Often in our lives we make the decision to hide away so the world won't upset us, won't change us, won't destroy what little we have. The truth is that that's not a life, life will happen with or without you, it's far better to look for opportunities to grow then it is to hide away from everything in your life.
Being by yourself can lead to self discovery and I encourage everyone to take time to know who they truly are, for when you understand that all you are is love and all you seek in life is love returned you; you will be a force in the world. Love can be the hardest thing in our lives to deal with as two ego's come together to try to be one; but we are love and when we give love we will receive it back. No matter how difficult love has been in the past it is the way to growing in the future.
The universe/God has a way in our life to teach us what we need to know to grow and move forward. Sometimes those lessons are very difficult to hear and deal with, but if we bury our proverbial heads in the sand, the lesson will repeat itself until we learn what we need to know.
Take time each day to discover the love you have inside of you. You are a beautiful person & the world is better because you are here. Our society has become so competitive that if we’re not the best we feel as though we’ve failed.You haven’t failed, you are love and whether
life is a struggle or easy for you; you will always be a precious person that
I am grateful to have in my life.
Let go of the noise and the expectations of others; grow in each
moment.Take the time to release the
pain and hurt from the past.Know that
the path forward will always open itself to you if you are willing to take the
time to let go and be love.
Stop the struggle and begin to accept the beauty in this moment.For only through gratitude and wonder can
we move beyond who we are and into the place we were meant to be.The struggle we all face, as difficult as it
can be. Is only to help us return to who we truly are.We’ve lost our way through generations of
greed, ego’s and control and where has it gotten us?The truth is, the world community is growing
in consciousness and as we come together and understand that that our
differences only help us to grow we will grow together like no time in
history.We are one, all connected in
spirit and in love. Allow, release, grow.
It is truly within you to grow beyond who you are.Join me & change the world, stop the
hate; show love and compassion and move yourself and everyone else to a
better place.I believe in you because I
know you, you are love!
Hugs,
Bill
PS: It’s been a while since I’ve written, I’m sorry for that, I will try to
be here a little more often.Till next
time remember: “When love touches your heart you will change forever; when you
show love from your heart you change the life of everyone you meet.”
What have I lost in my discovery of how I am?What have we all lost in this age of intolerance?We’ve embarked on a journey togetherbut yet in the current times all we seem to do is draw lines in the sand that define who we think we are.Why is it so important to be so certain?Know that it’s only the Ego that needs certainty & the louder the drum beats the more certain we think we become.But, really do we have all the answers?Search deep in your soul & understand that we are all searching, some of us are more enlightened then others but does that mean we should all join in?NO! what it means is that we each experience our own path to discover, each in our own unique way.So each of us is charged with understanding that just because someone else doesn’t agree with our point of view doesn’t mean they are wrong, it only means that they have experienced different things then we have.
This enlightenment that each of us are only trying to discover what we truly need is the awaking that we all need to find.For each of us is connected deeper then we’ll ever understand & we are on a journey together & separately to discover what is important in our lives.We forget, unfortunately, that we are all on the same journey & only by coming together & letting go of our Ego…and the need to be right, can we truly move onto a common ground that can change the world.
The noise is loud & sometimes deafening especially in the current environment where governments daily draw the line in the sand & challenge everyone to find a solution.Stop the noise, listen to your heart, believe that you can make a difference & that everyone who crosses your path is there for a reason.
Yes, sometimes the quietest voice is the only one you should be listening to because the noise is loud but doesn’t really ring true to who are.Let go, find common ground & discover that no matter who we are that we all journey for the same thing.Don’t judge, instead accept.For through acceptance of our differences we grow together instead of apart.We’ve lived far too long apart, we are one people with one journey & that journey is to make the world a better place.So let go of the acrimony & discover that through love & acceptance we can all get along.
Till next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “In my heart I know you are my brother & regardless of our differences I understand that we are one & will always be that way.”
