Live in the Moment

Live in the Moment

We are constantly worried about something and spend most of our day planning for tomorrow, or next week or next month.. try living in the Moment.

Kids get this , they have no worries , they just live in the moment and want to have a good time.
As we get older we have responsibilities and then bills and jobs and we get overloaded with STUFF.
Let it go.
Easier said then done but like anything else you can train your mind , but first you need to be conscious of it, conscious of your day .

Time is passing you by..don’t waste it.

The most precious thing you can give a loved one is your time, not gifts or toys but YOU- your time.
Take a walk with them, shut off the noise around you and look at them and talk and more important..listen.

Taking time for yourself is just as important, shut it down and quiet your mind.

Live in the Moment

‘‘Tis the Season

Tis the season of change

The seasons are the contrast
Heed a life and how it's done
It's time to let go of all our past
And let go of what's to come

Write down your excuses
And turn them into dust
And plant the seeds of change
Water it with trust

And light a light tonight, we light a light
We light a light tonight, we light a light
Now about this time is ending and everyone is here
We light a light, a light this year
'Tis the season of change

What do we have, what do we have not?
What do we need that isn't here?
This mindless, numb, consuming
Is driven by a subtle fear

It's time we stopped believing
That there will not be enough
I know they said it on the TV
So turn it off, break the chains
Step outside and feel the love

And light a light tonight, we light a light
We light a light tonight, we light a light
Now about this time is ending, everyone is here
We light a light, a light this year
'Tis the season of change

Ooh change, we shall change
We must change

Heaven is inside, it's all around not just above
Choose only love
Heaven is inside, it's all around not just above
Choose only love

Choose only love
Choose only love
Choose only love
Choose only love

And light a light tonight, we light a light
Light a light tonight, we light a light
We light a light
Light a light tonight, we light a light
We light a light tonight, we light a light
'Tis the season of change

Holidays

What do the holidays mean to you ?

Buying gifts ? Running around ? Buying more gifts ?

Wow, did we ever get off track here.. I understand that our whole economy revolves around people spending and buying but somewhere along the way we totally got lost.

We worry so much about buying gifts that we work up our credit cards so much that we need to work more to make more money which is too bad because the most important gift we can give to our loved ones is “ time” and we waste it away serving our masters to make more money.

I know it is increasingly difficult but try to slow it down but try to make it a family priority to buy less and talk more.
Try to arrange a gathering with no TV or social media or selfies..have a throw back celebration and do nothing.. nothing but appreciating what you have done together and maybe what plans lay ahead. Talk about politics..yup..politics..have healthy discussions about what we are as a country and what role, big or small you can all play.
Talk about education or what you may be able to do positively to effect the life of a loved one that may be struggling.

The important thing is that you just “ see” each other and smile.
No need to unwrap anything... hmmmm what a novel idea.

No need to impress

As we get older we find the need to impress others diminish more and more.

Growing up we seek approval, first from our parents , then our peers and teachers, we seem to always have the need to impress others to confirm what we are doing matters.
As we grow up we try to impress our boss so we can get that promotion or raise or maybe even just that atta boy.

Wanting to impress may come from daddy issues, maybe our father did not give us those hugs or positive reenforcements when we needed it or maybe we had to drop out of school so those with a higher education intimated us, whatever our reasons we all normally strive to impress.
Nothing wrong with striving to do better but sometimes in order to try to impress others we may compromise too much and maybe lose a bit of ourselves.

As we get older and we do not need as much we start to let go of all that , at least I hope we do because only then can we start to regain some of that real childhood magic. The childhood magic of those very young ages when you just had plain fun and you did things because you wanted to do them not because you had to and you never judged others.
Then within that time by realeasing worrying so much about yourself you can do even more for others and that is when we truly start smiling from within and doing God’s work.

Life is certainly a journey and self reflection is a big part of it, I am certainly not the same person I was 40 years ago and I hope to keep learning and growing and letting go of the material things and embracing life itself- I wish the same for you.




