Never, Never, Never Give Up.

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Rod's World

Back to Marc and Angel Chernoff’s iconic first book: 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Using the write about what is on the page you open on theory today we discuss the 11 things Everyone needs you to know. They are:

You never really know how much the people around you are hurting.
The most important trip you will likely take in life is meeting others halfway.
Relationships don’t create happiness, they reflect it.
Compassion comes back around.
Timing is Everything.
Actions are the loudest form of Communication.
A loving relationship creates freedom and abundance.
People are more of what they keep silent than what they say.
What others say and do is often based entirely on their own self-reflection.
Sincerity is giving without expectation.
Not every relationship is meant to last forever.

So what do you need to know to support those people who pop up in your life, here are 15 ways that we can do that:

1. The way through to growth is through education, finding out what you don’t know and getting out there and learning it, begin today.

2. Do you know your place in your communities, your family, your friendships, a worthwhile practice to take on daily: Somebody I Used To Know.

3. On a need to know basis this is quite useful.

4. Is a riskless life worth living? Not for this little black duck:

5. What are your wants, mine is to see the world live from the paradigm – Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included.

6. A worthwhile thing to stick on your fridge: Learn to Fly.

7. What you need to know it is your actions not what you say that makes the difference.

8. I was just curious what this pack of extraordinary looking people needed to know by being at Stonehenge: Mr Curiosity.

9. Very salient for point eleven – Not every relationship is meant to last forever.

10. Left the is out, they did, love the grace in it though: Grace Live.

11. Now let’s get to the juicy details. The lunula can reveal important secrets about your health. For instance, a smaller lunula can indicate anemia or malnutrition. Also, a small one might indicate indigestion from a slow metabolism. If it is blue-coloured, this lunula could indicate diabetes. And if it is tinted red, it might indicate signs of heart disease.

12. There are over 7 billion versions of this reality on the planet. You may not agree with quite a few of them: Happier.

13. I have many “tree” friends, I love them for what they provide in my life:

14. At Dancing Eros for Men last night we changed the life of our priestesses by honouring them with a ceremony from the heart – we also gave them flowers: Believe.

15. Find your passion and you will never work another day in your life and you will not need to take holidays to recover.

Love doesn’t close the door against all that is good, that’s a little practice the human race came up with. How can you reverse the situation on your life in practical terms?

The playlist today begins with Gotye’s breakout hit, then the sultry Miley Cyrus, followed by some rock from Foo Fighters, Then a group of boys – Jason Mraz, Jeff Buckley, Ed Sheeran finishing off with Mumford and Sons. here’s the link to the Youtube playlist, music is better with pictures: Never, Never, Never Give Up.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

Let Yourself Be Silently Drawn!!

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Rod's World

Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. Live the life you want to live. Be the person you want to remember years from now. Make decisions and act on them. Make mistakes, fall and try again. Even if you fall a thousand times, at least you won’t have to wonder what could have been. At least you will know in your heart that you gave your dreams your best shot.

Each of us has a fire in our hearts burning for something. It’s our responsibility in life to find it and keep it lit. This is your life, and it’s a short one. Don’t let others extinguish your flame. Try what you want to try. Go where you want to go. Follow your own intuition. Dream with your eyes open until you know exactly what it looks like. Then do at least one thing every day to make it a reality.

Two inspirational paragraphs from Marc and Angels first book – 1,000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently, what do you do to follow your heart and intuition.

What has the world said about being in contact with your heart when it comes to fulfilling your dreams, here are some of them:

1. Regrets, you will have a few if you do this.

2. You do not read the answers to the questions and demands that this pair will ask of you: Listen to your Heart.

3. You will never have to worry about being lost on your life’s path if you do this.

4. And you do really know what it is that is good for you, stop running away from it: Soul Kind Of Feeling.

5. Feel your heartbeat increase as your belief in the good things in your life increases.

6. Maybe, what if, it mightn’t work out, all brain food. Eat from the heart and go for it: Do It Again

7. Time to follow the Silly manifesto – your heart is calling you.

8. How long is it since you have really articulated your truth in life, find a buddy to do it with weekly: Get Up, Stand Up.

9. What happens to us that we forget this?

10. Reward Offered: Mind lost somewhere on the path of my magnificent heart journey: Let Me Blow Ya Mind.

11. The heart knows rules are meant to be broken!!

12. Can we ever really turn that voice in our heads down long enough to feel the yearning of our hearts: Too Much.

13. Angie Karan is a nurse who lives in Sydney, Australia and writes a great blog called: Angie Karan – quotes, poetry, love & inspiration.

14. Pharrell instantly comes to mind after reading this quote: Happy.

15. We finish with 80’s pop icon Patti Labelle giving you the main reason to follow your heart – if you don’t your dreams get crushed.