Boy I miss Jim Henson; to me it’s always sad to have such a great talent go away way before his time. Jim Henson changed what children’s television was, through programs like Sesame Street & The Muppet Show. His genius of using the Muppet characters to teach children about difficult situations is still a benchmark that other’s should look to. This is especially true of one little green frog that was the embodiment of his creator. I am, of course, talking about Kermit the frog. Kermit was often misunderstood & sometimes overshadowed by the likes of Miss Piggy, Elmo & Big Bird but to me Kermit always spoke the truth & often tackled the hard
subjects that the Muppets would deal with. His classic song from Sesame Street “It’s not easy being green” is a great example of how to deal not only with race but with the feeling many of us have, even as adults the feeling…..that we don’t like who we are. In these wonderful lyrics Kermit discovers that he is content with being green after thinking that green isn’t a great color to be.
Here’s the Lyrics:
“It's not that easy being green
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It's not easy being green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky
But green's the color of Spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like an ocean, or important
Like a mountain, or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be”
Have you ever thought that life would be different if you were someone who you weren’t? Many of us go through our lives wondering what would happen if…… & although it’s great to dream (in fact I encourage it) the truth is we have to get comfortable in our own skin before we can tackle the bigger questions in our lives. The greatest gift any of us has to give is love & if we don’t love who we are, we can’t possibly give our love to everyone else in our life. As in the song, sometimes we just need to realize how great we actually are. We are all created out of love & through love we can accomplish anything we want. It really is ok to be green or purple or red. Embrace who you are & the world will embrace you back. This isn’t meant to say that we we’re perfect, as human’s we never will be, but by loving who we are & working to improve
ourselves we will continue to grow. It is through this growth that we can become the person we want to be. Remember that everything is possible it only takes the first step to get you started & the desire to change.
Jim Henson brought out the best in people by showing them that even a little green frog can find happiness. Magic & miracles happen everyday around us. All we need to do is look for them & they’ll appear.
We’ve become so jaded as a society that we look right past the miracles in our lives, which brings me to another great Kermit the frog song; Rainbow connection, here’s the lyrics:
“Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that every wish would be heard
and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
All of us under its spell. We know that it's probably magic.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me”
Even in this simple song we find that just by believing we can make it so. That’s the way God/universe works believe or in today’s lingo, set your intention. Know that God/universe will create the perfect solution; sometimes it’s not what we think it will be but often it’s even better. The key, as I’ve written about before, is to let go of the EGO & set the intention on something that will make you better as a person, not something that satisfies the EGO.
Life is a journey that becomes whatever you want it to be. Trust in your power, believe in yourself & change the world one step at a time.
Boy I miss Jim Henson……
Till next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “Know in your heart that you have the power to change everything in your life, it’s all up to you….believe & it will be.”
Times have been hard for many of us over the past couple of years.I know for me it’s been a very difficult time, starting with 15 months of unemployment & ending with moving my family halfway across the country after being apart for 6 months.I’ve written often about how I kept positive & continued to move my life forward even through this difficult time.
The one thing that stayed consistent for me was helping others.I believe strongly in the law of attraction which simply states “Whatever we give out comes back to us magnified.”The reason I could continue leading a joyful life even when things weren’t great for me is because I knew that I would in someway be given back for everything I’ve done to help others.
This happened to me over & over again with small & large gestures from family & sometimes from people I hardly knew. The bottom line was that I found great joy in all the little surprises that came my way & helped me to get through a difficult time.
In addition to receiving the benefits of the law of attraction, I rediscovered the simple joy in just helping others.The acts of kindness that each of us undertake on a daily basis can truly change the world.We don’t always see the ripple effect of what we start by helping another person but trust me the ripple continues well beyond what you can imagine.
The smallest gesture can change another person’s outlook & that person can then affect everyone they come in contact with & so on & so on.Sometimes you may never see how a simple word or gesture changes a person’s life forever but trust me it happens all the time.
The challenge we all face is understanding the way we can affect others that pass into our lives, even when they are chance encounters with someone we don’t know or will never know again. Your actions are like a pebble in the pond of the universe & I challenge each of you to take action everyday to lift another person up.Help a neighbor, help a friend, help someone you don’t even know but take action today.
Don’t make this about money, it’s great to give to organizations that help others or help causes we believe in but this is about a personal daily connection in your life that will make a difference.Smile, do the smallest thing & watch the ripples grow.Your life as well as many others will change for the good because of your actions.
