what they are like, so I don’t need to listen to what they’re saying or is it what can they teach me today.

How does the world look at our holy encounters, what have we said about it over the generations:

1. This would be an amazing state to be with another person, what could we learn about them?

2. For the better I hope: Change of Heart.

3. I am part of a group called Sunday Assembly, a secular group that gathers once a month and has a service to celebrate life. Our motto’s are Live Better, Help Often and Wonder More.

4. From the 12th Century comes Dante’s contribution, let’s resonate more and more: Soul Kind of Feeling.

5. It is hard to believe that the magnificent lotus begins its journey through mud.

6. The greatest form of holy encounter, and what is more powerful than anything: Love: Beauty and the Beast.

7. It was Martin Luther King day yesterday, I watched a special. It was like every word he spoke was a quote on Love.

8. That’s why I meditate daily , to be alert and awake: Say It Right.

9. Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and dispassionately whatever happens. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.

10. I think I am denying it at the moment, the feeling and events will just not go away: Only You.

11. That’s what they read out at your passing, your acts of love not your assets.

12. Too cute not to use: Elephant Love Medley.

13. In the 1950s, Mignon began publishing aphorisms that were later collected in three books, entitled, The Neurotic’s Notebook, The Second Neurotic’s Notebook and The Complete Neurotic’s Notebook. She is known for a number of quotes, among them:

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”
“Anything you lose automatically doubles in value.”
“Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers.”

14. One of the great statements about self holy encounter, Helen Keller live a magnificent life with issues most of us would have given up with: God’s Plan.

15. Another take on the opening quote by Eckhart Tolle.

We decide want we want too see before we see it. We receive what we request “Projection makes Perception”. We can find – and in fact we will find what we look for in life. Our spirit or soul takes responsibility for what we chose to perceive, fear and hate or love and joy> It is up to each of us what path we go down.

Music today is from Cyndi Lauper, Australia’s fabulous Dynamic Hepnotics, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, Nelly Furtado, a classic oldie by the Platters, Molin Rouge and Drake.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Put on your Perspectacles!!

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Rod's World

The quote in the empowering book Time for my Life: 365 Stepping Stones by Thea Westra for today is as follows: Goals help you keep in perspective what’s really important so you do not spend all of your time doing what seems important – Nido Qubein. Nido is an American Lebanese University president and philanthropist who has donated over $10 million dollars in his lifetime to education. He has not lost sight of his goal to his seemingly important day to day urgent tasks.

How do you stay in perspective when it comes to your purpose, your goals, your why in life? Another way of asking it is How can you be more effectively making use of your time? And how has society related to it over the years, Here’s a few takes at it:

1. How many people do you have in your life who would give you everything?

This piece of wisdom is from the First Century A.D. Marcus was a Roman emperor who sought the meaning of life and wrote an excellent book called Memoirs about it: Human.

3. I think I have wasted a few years of my 63 years not doing this, worrying about things that I couldn’t at the time change or do anything effective to change my circumstances, nice one Mary.

4. Too simple: Mean.

5. Remember when we were kids and we were going to astronauts or veterinarians, why did we change our perspective and stop looking?

6. They wrote a song about this a long, long time ago: “The Impossible Dream (The Quest)” is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was written for the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha. It is the main song from the musical and became its most popular hit. The song is sung all the way through once in the musical by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)’s question about what he means by “following the quest”. It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge – like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition. It was awarded the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame: The Impossible Dream.

7. Love and Respect for All – Everyone Included.

8. Are we all star seed, energy in different forms. If we vibrate what we want on a daily basis, the universe listens: Across the Universe.

9. This makes me think of his Holiness’s statement about If we really listen, and not just wait to reply we actually might learn something new.

10. Amazing, really: Nowhere Man.

11. We are all unique individuals, love that about yourself.

12. And it’s also one of the great medicinal plants on the planet: Dandelion.

13. I remember The Hour of Power evangelist TV show from the 70’s that Robert Schuller hosted, seems he did it for 50 years until 2010. We all have fears though, I find facing them is the most useful way of lessening their influence over my daily life.