The last paragraph in the 12 things you should be able to say about yourself is entitled I have no regrets: Follow your heart. Be true to Yourself. Do what makes you happy. Be with who makes you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. love as long as you live. Say what you need to say. offer a helping hand when you’re able. Appreciate all the things you do have. Smile. Celebrate your small victories. learn from your mistakes. Realize that everything is a lesson in disguise. Forgive. And let go of the things you can’t control.

The playlist this week begins back in the 70’s and 80’s with Roxette, classic Aussie R and B band Dynamic Hepnotics, Steely Dan and then Bob Marley. it then moves forward to present days with Eve, Drake and Pharrell Williams. I am now making Youtube playlists of them to make your listening pleasure easier: Let Yourself Be Silently Drawn.

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.

Comparision is the thief of Joy!!

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Rod's World

In Time for my Life: 365 Stepping Stones The Stepping Stone for today, the 10th May is as follows – Feel more emotions that are positive. Increase the number of times that you experience the positive emotions, such as elation, joy, comfort, enjoyment, happiness, success, fullness, satisfaction, excitement, certainty, freedom, liberty, peace of mind, security, gratitude, personal power, contentment, pleasure, love, passion, support, fascination, trust, positivity, upliftment, awe, richness, abundance, enthusiasm and one I am adding community.

The one that jumped out at me was contentment because at the moment I am the most content I have been in my 63-year long life following an exercise I did with my mentor a mere three weeks ago. He asked me who was I trying to be that I wasn’t that prevented people from getting to know who I really was. So we listed the qualities More available Rod was meant to have and scored them out of ten. The highest I gave myself was four. He then asked me what do my family and friends say about me. They were I was generous, loving, kind, loyal and supportive. I scored myself eight for a couple of them.

Remarkably since then I have had access to some of the qualities More Available Rod wished for by being OK about the fact that is not the real Rod. So what do people say about contentment, let’s have a look:

1. I live my life from five core desired feelings from the Desire Map process: Read about it here. They are Potency, Divinity, Beauty, Magnificence and Ignited.

2. The Power of Now – Eckhardt, Happy – Pharrell Williams, Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin and countless other things can take you there: Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

3. Seeds turn into beautiful plants, in this case, one of the ultimates: Peace.

4. Remember, they say you cannot take chattels and goods with you. But if you have led a contented life you will die wealthy: Happier.

5. For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia—peace and freedom from fear—and aponia—the absence of pain—and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that the root of all human neurosis was death denial, and the tendency for human beings to assume that death will be horrific and painful, which he claimed causes unnecessary anxiety, selfish self-protective behaviours, and hypocrisy. According to Epicurus, death is the end of both the body and the soul and therefore should not be feared. He also taught that the gods neither reward nor punish humans; that the universe is infinite and eternal; and that occurrences in the natural world are ultimately the result of atoms moving and interacting in empty space.

6. My to-do list to attain my Core Desired Feelings, what would you add: Listen to your Heart.

7. Many great and small acceptances, sounds relatively easy, yet we make it quite difficult at times.

8. My first cousin’s name is Peter, a simple name, a profoundly content man: Simplicity.

9. A. B. Facey wrote a book in my country, Australia in the 1980’s. He wrote it nine months before his death. It became an immediate bestseller because even though his life was hard he saw it as a very fortunate one.

10. I see this as the Golden Triangle of Life. With all three pieces in place: Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs: Faithful.

11. Three words: Internal, not External.

12. I need to contemplate this one. William Blake was a man not forestalled by predecessors, nor to be classed with contemporaries, nor to be replaced by known or readily surmisable successors”: More Than This.

13. Yes, it is!!

14. There is always someone who would love what you have in your life. In my county Australia, we all live in the top ten percent of the world yet our mainstream media is full of complaining, go figure: Ironic.

15. Unaffected by outward circumstances, let that sink in…

Contentment means embracing a sense of satisfaction and sufficiency. Contentment sees the cup half full, the beauty and bounty that are available to us. It allows us to take pleasure in what we have and what we are, even life’s simplest offerings. It frees us from envy and longing and so makes us generous.
Although contentment is influenced by external circumstances, it is an internal attitude and can be cultivated no matter what our situation. Contentment looks for the riches that can be found amidst poverty and the small marvels that can be found in the most dire conditions. It is the close kin of gratitude and wonder.

Music for this blog travels the world. We begin with Jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin with his very non-jazz number one hit, followed by heart throb Ed Sheeran, then back to the 80’s with Roxette. We then catch a flight to India with Sabee Sohal, followed by Phora, then back in time to Roxy Music and Alanis Morrisette.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

namasteflower

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.

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

Be Bold or Italic, Never Regular!!

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Rod's World

I really like the quote in today’s Forward Steps – the fantastic book compiled by Thea Westra: The link to her site. that allows you to take an action, a challenge, read a motivational quote, take a clearing, answer a question and have an affirmation for the day.