   

Gratitude

Reach higher

“There is no passion to be found playing small; in settling for a life that is less impactful than the one you are capable of leading.”
Nelson Mandela 


"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Robert F Kennedy


Reach Higher.. YOU can make difference!

Sincerity

People can tell the difference from sincerity and B S .

It may take more time with some because there are many carnival barkers and snake oil salesmen out there and they will look you in the eye and smile and say what you want to hear but they really only have one goal in mind and it mostly revolves around them.
In today’s world it is more important them ever to beware.

I get that people are most worried about their wallets and money and that is where they can get lost and fall deaf to the truth. At work as in your personal life the most important ingredient is Trust and you can only trust those that are truly sincere and sincere about YOU and your well being.
In the end the rest of it is a shell game, be careful who you hitch your wagon to because if you are just a number to them or a vehicle for them to get what they want then you are expendable.
All people can detect BS but they can also get caught up with what they want to hear and can be snookered by the smooth talkers.

Watch what they do to others, listen to how they talk about others..and if they can talk and do those things to others they can and will easily do it to you.

Beware.

Surround yourself by those that truly care, that do just see numbers, the rest will take care of itself.

Personally I have NEVER made a work decision solely on money, rather it was to take a position, change jobs or to accept a promotion- it was never about the money.
I always had enough confidence in my work ethic and ability that the money would take care of itself but following someone that I had no respect for or did not trust would eat away at me every day and I could never live with that.

Judge

Are you judge and jury ?

Do you make your mind up on people and judge them without really knowing them ?
Do you know why they may be the way they are? Their upbringing or the trials and tribulations that they may have lived through or are living through?
How about what is going on in their life right now ? Do you know of any health issues they may be dealing with, either personally or with a loved one?

Leave the judging to the big guy waiting for all of us.

Know this- everyone has a story- everyone has suffered and has either gone through something or is going through something.
I know people that have gone through and are going through cancer , Alzheimer’s,  kids with autism and other special needs, the death of a loved one ( after many years of suffering) and more with other burdens and challenges.
They get up every day and go to work, try to smile and worry about bills , their families and jobs and so much more and you would never know.

While than judging try smiling and trying to help wherever you can with whoever you can.

Lighten your load -

Hard times for an honest man

John Melloncamp

One man does his work
He's not satisfied not at all
Feels like that he's being used
His self respect starts to fall
His frustration
Running very very high he takes it out
On the ones he loves, because it's safe
And who they gonna tell
And he hates that cold-bloodedness
That runs inside

Oh yes
It's hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times
Hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times

Sister,
She's got a lot of pride
You can see it when she walks into the room
But she's young
And she's unaware
Of what a brutal world can do to you
So she loves a man
He lies like a dog
Tears her little world all apart
So the walls go up
For the rest of her days
And there ain't no man can touch this
Girls heart
Oh yes.
It's hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times
Hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times

So we walk
From the front porch to the back yard
Just to laugh and say hello and
Say goodbye
But some days are hard, like a
Soldier's steel-toed boots
And the rent we pay to stay here
Gets high
Oh yes.
It's hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times
Hard times, for an honest man
Very, very hard times

Always be positive

An excerpt from : Success is a Choice by Rick Petino

Always be Positive-

You can be extremely hardworking. But if you’re not positive , you’re inhibiting your chance at success.

The problem is we are constantly surrounded by naysayers , sheathed it is family, friends, co-workers, or a cynical culture. It’s very frustrating, for these negative voices can become a chorus that knocks the life out of you. You must try to cut these people from your life, or if that’s impossible, at least be aware of their destructive message.

The reality is that we can control our mood. Unlike so many other things in life that you can’t change, you can control your mood. Moods can be reversed, and you can teach yourself to do that. Looking at a situation positively enhances the quality of your life.

Self motivated people look at each day as a new opportunity. You can teach yourself to do this, just as you can condition yourself to look at things more positively, whether it’s unexpected change or the minor setbacks we all face in life.