14. How we are training our young folk more and more these days. Self love is the reverse of this: I was Here.

15. Beckett was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation”. He was elected the first Saoi of Aosdána in 1984 by The Irish nation, the ultimate accolade a creative artist can receive in that country.

Martin Luther Kings distinction around perceptiveness Somebodiness’ which is a state of self dignity and worthiness, despite what others may think. It is a deep inner resolve that nobody can convince me that I am not somebody sums up how I feel about this subject well. Your perspective is just as valuable as anyone else’s, never forget this.

Music this blog has three song’s from the 1960’s , two pop diva’s and two people I have never heard of, that’s why I love what YouTube throws up for my requests. Rag ‘n Bone Man., Taylor Swift, Andy Williams, Rufus Wainwright, The Beatles, Tevin Campbell and Beyonce.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Focus on only that which is Eternal!!

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Rod's World

A course in Miracle teaches: There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not “harder” or “bigger” than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal.

To me, the effect of a miracle is that it affects you for eternity, you can never forget it and why would you want to, there the title I have chosen for today’s blog. Gabrielle Bernstein , in her latest book : Judgement Detox points to the fact that anytime you shift your perception from fear to love, you have committed a miracle in your life: Link to the book.

How does the world relate to miracles, whilst researching it I got to see there are many perspectives over the times, here’s today’s offerings:

1. At what age did you stop believing in this joyous miracle in our early years?

2. I have recently taken on a 12 month challenge to reduce my weight to 80k, it has been over 6 years that was what showed on the scales and it is 20k away. A practice I have taken on is to walk for at least half and hour everyday. It is amazing what you notice in this time of reflection: When Life was a Miracle.

3. Helen Keller certainly gave her best given the circumstances she was handed in life. The world appreciated her for it.

4. What of we were all able to access the magic of the morning sun as it hailed a new day: Magic.

5. As we age we often forget this!!

6. Amanda Jane Bradley doesn’t jump out at you on google. You get the choice of a bartender, a pro-lifer and eventually the author of Oz at Night, bingo: That’s what friends are For.

7. And this is what Google came up for Himanshu – A person with the biggest ego ever found in this world. Will always try to be better than everyone in sight, even the person who teaches him something. A himanshu cares a lot about his future, in fact, that’s the only thing he cares about! A himanshu displays various sudden acts of movement in the face, like sudden twitches of the eye and nose, and often blames the movements on a “cold” or his glasses. Himanshu is always the best at everything he does. Even if he isn’t, he thinks he is.

8. When you transmute the dark, that is when miracles occur: Royals.

9. Miracles fill the body not the mind, where’s your heart located?

10. Mother Teresa discovered the magic and miracle of service and went on to provide it to thousands of people: Happy.

11. A hand written note these days is a minor miracle but so much more powerful than an SMS.

12. Edwin created the Christian Mens Network, he also played trumpet in a street witnessing band for the homeless. Through these actions he wished to have men see the goodness of life: Expectancy.

13. William Hazlitt was an English writer, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell. He is also acknowledged as the finest art critic of his age. Most of his work has been out of print for decades.

14. The miracle of unconditional love: Falling.

15. I know people who are festival junkies, who then complain about the lack of community when they return to normal life. Its time for them to let the celebrations begin on a day to day basis when most of the miracles happen.

So, make it a practice to celebrate your miracles on a day to day basis, even if it might just be surviving the day or as mighty as leaping out of a plane.

The tunes today are from the quirky named Emir Kusturica and the No Smoking Orchestra, The divas Alicia Keys, Dionne Warwick and Lorde. A short set by DJ Rickochey, Coldplay and the hour long version of Pharrel Williams Happy.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

The Heart wants what it Wants!!

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Rod's World

Have you ever heard of Marc and Angel Chernoff? They wrote a magnificent book 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently a few years ago. It is great list upon great list that help you lead an outstanding life. If you would like a copy of it, act fast, Marc and Angel are taking it out of circulation soon to update it, here is the link: Marc and Angels book. Did I mention Angel is a Facebook friend of mine, its an honour for me all the way down here in Melbourne , Australia.

