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.

Expect Problems and Eat Them For Breakfast!!

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Rod's World

I got banned from Facebook for four days recently. I posted a picture of a pregnant woman just above one of the alt-right demonstrators belching out hate speech, guess which one I got banned for and did not meet community standards. I am motivated by the premise you can use Facebook for possibility and love the expression my friend Jo Jo uses, Booker Lookers, it delights me, and that’s what today’s blog is about, what motivates you in life.

Back to Marc and Angel Chernoff for their empowering description of What is Motivation: At its most basic level. motivation is what spurs you to act on a desire; it’s the determination and drive to make that desire a reality. Motivation moves you to show up to the project and get the right things done. It’s the force that moves an idea from point A – where it lives only in your head – to point B – where you make the idea a reality. Here’s the link to their webpage, I cannot recommend their work highly enough, and they have a new book, it’s marvellous: The Portal.

How does the world say things so we stay motivated, let’s have a look:

1. Who remembers what clock cards where. My employment history goes back to these archaic days where you had to clock on and off at your work. The practice of clocking your workmates in and out was rampant.

2. I used to live outside the city, the power of looking at the Milky Way in the night sky, there are probably not words that fulfil the magical desires it conquers up: Starman.

3. We go all the way back to the Third Century to discover who St. Jerome was. Venerated in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran Churches. He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate).

4. Remember when you were wooing your beloved? We did all that had to be done because we knew there was no other alternative: Don’t Stop.

5. I did a training program on the weekend, I am a Warrior of Love. We created the resonance of your seed essence that embodies why you exist. At eight out of ten was challenge.

6. And Arthur Ashe did a lot. The first African American to break through on the professional Tennis Circuit, he used his skill to change a conversation about who could play the game.: Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen.

7. Could I do a blog on motivation without including the big Tone.No, not really?

8. What are the sounds of silence? only one song: Sounds of Silence.

9. Who remembers The Hour of Power being on the telly on a Sunday morning. Robert Schuller was the host of the show. Strangely, World Wrestling was on soon after.

10. Is your comfort zone Netflix: The Comfort Zone.

11. Your Why, Simon Senik’s TED talk, what else do you think of?

12. May your dreams all come true: A Million Dreams.

13. I think the first film I saw Bill Murray in was Ghostbusters. A second viewing years later dated the film.

14. Just had to use this for the image: Never Give Up.

15. It’s all in the languaging, use negative words and the world will be a dark place, change them to be more positive and you will get what you reap.

More Marc and Angel, There are two big pieces to motivation: the motivation to just get started and the motivation ot keep going. In the best of both worlds, one leads to the other: once you find the motivation to get started, your progress keeps you going as you build and sustain momentum.

The playlist this week begins with two classics from David Bowie and Michael Jackson. Then a quirky offering from Baz Luhrmann followed by another classic from Simon and Garfunkel. It becomes more modern with Vanessa Williams followed by the Greatest Showman soundtrack and ends with Sia.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

When you make a difference!!

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Rod's World

In my senior years, I have fulfilled one of the wishes my dear father had for his children, that we follow him into the noble profession of teaching. I was expelled after Year 11 for not going to school so the standard route to it had the door slammed on it. Over 40 years later I find myself being a one on one English tutor to one of China’s top general’s daughter, A Venezuelan biochemistry lecturer who can speak about ten words of English and a Chinese Medicine doctor who treats his 200 patients in Shanghai via Skype.

So, my question to you today is, how do you make a difference in other peoples lives? A lot has been written about it over the centuries, and here are some of my favourite ones:

1. Robert Green “Bob” Ingersoll was an American lawyer, father of the feminist Eva Ingersoll Brown, a Civil War veteran, politician, and orator of the United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought noted for his broad range of culture and his defence of agnosticism. He was nicknamed “The Great Agnostic”.

2. AKA Money doesn’t buy you happiness and you can’t take it with you: Where Is the Love.

3. Reminds me of my paradigm statement: Love and Respect for All – Everyone Included, get on board, people.

4. Nelson was born Rolihlahla Mandela, Nelson is his anglicised name. No matter, we all love Rolihlahla for what he gave to the planet in the name of peace: Nelson Mandela song.

5. Then, we move onto the man, who wore a loin, freed the second largest nation in the world from the colonial rule when they didn’t want to give it up.

6. Yay, I get to play my favourite 60’s rock anthem by Carlos’s band from Woodstock: Soul Sacrifice.

7. Step up to the plate, my darling young ones.

8. As kids we were going to be nurses, doctors, firemen and astronauts, you still have time to live your dreams: Embraceable You.