The key is to stay positive in tough times. The rule is simple: the more trying the times the more positive you have to be. This is especially true in the workplace where our industries and our companies are going through challenges all the time. We must look at change as a possibility, a chance to be more successful. We must learn to maximize the good times and shrink the bad times down as small as we can possibly make them.

We must also learn how to live in and enjoy the present, Free from failures of the past and the anxieties of the future.

Courage

Do not allow the noise of other people’s opinions drown out your own “ inner voice “
And most important have the COURAGE to follow your heart and intuition.

It is very easy to give up or buy in or keep quiet and walk in the direction of least resistance but if you follow your heart your shoulders will be lighter and you will be amazed at the doors that will open.
Follow the paths in front of you or move the path, if your goal is selfless and you truly want to do good then trust yourself and go for it.

So what was, and still is, my goal ? And where do I find my courage?

Growing up I did not have a picture perfect family, my parents were both blue collar workers that never finished middle school , my father was an alcoholic and my mom did her best to raise three kids while sometimes working three jobs. There was never hugs or “ I love you “ thrown around or discussions around a dinner table at night.
I never knew what I was missing because as a kid you do not know what other families are doing but at a very young age I knew I wanted more, I wanted a family that hugged and loved and ate dinner together and talked about the day and that became my ultimate goal - Family-

Then the good Lord put my now wife in my path and in 1980 she became my courage, somehow I knew and I followed my heart and my life has been an amazing journey .

Goals and courage... what are yours ? And where do you find your courage?

Anger

If someone is trying to get you angry most likely they are trying to control you or shut you up.
Anger works.
Developing a US against THEM mentality works, it has proven through out history.

Personally I always ran the other way, if someone wants to get me angry or works really hard at trying to turn me against someone or something my antenna goes up and I start to REALLY listen.
I have always chose to not join the good old boy gang for a reason, I want to make my own decisions and not be influenced, there have been many people in my past that people talked bad about or told me negative stories and I found out later they were actually good people and the stories I heard were mostly lies.

The same went for people I hired, I went with my gut and trusted and most times I was able to find the true person inside. Some of most trusted employees and drivers and co workers were people that others trashed for some reason, and the some reason was mostly slanted personally toward the person doing the trashing.

Don’t buy into it, don’t allow THEM to get you angry, don’t FOLLOW — LEAD !

Be your own person, make your own decisions- listen and look for the good.

Quiet the noise around you and focus -

The new Game

There is a new Game in business today.

The day day of the mom and pop stores or actually working for a “ person “ is over.
Look around, everything is big , all chain stores or businesses being bought by conglomerates and investors. The biggest problem with that is it changes the whole game and loyalty is a thing of the past.

Welcome to the new world order.

You are a number and no matter how loyal you are the new “ masters” do not care, the new masters only see profit and numbers and how they themselves and keep their own jobs.
Investors have a completely different goal, they want to buy a company and try to work the numbers so they can sell to the next set of investors and so on and so on - the game has changed.

Gone are the days that you know your job is secure as long as you work hard and give a honest days work so how can you plan for a young family? How to you exhale and not worry about tomorrow?

The days of retiring after 40 years at the same work place is over, it is a story that you will tell your grandkids and most likely they will look up at you in wonder and with a questionable face, the same way they will look when you tell them you grew up with no computers or cell phones and people actually looked at each other and held conversations.
While you are at it you can also tell them about the days when you walked to school and your dogs were never on a leash and you sure never picked up there poop and you only had three channels to pick from on TV, you never bought water or paid to put air in your car tires.

You can’t stop progress or technology but you can only hope that we do not lose ourselves in the progress and yes, our kids will be far ahead us us with technology but what did they miss out on?
Pick up games in the neighborhood and staying running home before it got to dark.
Playing games with the family rather then channel surfing, having the whole family home for dinner every night and talking about the day, just doing nothing and sitting on the picnic table in your backyard with your friends and growing up and being proud of where you work and who you work for.