Each list has many pieces of home spun wisdom in it, today I chose to comment on 10 Things to tell Yourself Today and specifically number eight from that list: There is enough time today to do something I love. Here is what they wrote under that heading:

Where did you leave your happiness? With an old Lover? In a city you once lived in? In a story you never finished writing? In a dream you gave up on? In a hope you got to weary to carry? Wherever you left it go back and retrieve it. If you don’t remember where you left it, dedicate a little time today to doing something you love to do, and you will find your happiness somewhere nearby. Such beautiful and simple advice, that is why I love the book, its easy to understand and implement.

So what does the world say about doing something you Love, quite a lot actually, here are some of my favourites:

1. A life full of purpose and that flows a lot easier, I’ll have one of those please.

2. When I did the Landmark Forum they used to do a trying simulation that pointed out trying doesn’t get you very far, its actually doing that does:Try a little Tenderness

3. A worthwhile question to ask yourself, when were you last truly amazed in your life?

4. Over the time of writing my over 300 blogs, I have noticed that baseball players have contributed some great quotes to our society, Al is one of them: Love is the Drug.

5. And the classic quote about doing work you love is…..

6. Often called unconditional love: Unconditionally.

7. No Wikipedia for Dylan Laurence so I leave it up to your imagination who he is, great quote though.

8. From little things, big things grow, here is the song that most displays that: From little things, Big things grow.

9. And then movies throw us great moments of doing what we love.

10. Unknown in Australia, Jeff Foxworthy makes a living telling redneck jokes, obviously he found what he loved doing: Try.

11. “So well that people can’t take their eyes off you”, no wonder Maya spoke at a presidential inauguration.

12. Sometimes people forget where children learn their behaviour from, time to step up: When you say nothing at All!!

13. Famous for the novel and film “The perks of being a Wallflower”, Stephen Chbosky points out the importance of self love and how it may limit our ability to let love in.

14. As I take on my 12 month plan in my mentor-ship program Warriors of Love of returning to my 2011 weight of 80K, a mere 20k’s away, I think I’ll write this on my mirror: Good Times.

15. And we leave it up to the Fab Four to make the last comment on doing something you love.

I will finish with the intro that Marc and Angel used for this list:

Count your blessings, not your troubles. Love one day at a time. Let the wrong things go. Give more than you take. Look for the good in people and situations. Make time for those who matter. laugh when you can. Cry when you need to, Focus on your priorities. Make decisions, not excuses. And always stay true to your values.

Yes, today is the perfect day to stand up and say….

The music comes from several genres today. The rock of The Commitments and Missy Higgins, John Butler and Dan Sultan doing one of Australia’s iconic songs, the pop diva’s Kate Perry and Pink, The soul of Grace Jones and Chic, and the mellow country of Allison Krauss.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Today is a new Day!!

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Rod's World

Innovation, how often do you do it in your life? In his great book Living Your Passion, Keith Abraham lists 35 ways to equip yourself for your future. He starts them with the following chapter – A great author John Maxwell has an acronym for the word EQUIP: Encouraging Qualities Underdeveloped In People. The following ideas are suggestions, solutions and recommendations that will assist you in equipping yourself for your future. Select the ideas that are most appropriate for you right now.

So number one and number thirteen appeal to me:

Number 1 is Complete a personal review of yourself every six months answering four questions called the W.I.S.H. analysis – What do you do well, what do you need to improve, what strategies do you need to develop, and how long before these strategies will be developed.

Number 13 is List down 100 things you want to achieve in your lifetime, this will be the most insightful activity you will ever do for your personal development.

Some famous people have commented on innovation, let’s have a look at what they said:

1. The dude who gave us the Mac, the iPhone and the Ipad, Steve Jobs changed how the world exists. I have spent 70 percent of my life without these things and 33 percent in a world without computers, amazing!!