9. Some more Nelson wisdom.

10. Who is Alexandra Trenfor? Quora’s answer is: I don’t really know, so I did some research. Perhaps she’s a blogger? I could find no other references to her. If you find out, let us know: Teacher.

11. The bliss of blessing yourself and others, Yum!!

12. As I could not read the name under this beautiful quote, I looked it up. You get the prize for it, Mandy Hale: Take Care.

13. And the simplest way to make a difference is…

14. Come on and feel the noise, as it makes a huge difference in people’s lives: Cum on, Feel the Noize.

15. And we finish on a sad note with a quote from a president a nation killed for trying to.

I live in the conscious community of Melbourne, Australia. I could list countless people who make a difference on a daily basis, love you all. But I will finish with the gift Julieta gave to my dad wherever his spirit is hanging, “Rod, you are a very good teacher.”

The Playlist for today owes a lot to the 1970’s. The Black Eyed Peas start it off, then the anthem the Specials rode to fame on about Nelson. Then from the 70’s Santana, Willie Nelson and Jethro Tull. Back to the present with Drake featuring Rihanna then a rollicking number from Slade to finish who I saw in the rain with my younger sister at the Melbourne Showgrounds in the 70’s

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Cats, as you know are impervious to threats!!

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Rod's World

Yes, the blog title did appear as a quote for giving some things up in Google images and I fell in love with it because it is so true. page 114 under Perspective in Marc and Angel’s book Getting Back to Happy: Here’s the link. The title is We have to give up some things to get what we ultimatley want in life: Marc and Angel write, This might be one of the hardest truths to swallow, and that;s why we mention it several times throughout this book. We have to say no to good things to be able to say yes to important things. We simply can’t do it all. So be mindful, and choose wisely. What you choose to focus on grows stronger in your life. At every moment, thousands of little things are competing for your attention. All of these fall into two categories: things that are priorities and things that are not.

So, what are your priority things versus your things that are not? For each of us they are profoundly and subtly different on each day. What have we said about what we need to give up to fit in those things that deserve our priority, here’s a few goes at it:

1. I regretted not travelling more in my youth, now my body is not so sure about climbing mountain peaks and thin air like in Nepal.

2. When were you last broken down? It doesn’t feel good but you are still here walking the path one step at a time: Break Free.

3. Is your life over because those bad things happened to you. The answer is no, you are still on this planet to fulfil your destiny.

4. Being patient, believing and never giving up, the recipes to your dreams: Don’t Give Up.

5. Time after Time, the journey to greatness.

6. I am accused of smiling far too much: Make me Smile.

7, I keep thinking about my Intercultural slogan for the new world paradigm: Love and respect for All, Everybody Included.

8. From the great philosopher Ms. Unknown comes the great line: Success is failure turned inside out: Teardrops.

9. I have not given up on you, remember to breathe next time we meet.

10 Put on the glasses to read this one. Ten things to do at number 10: Fast Car.

11. The grandfather of the positivity movement, Dale Carnegie reminds us of a poignant fact.

12. Faith

a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty

lost faith in the company’s president

b (1) : fidelity to one’s promises

(2) : sincerity of intentions

acted in good faith

2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God

(2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof

clinging to the faith that her missing son would one day return

(2) : complete trust

3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs

the Protestant faith

— on faith

: without question

took everything he said on faith: When We Were Young.

give up 13

13. It is one of the most awesome things in the world, because it is known as unconditional love.

give up 14

14. I spent 8 years as a devout buddhist praying every day, some of the things in my life now were’nt in the pictures I was imagining: Black Hole Sun.

15. Mary Anne Evans known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. Back in the 18th century women didn’t write books.

The point Marc and Angel make finishes with these words: Focus on the few key things that are most important for you to succeed today – to take another small step forward. And too remember that giving up other things isn’t just about making small immediate sacrifices; it’s also about gradually gaining the resources you need to do something significant. If you want to achieve an important goal or outcome in your life, you have to give up the things that conflict with it. That doesn’t man you have to intentionally suffer. it just means you can’t have it all – you have ot sacrafice something that you value less than whatever it is to you ultimately want to achieve.

