“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

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“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

—Serbian Proverb

Image from Unsplash by Noah Buscher

Who are the people in your communities that you consider humble and kind?

Sometimes we refer to these special folks as being “down to earth.” What other qualities do you see in them that make them so grounded and solid?

How many of the same people also demonstrate noble qualities? These are the people who not only shine, but they also energize and illuminate those around them. They tend to attract others with a gravitational force that holds things together.

EXERCISE:

If you asked these questions of your family, friends, and colleagues, how many of them would put YOU on their list?

What efforts can and will you take to be this proverbial person in the days and years ahead?

Every morning you have two choices

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“Every morning you have two choices: Continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.”

—Carmelo Anthony, American professional basketball player

Image form Unsplash by Oladimeji Ajegil

What time do you get up in the morning on weekdays and weekends?

How often do you find yourself hitting the snooze button rather than leaping out of bed to pursue your day with intention and excitement?

Fast forward a few hours to the time you crawl under the covers. Recount your day to see if it was a good one or not.

What are the factors that have you give an “A” for your efforts and progress?

EXERCISE:

How frequently do you actually chase your dream and not just contemplate them?

How do your efforts correlate to a far more satisfying sense of engagement and fulfillment?

“This is the world as it is. This is where you start.”

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“This is the world as it is. This is where you start.”

—Saul D. Alinsky, 20th Century American writer

Image from Amazon

Saul David Alinsky (1909-1972) was a Chicago-born community organizer and writer often considered the founder of modern community organizing. He worked to improve the living conditions of poor communities across North America. Alinsky is known for his 1971 book, Rules for Radicals, which counsels activists on achieving change and knowing “the difference between being a realistic radical and being a rhetorical one.”

The quote and commentary for today came from the Goodreads post for January 30, 2017.

The idea of a realistic radical versus a rhetorical one had me look over the past year and half to assess people in both groups.

EXERCISE:

Where will you start today, given that this is the world as it is?

 

Discover your beauty cracks and all

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“Discover your beauty cracks and all. These are your gifts of imperfection.”

—Barry Demp, DempCoaching.com

Image from Unsplash by Joeyy Lee

Our cracks, flaws, and mistakes are simply a part of our humanity.

By accepting them as gifts and understanding our imperfections we can also begin to accept and appreciate others for their beautiful humanness.

God doesn’t make junk and he wants us to fully accept and love one another as we are.

It is our daily acts of kindness and goodness that allow us to fill the cracks to be whole and our own unique work of art.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you discover more of your own beauty in the gifts of your imperfections?

Consider reading The Gift of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Friday Review: Principles

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FRIDAY REVIEW: PRINCIPLES

What are the guiding principles in your life? Here are a few principle-related posts you may have missed.

 

 

“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.”

 

 

 

“Set your course by the stars, not by the light of every passing ship.”

 

 

 

“Sometimes changing the game is as simple as finding a few people who play by the same rules you do.”

 

 

 

 

 

“The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.”

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“The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.”

—Stephanie Staples, Author of The Try-Angle, a New Slant on Life

Image from Unsplash By Brett Jordan

My grandson Weston is a remarkable little guy. He knows the alphabet forwards and backwards, can count to 100, knows his colors, and of course, his shapes.

I love how he pronounces “octagon” in his cute three-year-old voice, but perhaps the most admirable of his qualities is his joyful enthusiasm to try almost anything involving learning and play.

How open and receptive are you at applying the Try-Angle in your approach to life?

How often do you find yourself giving new things a try versus standing pat on your current approach, which may not be working?

EXERCISE:

Where and on what personal or professional challenges do you need to give things another try?

Please let me know where and how your persistence pays.

 

“Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

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“Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

—Gyalwa Rinpoche, the 14th Dalai Lama

Image from Unsplash by Shashank Sahay

Each tropical storm and hurricane season, meteorologists begin naming the weather events alphabetically, alternating between male and female names.

Who are the people in your life that create the stormiest weather and buffet you with their winds and waves?

What strategies do you use to deal with these disruptive people in order to remain calm and centered?

EXERCISE:

Take time today to notice the people in your world who exemplify the inner peace and calm you desire.

Consider asking them what they do to channel their inner Dalia Lama, then give some of their ideas a try.

“The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.”

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“The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.”

—Eric Hoffer, 20th Century American moral and social philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Ben Whites

Try the exercise of counting to one hundred by tens. This is no big deal for us adults, but for a two or three-year-old it’s pretty neat stuff.

Here we go:

10 — TEN
20 — TWENTY
30 — THIRTY
40 — FORTY
50 — FIFTY
60 — SIXTY
70 — SEVENTY
80 — EIGHTY
90 — NINETY

What comes next for my grandson Weston is, of course, TEN-Y! 🤣

How creative and playful are you in your personal and professional pursuits?

What enjoyment would you experience, and what new ideas might result to improve your life if you played and danced with a few more ideas?

EXERCISE:

Consider looking into the philosophical thinking and meditations of the stoics. One of my favorite books easily digested by even beginners is The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday.

 

“When we know how to read our own hearts, we acquire wisdom of the hearts of others.”

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“When we know how to read our own hearts, we acquire wisdom of the hearts of others.”

—Denis Diderot, 18th Century French philosopher, art critic, and writer

Image from Unsplash by Jon Tyson

What comes to mind when you think about poetry?

In recent years, I’ve shifted considerably from a judgmental, sappy view to a more open, welcoming view of this art form.

For most of my years, I just didn’t get it, and it was far easier to disregard the hidden messages that went over my head, as clearly not meant for me.

It was a bit over nine years ago, following my mom’s passing, that I read The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo. It seemed like none of my normal reading efforts hit home and my heart needed filling far more than my head.

It was then that I began to more fully explore aspects of my heartfelt emotions and feelings as a basis of connecting with others, especially family and friends.

EXERCISE:

How might playing with a bit of poetry help you read your own heart better?

What would be the benefit of acquiring the wisdom of the hearts of others in your various communities?

Friday Review: Expectations

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Friday Review: Expectations

What expectations do you carry for yourself? How do you react to the expectations others hold for you? Here are a few expectation-related posts you may have missed.

 

“As your consciousness expands, your level of expectation will grow. Keep asking yourself, am I selling myself short? Most of us are.”

 

 

“Accept this moment as if you had chosen it.”

 

 

 

“Nobody notices what you do until you do not do it.”