Take the first step today & watch the world change around you!
Till next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “Take the first step today to lift someone else up, by taking this action your life will change forever.”
Yes we all have one even if we don’t want to admit it.In fact trying to bury it away is one of the biggest problems we can face.The trick, I’ve found, with the dark side is to acknowledge it & know when it’s needed.Yes, there truly are times that we need to allow ourselves to slip into the dark side.
What do I mean by the dark side?To me it’s the part of myself that's selfish, cranky, rude & sometimes wishes ill will to ours.We all have those moments in our life when we snap at someone or do something truly for our own benefit even if it means hurting someone else.I’m sure if we explored deeper we would find even nastier parts of ourselves & exploring is the key.If we can’t understand ourselves how can we expect anyone else to understand where we’re coming from or what motivates us.It truly is impossible! What often happens next is a feeling of frustration because we feel misunderstood & alone.
In the fast paced world we live in today everybody is looking for the quick fix, the miracle cure & many of us are unwilling to take the time needed to discover who we truly are.A big reason for this is we’re afraid of what we’ll find.So how many skeletons have you buried inside of yourself?How much hurt & pain have you tucked away for fear of experiencing it?We all do it but does that make it right?I think not!!!
There are two things you need to remember when you begin the exploration of yourself:
1) Anything you discover about yourself can be changed.This is a proven fact by many studies throughout the last decade or so.Granted it’s not always easy to change things that you’ve been doing for a longtime but it can be done with work & repetition.
2) Only by dealing with the emotions & feelings that we have deep inside can we move beyond them to a better a life.That fear or pain that you’ve buried will always come back to haunt you at the most inopportune times until you learned to move beyond it..
I’m not going to kid you sometimes it’s a difficult process to really look into yourself.I know for me it’s was very hard process but I discovered so much about myself that it was very worthwhile.I shed many a tear looking at the pain I buried inside & realized the pain that I caused others because of my selfish actions at different times in my life.I am a better person because I understand now that if I get angry or feel hurt or act in a selfish way, where that feeling comes from & how to move beyond that feeling to a better place.
So, the question you’re probably asking yourself is, how?The answer to that is a difficult one.We all process things differently because of the life experiences we have so there’s no set pattern (although you could read books that tell you an easy way).I believe that it all begins with taking time for yourself.Go into a room alone turn everything off & allow your mind to run with whatever it wants to.I always brought a pad a paper in to jot down the thoughts I had & the feelings associated with those thoughts.;Then backtrack through your life till you get to the earliest thing you remember.Throughout this journey pay attention to the feelings that emerge as you recount the events of your life.Give yourself praise for getting through any & all the difficult times you’ve had, for by making it through you proven you can get through anything that life throws your way.
Understand when you acted selfishly or were angry or cruel to someone.Try to think about why you acted that way & if now you could think about a better way to handle the situation.Forgive yourself for the mistakes you made & for the times you didn’t act as your best self would.Understand that the past can’t be changed but that you can be the person you want to be in every situation if you understand why you acted the way you did.
Everything is possible in life & the journey we are on together or separately should always be to act as the best person we can be.We all make mistakes, we are only human but by learning from those mistakes & growing into the person we know we can be, we can change the world one step at a time.
Always remember that no matter how dark the storm becomes nothing lasts forever & you will endure because you have before.Sometimes through the darkest parts of our lives we gain the most knowledge, I wish it wasn’t so but for many of us it is.Relish the dark by discovering the joy even in the worst….it’s always there.
Till next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “Only by understanding the dark side of ourselves can we become who we truly want to be!”
Yes, it’s a phrase we hear often in life “He/She has a love for life” but what does it really mean & how can each of us discover a true love of live? I’ve debated this thought often in my life because although most of the time I’m a very joyful happy person there are times that I too struggle. In fact when I was younger I struggled much more often then I do now.
Many of you know I’ve had a huge transition in the past year. Going from being unemployed for 15 months to working half a country away, from home, on my own to finally being offered a full-time job & moving my family to a new home in a new state. I’m not going to sit here & say that it was always easy, in fact the truth is there were many times that were very difficult but the one thing that kept me going was just living in the moment. I discovered that overall things that we think are so important in our life actually find a way to take care of themselves if we allow them to.