The playlist for today comes from a different method, the first six songs followed each other on Youtube and the last is a beautiful tribute to someone who gave up, Chris Cornell. Pop diva Ariana Grande, Pop icons Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush are followed by 70’s star Steve Harley. Then on to the 80’s with Womack and Womack and Tracy Chapman. then we return to this century with Adele and Norah Jones.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

There is a voice that doesn’t use Words!!

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Rod's World

It’s here, arrived in the mailbox today, Yay!!. I’m talking about Marc and Angel Chernoff’s wonderful new book Getting Back to Happy: Here’s the Link. I have been a huge fan of theirs since I came across their first book and their Facebook page a couple of years ago, definitely one of the top five list creators on Social media. if you are one of my booker lookers you know I share their posts unashamedly because they can make a profound difference.

I used the method I always use when I write about their insights, open to a page and the right thing will be there, so on page 52 in the Mindfulness chapter is the following piece of wisdom – Inner Peace is Knowing how to belong to oneself, without external validation: In order to understand the world you have to turn away from it on occasion. Sometimes the need to justify yourself to others causes you to cease to be at peace with your thoughts. Don’t look for anyone else to give you permission to be yourself, or validation to be happy in the present moment.

So let’s wander off into the world of Inner peace and see what wonderful quotes have been expressed about it over time:

1. I had an amazing example of this in my life recently. I became seriously content for the first time in my life, and in doing so I gave up the wish that the women I had met had to be the one, something that had been controlling my thoughts for months.

2. From one of the two greatest philosophers in the world, Ms Unknown and Anon. comes a reminder to be calm in your heart: A Great Big World.

3. Although born a prince, Buddha Sakyamuni realized that conditioned experiences could not provide lasting happiness or protection from suffering. After a long spiritual search, he went into deep meditation, where he realized the nature of mind. He achieved the state of unconditional and lasting happiness: the state of enlightenment, of Buddhahood. This state of mind is free from disturbing emotions and expresses itself through fearlessness, joy and active compassion. For the rest of his life, the Buddha taught anyone who asked how they could reach the same state.

4. How much my inner proofreader wants to change center to centre but for my American friends I will give that thought up: Riders on the Storm.

5. We all have this within us, its called the shadow and the light, they travel together.

6. 42: Silence is Golden.

7. They say time is money, they cannot pay you enough for this.

8. The place to start looking for it is inner, not outer so what they do doesn’t threaten your Inner Peace: Hello.

9. Hi, my name is Zero (really). I’m the author of Not Everyone Will Understand Your Journey: Lessons learned from the path less travelled. Some of the work I’ve written over the past few years has been shared millions of times across the internet, so there’s a good chance you’ve already read some of it — although it doesn’t always have my name attached. Cool name.

10. You can become such a famous cartoon bear I don’t even have to put the name down here: Anything is Possible.

11. Francis de Sales was a Bishop of Geneva and is honoured as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.

12. How often do you ask yourself, who am I really: Remember Who You Are.

13. Love me some heart opening, any time of the day!!

14. My daily to-do list: I Gotta Find Peace of Mind.

15. it reads like ancient hieroglyphics, but you get the point don’t you.

I’ll finish with some more wise words from Marc and Angel – It’s important to remind ourselves that the greatest enemy of good thinking and mindfulness is busyness. We all have seasons of wild schedules, but very few of us have a legitimate need to be busy all the time. Too often, we simply don’t know how to prioritize well and say no when we should.

The playlist for today begins with Christine Aguilera, then back in time to The Doors and The Tremeloes. Back to the present with Adele then an iconic Aussie band of rockers Icehouse, some wisdom from the Lion King, finishing with some soulful Lauryn Hill.

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

Excuses will always be There!!!

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Rod's World

Kate Swoboda writes in her excellent book, The Courage Habit: Here’s the link., What are Stories? Stories are internal narratives and assumptions that we make about how the world operates. But, here’s the important part: stories might not be objectively true. They are your lens on life and, like a pair of sunglasses can change how you see the world. The story you put on your experience has everything to do with whether you see yourself as a victim or a survivor, whether an experience is dangerous or an opportunity, and whether you have the capacity to develop more courage if you are just not very courageous.

What stories have you made up and accepted that stop you from doing those deepest wishes you have had all your life. The world has had a lot to say about limiting beliefs, so let’s begin that journey:

1. I first heard this expression in my Anam Cara, Emeli Paulo’s RAW workshop, always remember you are Enough.

2. Remember when you used to believe in dragons and unicorns, what happened: Changing your Limits.

3. When is that possible while I have all these things to do today, it’s a Nike situation, do it now!!

4. There is that saying, whispering sweet nothings, Isn’t it time we changed nothing to something: Careless Whispers.

5. You have to guess what some of these empowering beliefs are as you can not quite make them out, what do you think they are?