The quote is as follows:

I love the phrase: ‘In a world that’s round, it doesn’t make sense to take sides’. So with skills I do not have to position myself against anyone, I become curious about them and I want to teach them about me. When I approach communication and conflict management from that place< I am not butting heads with anyone, I am learning or teaching: Dr Rhoberta Shaler.

To relate to the world in this way seems to me to be an act of boldness, not to but into the run of mill way we are expected to live our day to day existence. How do you relate to boldness, there are some famous quotes on the subject, let’s have a look at them:

1. My friend and Anam Cara Emeli always reminds me to use the koan: remember to ask, the worst thing they can say is no.

2. They say one is the loneliest number you will ever know, I say only if it’s about you and you do not provide service to others: One.

3. Here’s the most famous quote on boldness, the one most people can finish when someone starts it.

4. Have it in your muesli every morning: Bold.

5. Dumas won the Pulitzer Prize for history for his six-volume history of Franklin, Critics accuse him of sheathing his boldness when it comes to the well-known relationship Franklin had with his slave Sally Hemings.

6. If you are going to make mistakes make them bold ones, they allow you to recover in a more audacious way: Space Oddity.

7. George definitely did this in his own life. Shaw’s expressed views were often contentious; he promoted eugenics and alphabet reform and opposed vaccination and organised religion. He courted unpopularity by denouncing both sides in the First World War as equally culpable.

8. The latter statement could be called the day your Boldness is born: You are Alive.

9. I just had to include this one.

10. Reminds me of the statement about baby birds, they jump off and learn to fly on the way down: I’ll Fly Away.

11. Neither does boldness!!

12. Not knowing what Chamba meant I looked it up. It’s a district in India according to Google, don’t know what it’s got to do with bad business. But I love how he states success can be achieved: Changes.

13. These are becoming more and more a part of my life as I enter the world of boldness through self-love and self-belief.

14. For each traveller they are a different love story, we get to be who we want to be in new and wonderful places that are just a name on the map until we get there: Gypsy.

15. And a friendly reminder what not being bold can cost you.

The clearing for today is Decide on actions, and with as much clarity and boldness as possible. Time to act on these decisions.

Music for today begins with one of Australia’s icons: John Farnham, then rapper Lil Lonnie, the masterful David Bowie, new to me Fragma, the superb Gillian Welch, from the land of movies Shrek and finishes with pop diva Shakira.

Namaste until next time , my dear friends.

I am in Charge of how I Feel!!

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Rod's World

Marc and Angel Chernoff’s book 1,000+ little things Happy Successful People do differently is one of the best buys I ever made. Unfortunately it is not available at the moment because it has gone for re editing. They are releasing a new book Getting Back to Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality, and Turn Your Trials into Triumphs: which ships 22nd May 2018. Their website http://www.marcandangel.com/ has all the details and many of their fantastic lists to help you live a great life.

I opened the book today and the page was entitled Self Love Questions to make you think. The first question is : If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? There are nine other questions just as confronting and insightful about how we relate to self-love.

So what vignettes do we release into the world regarding this often hard emotion, let’s take a journey:

1. At times we need to do this to our dear old brain. its our own worst enemy.

2. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, remember to behold yourself first and foremost: Beautiful.

3. Lalah Delia is the founder of VibrateHigherDaily.com and Vibrate Higher Daily Blog. Vibrate Higher Daily is a sacred online space for personal growth, elevation, and transformation. By creating the hashtag #VibrateHigherDaily as a personal journey mantra and reminder, a new path was born. Soon, many others also journeying towards living their highest potential took community and joined in.

4. Not taken or single – Self Loved: I’m Real.

5. Such beautiful words to remember: You can’t lose you.

6. I had a session with my mentor the other day, He asked me who was I trying to be, and that wasn’t who I really was. I have fallen in love with the fact I will never be this more available Rod, I will be kind, supporting and loving Rod: I will Survive.

7. Or your kingdom, I think all of humanity could do with this list.

8. We all abhor violence toward others , why do we insist on regularly doing it to ourselves: Self Esteem.

9. How much has the person in your mirror been through, three cheers, they are still standing!!

10. Handed out at birth, keep working on it: Superpower.

11. Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never Ever.

12. Pierre was a French tragedian in the 16th century. He probably wrote this so we could avoid this other works: Alive.

13. André Gide (French: was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 “for his comprehensive and artistically significant writings, in which human problems and conditions have been presented with a fearless love of truth and keen psychological insight”. That’s one hell of a way to say Self-Love.

14. We can see the magic in you so don’t forget that it’s there: All of Me.

And finally, remember self love can not come from another.

One more question from Marc and Angel: What’s something Nobody can ever steal from you – let’s go for Self Love.

Our music today is dominated by women. We start with Christina Aguilera, then Jennifer Lopez, travel back to the 70’s with Gloria Gaynor, then a sad number from The Offspring, to the mighty Beyonce, followed by Sia ending up with John Legend.

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.