2. Thomas Edison‘s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps: A Better Place.

3. Have you ever failed, If not, why not?

4. Thinking without follow up actions doesn’t change much: Look what you made me Do.

5. Self explanatory really.

6. Back to our childhood for this one, there is not just the past, present and future if you are willing to imagine: Oh the things you can Think.

7. You have to think of whisky to know who T. Dewar is. He and his brother turned their small family business into an international success, he visited 26 countries in 2 years to achieve this, leaving his brother to do the grunt work.

8. One of the world’s most famous quotes from the curly headed one, most people nod their heads in agreement when they read it: Tell me something I don’t Know.

9. They don’t write biographies about followers!!

10. And from the latest champion of innovation, another timely comment on failure and what it costs you: Broken Barricades.

11. Scurvy was among many diseases suffered due to malnutrition. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered the chemical ascorbic acid—also known as vitamin C—that enables the body to efficiently use carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

12. It’s called science fiction until they do: In case you didn’t Know.

13, Scott Adams is one of the world’s prominent cartoonists. His Dilbert series came to national prominence through the downsizing period in 1990s America and was then distributed worldwide. Adams worked in various roles at big businesses before he became a full-time cartoonist in 1995. He writes in a satirical, often sarcastic, way about the social and mental landscape of white-collar workers in modern business corporations.

14. Not everybody will agree with you at the beginning, you need to go through the above for your innovations to stick: Human.

15. Three from Steve, probably not so many from one person since my Oprah addiction. Remember it’s OK to say no.

To remember the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realise the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realise the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realise the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realise the value of one minute: Ask the person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realise the value of one second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realise the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won the silver medal in the Olympics.

A mixed music bag this time around, Musicals, diva pop, 60’s classics and country – Playing for Change, Taylor Swift, Suessical cast, Selena Gomez, Procol Harum, Brett Young and Christina Perri.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Work for a Cause, Not Applause!!

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Rod's World

I was watching TED talks this morning about the dangers of volunteer tourism in developing countries. The majority of speakers said that the major problem with their projects had been they simply did not fit in with the local communities normally through lack of knowledge as to how that community ran on a day to day basis and they ended up forcing their own ideals on the community as they knew no better.

So why is the power of community such a palpable energy, allowing for results that cannot be created by individuals but when people come together extraordinary results occur.

Community is derived from the Old French word communete and relates to several situations:

noun

a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

“Montreal’s Italian community”

synonyms:

group, section, body, company, set, circle, clique, coterie, ring, band, faction; More

informal gang, bunch

“lesbians and gays are not one homogeneous community”

a group of people living together and practicing common ownership.

noun: community; plural noun: communities

“a community of nuns”

synonyms:

brotherhood, sisterhood, fraternity, confraternity, sorority, colony, institution, order, body, circle, association, society, league;

rare sodality

“the monastic community at Canterbury”

a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants.

“a rural community”

synonyms:

district, region, zone, area, local area, locality, locale, neighbourhood; More

informal neck of the woods;

informal manor;

informal hood, nabe, turf

“East Durham was very much a mining community”

a body of nations or states unified by common interests.

“the European Community”

the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities; society.

noun: community; noun: the community

“preparing prisoners for life back in the community”

synonyms:

population, populace, people, citizenry, public, general public, body politic, collective; More

society, nation, state, country, realm, commonwealth, homeland, fatherland, motherland;

residents, inhabitants, citizens;

humorous denizens, burghers

“we can work together for the good of the community”

denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area.

modifier noun: community

“community health services”

the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common.

“the sense of community that organized religion can provide”

a similarity or identity.

“the law presupposes a community of interest between an employer and employees”

synonyms:

similarity, similar nature, likeness, sameness, comparability, correspondence, agreement, alignment, parallel, parallelism, closeness, affinity;

archaic semblance

“they had a harmonious union based on a community of interests”

antonyms:

difference, incompatibility

joint ownership or liability.

“the community of goods”

synonyms: joint ownership, common ownership, shared possession; More

joint liability, joint participation

“the community of goods”

3.