6. While sitting alone on his cushion, Adyashanti had a classic kensho, or awakening experience, in which he “penetrated to the emptiness of all things and realized that the Buddha I had been chasing was what I was: Love No Limit.

Where do you come on the scale, perhaps you discuss the non-real people our TV screens toss at us via reality TV every day.

8. Didn’t all quite fit in, my vote is for Is no box: Little Boxes.

9. I have many positive signs on my walls, hadn’t thought of using my clothesline.

10. Bring on the Gorgeous for me, love the Gorgeous: Gorgeous.

11. One step forward or one step back, just don’t stay stuck where you are for a very long period.

12. Of course, Guatama had something to say about limiting Beliefs: An Unguarded Moment.

13. And here are limited beliefs playmates that quell your happiness.

14. I often dream of the South African plains and being a Lion: The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

15. What would or could you do if you didn’t know it was impossible? I would make the world paradigm, Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included.

These quotes show exactly why it’s important to examine the Stories that we inherently assume to be true. You could ask if it’s possible to cjange your stories? The answer. I have known many people who have shown me it is possible to consciously choose another story. Consciously choosing your stories is a matter of where you put your attention and what you decide to make things mean.

Music and words for today starts with some Wayne J. Dyer wisdom, followed by a fantastic George Michael anthem. Then a love song from Mary J. Blige and back in time to Pete Seeger. Then my favourite pop diva Taylor Swift, an iconic Aussie band, The Church many of you willl not have heard of and finishing with a street Acapella ensemble, Alcapella Soul.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

The biggest Adventure you can Take!!!

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Rod's World

The biggest adventure I have taken in my life was to go to the then Soviet Union and Run the Moscow Peace Marathon the year before the Berlin Wall came down. Back then my passion was to make a difference on a world scale by ending world hunger. We ran under the badge of WorldRunners, a group based out of America. It was an amazing experience worthy of its own book but I actually wish to write about what makes something our passion for Life.

Marc and Angel Chernoff ask 10 questions around this subject:

1. What will you never give up on?

2. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

3. What activities make you lose track of time?

4. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?

5. What fascinates you?

6. What is something you would hate to go without for a day?

7. What’s something you would do every day if you could?

8. Would you rather have less work to do or more work you actually enjoy doing?

9. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

10. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

I suppose number six comes closest to answer my passion for blog writing as my I am an Interculturalist blog now number over three hundred. But what has the world said about our passions, let’s have a peek at some of these powerful quotes:

1. The richest man in the world is a living example of this – Bill Gates, Right, he created Microsoft. Long before that, however, he was an amateur programmer who was passionate enough about computers that in the eighth grade, he managed to get excused from math class to design things like early video games.

2. These people are the people who are the ones who take the first steps when there was no agreement and keep putting their feet in front of each other whatever happens to reach their goals. Think Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and their ilk: The Impossible Dream.

3. One word, Gandhi

4. Gary Vaynerchuk has 1.1. million Twitter followers yet posts on the subject Numbers don’t matter, Influence does because he knows that passion matters, not mere numbers: Priceless.

5. Boredom, a word much overused these days of instant gratification.

6. The timing between a gold medal performance can be as little as a microsecond, microseconds are also called passion: When you Believe.

7. Never used one!!

8. When was the last time you were abuzz with the energy that passion fills your body with: Come and Get It.

9. From sex worker to reciting one of her poems at Bill Clinton’s inauguration, Maya Angelou lived the above mission her whole life.

10. Make your soul grow, Yes Please: Make your Soul Grow.

11. This often occurs when you meet your beloved for the first time, I think I have goosebumps.

12. Now, Now, Now: Don’t Stop Me Now.

13. One of Steve Jobs great calls to the extraordinary, as he says you will know when you find it.

14. I read about Jon Bon Jovi opening pay as you feel cafe’s so that people could get healthy food, the act of a passionate man: We Weren’t Born To Follow.

15. Leave your comments at the bottom as to what you think this means.

So as you will have read my new passion is the blogs of I am an Interculturalist, where I spread my love of possibility, what’s yours?

Music for today is from the evergreen Tom Jones, a country number from For King and Country, the uplifting The Lion King, a pop diva number from Selena Gomez, a short speech from Sir Ian McKellen, then two anthems from Queen and Bon Jovi.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

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