Welcome to the new World order.

Pull the thread

Keep pulling the thread..
it is always about the money.

Poor man wanna be rich,
Rich man wanna be king,
And a king ain't satisfied,
'til he rules everything,

Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen 

Go for it

After 40 plus years in retail and household goods moving I jumped into Theatre , now I am still affiliated with the moving business as the Theatre is a 501(c)3 non profit so I do still need income but the Theatre is my passion as is live music and helping people so when the opportunity came around three years ago to be a partner in a start up little theatre it seemed to make sense.
 Sometimes you just have to follow your heart and have faith, here we are three years later and take a look at the very nice review below that was in the White House Chronicle-
I am still learning and love the idea of being a part of something bigger then myself and that will help people and maybe even put a smile on their faces-


http://whchronicle.com/notebook-theater-as-it-should-be-fish-and-chips-disappearing-in-u-k-plentiful-in-ne-the-myth-of-the-frozen-north/

Oxygen

We only have so much oxygen in a day .. use it to help move things forward and help.
Do not waste your time arguing or being angry or listening to bull shit.

You know when someone is bull shitting you or when they only have their interest at heart so do not waste your oxygen. You should always give everyone a chance, hear them out and speak your mind but if they reveal themselves to be fake or simply do not want to listen to another side then move on.
Always be polite, do not burn any bridges but also do not waste your time..
Time is precious.
In order to learn and move forward you need to use your day and your oxygen properly -
Organize- plan- have goals- and always approach the day on a positive!

What can you do today to help someone?
What can you do to reach your goals ?

Remember- you only have so much oxygen-

A familiar story

I was speaking to a friend this morning at the gym that I belong , he works for the Subaru dealership close to the gym, I asked him how he liked it there and he said , it’s all right I guess.
When I asked him what he did not like about working there he said there seems to be no organization and no one to address how to improve, his boss he said rarely comes out of his office and rarely works a full work week.

His story is repeated by many of my friends in all walks of life and different occupations, from selling cars or insurance or working for a school system or hospital or a moving company , the issues and the stories are all very similar.
Nothing is getting done people.. and we are not producing our best in most cases.

What changed?

My theory is less of our leaders worked their way up the ladder therefore they do not respect the process or the workers and most probably have no idea what goes in to the day to day.
Those at the top care about one main thing- keeping their job and making more money.

Believe it or not I am an optimist , always have been, I like to see the good in everyone. I am not saying these things because I have been wronged or that “ the man “ has screwed me over, I say these things because I also observe those around me and I have seen an erosion of leadership.

An erosion of leadership in all areas, in our politics, in our buisneses and even with young families.

With more one parent families or with both parents working all the time who is laying the foundation for our kids? Day care?

It is all happening right before our eyes and the changes I see are not positive, though I remain an optimist I am concerned how this all gets turned around.

As the people in power grow that only have their best interest at heart how can that buisness grow?

As the middle class struggles to make ends week how can they devote their time to the most important thing that they will ever do in life- raise their kids?

All we can do is stay positive, speak up and try to always SEE the other guy and try to improve your situation, no matter how minor or small.
Don’t just give up and say, oh well that is just how it is-

Be the change- stay positive.

To Do List

What is on your “ To Do List” today ?
No really.. do you have a written list ?
You should write down every day what you need to do that day, and the next day.
By writing it down it will help you remember it and you can refer to it throughout the day to be sure you are on track.
Your goal should be to wrap up your list early if possible or at least start the process on each-
Do not procrastinate!
Your next goal is to have your list mostly done by noon and done by 2:00- giving you time to create a new list for the following day.
Write it down.
During the day something will happen or someone will say something that will give you an idea to possibly act on or look into- write it dow.
Are you trying to improve what you do ?
You should feel like you have reached the end of  improving, especially today- technically changes daily and you need to embrace technology.
What is on your To Do List ?