Ecology

a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together in natural conditions or occupying a specified habitat.

“communities of insectivorous birds”

So how do you relate to community? I belong to the Williams family community, the Warriors of Love community, the Melbourne dance community, the Sunday Assembly community and the Tai Chi community. I have different reasons for belonging to each one, but value each one for what they provide in my life.

So what have we said about the power of community over the years, some prominent people have had their say, let’s have a look:

1. Mark Hyman, MD, believes that we all deserve a life of vitality—and that we have the potential to create it for ourselves. That’s why he is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. Dr. Hyman and his team work every day to empower people, organizations, and communities to heal their bodies and minds, and improve our social and economic resilience. He clearly believes in the power of community to prevent illnesses vs. the after cure of the medical system.

2. Mitch doesn’t say create more money, he says something that gives you purpose and meaning. Do you have that in your life: On Purpose.

3. The practice of community takes us out of our cocoon into areas of action that call on us to be bigger than we think we can be for the sake of others.

4. Moving from successful Hollywood film director to a seeker of the truth after a serious pushbike accident then creating the doco I Am The film asks the question: “What is wrong with the world, and what can we do about it?”, and explores Shadyac’s personal journey after the accident in 2007 that led him to seek the answers to “the nature of humanity”, “the world’s ever-growing addiction to materialism”, and “human connections” . The quote sums up where the journey took him.: Loving Kindness.

5. Something a lot of foreign aid projects get wrong, its not about changing cultures.

6. Did you fill your heart when you had the conversation with your career guidance counselor at High School, when you chose your major at Uni, when you got that promotion at work. To live in service to humanity, your community gives you the opportunity to do this: Focus on Humanity.

7. The curly headed one, Albert was awarded the Nobel Prize for his service to others.

8. This made me think of Gordon Gekko’s Greed is Good speech for some reason. How much do you hold in your heart?: Big Spender.

9. The remainder of this lengthy quote by Joe Biden is as follows – For too long as a nation, we have been lulled by the anthem of self-interest. For a decade, led by Ronald Reagan, self-aggrandizement has been the full-throated cry of this society: ‘I’ve got mine, so why don’t you get yours’ and ‘What’s in it for me?’

10. Life is a boomerang. What you give, you get. If you are always throwing out negativity then you should not be surprised when this is what you get in return. On the other hand if you are always positive then this is what you will receive as well. Be kind and compassionate to others because you never know when you may need kindness or compassion as well. Don’t judge or you could find others judging you. Some people spend their whole lives miserable and complaining, and they wonder why their life is so negative but they refuse to make an effort to change things or alter their outlook and attitude. If you want to get positive people and emotions in your life then you have to be positive in your dealings with others. If you are not willing to do this then you can not expect others to treat you this way in return. Always remember that fate can be fickle, and you should expect to receive what you give so make sure you give what you want to get. Boomerang.

11. There are many terms for community, here are some of them.

12. My friend Chris was responsible for a community building program in the culturally diverse public housing estates in my home city of Melbourne. How did he do it, creating community gardens: The Garden.

13. There is no I in Community.

14. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said the world will be saved by western women and most successful aid projects make sure that women are involved. This statements points as to why: Can’t hold us Down.

15. Steve Maraboli was selected by Inc. Magazine as a, “Top Leader to Follow”, while dubbing him as, “The Most Quoted Man Alive” (2016).

From the Pope, to the Dalai Lama, to Grammy Winners, to World Champions, to Oscar Winners, to Presidents and Prime Ministers… Steve’s life-changing words are shared and published throughout the world by media, global leaders, athletes, celebrities, and individuals across a wide-range of platforms.

Google Facts has Steve Maraboli referenced or quoted in over 2,000 books in their database.

What communities do you claim as your own, we all have them. Now the more relevant question, what do you contribute and give back to them.

Music is dominated by female artists today. Sabrina Carpenter, Ashana, The Sweet Charity dancers, JoJo Siwa, Kari Jobe and Christine Aquilera. The one male contribution is from Jim Carrey and his cohorts.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.