I wrote a blog a while ago on the Prayer of St. Francis, in that blog I described how everything has it’s time & in the journey I’ve taken over the past 8 months I’ve discovered that not only do things have their own time but if we allow them they will find their own time. Now don’t misunderstand this, certainly there are things that we all have to take care of now but we put the “now” tag on many more things then we should. The truth is that most things in life can wait & if we allow the choice or the event to find its own time things will flow much more easily.
You see to me the joy of life is what is in-front of me right now. I discover joy in the littlest things & that joy gives me a true love of life. The love that I have for the world around me comes from the deepest part of me. It’s a quiet place that can always bring me back to a calm feeling even in the biggest storm around me. I believe with every fiber of my being that if we allow it things will work out as they should.
In today’s world that’s a difficult lesson because there’s so much hype to have everything now & to do everything now! Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in this hype. The material world will never bring you the joy you are looking for. It is only through our connection to everything & everyone that we discover the joy around us. We are made of love. Just take a moment & think back to any child you’ve known. Think about the joy & wonderment in their face over the smallest thing….like the flower in the grass or the way the clouds move. Children show us our true self. The self that only knows love & trust & goodness, the part of us that we never loose but sometimes forget about.
Take time to remember wonderment, look at the world anew in each & every moment. Practice this “letting go” until it becomes apart of you again. Through this “change of focus” the smallest things will affect you like never before. Joy is all around us but it’s up to us to discover it. Open your heart, change your focus, discover the wonderment of a child. Laugh that little giggly laugh that only a child knows because there’s so much to enjoy in this world we live in.
No matter how dark the world seems to get, there is always something to find joy in & when we as a connected community of spirits begin to discover that through our thoughts & our thoughts alone we can change the world, amazing things will begin to happen. We are at the doorstep of a new age of man, together we can cross through to a world that knows love first & that understands that we are all one.
Till next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “A true of love of life begins within each us of. Open your heart & mind & discover the joy in this moment.”
For many of us this title sounds like an easy thing to do. We believe we know where we’re going & just what steps we need to take to get to our ultimate destination but in fact this can be one of the hardest lessons to learn in life or at least it was for me.
I know I haven’t written much lately & I apologize to all of you for that. Life has been very busy settling into a new job & relocating to a new state. I’ve had many thoughts but not the time to write them all down & then yesterday I was reminded that so often we get in our own way of happiness. In fact we set ourselves up for disappointment, how do we do this? For many of us, it’s expecting a result.
I’m not going to tell you that all expectations are bad, but I’ve learned in my life that there really is no place for them. The best result that can happen way we expect a result is that we get what we expected &, for me, that diminishes the result because we only met our expectation. On the other side of the coin if we don’t get what we expected we can be crushed & left wondering why? or what’s next?
So often in life we make up our mind that “this” is what we need to be happy & when we don’t get it we blame God/universe for our sadness because all we needed was “X” & you didn’t give it me.
The truth is we set ourselves up for this disappointment because we think we know what’s best for us. I have found in life that opening your mind to possibilities will allow things to happen in your life that you never thought could or would happen. That’s truly the way we create our future. It’s an ever evolving path that we create cooperatively with God/universe. It is only through this ebb & flow that we can create the life we want to live, for when we get set in our path or in our ways we close off the world of possibilities & stay stuck where we are, which may not be the best place.
How many times in your life have you discovered after the fact that the thing you thought you wanted the most wasn’t really all that great. I can’t answer for you but for me it was often. When I was a young man I made things happen by sheer will. I wouldn’t take no for an answer & I moved through life knowing that I could get the “brass ring” anytime I wanted.
The sad part was I was never truly happy because I thought I knew what I needed to be happy & I believed that I knew what was best for me. I went through my younger years with great highs & sometimes very deep lows because the truth was I had no idea what I wanted & I allowed my EGO to dictate what was best in the moment. The EGO always wants the instant gratification & by following the EGO we can discover tremendous highs. The problem is that the EGO is never truly satisfied it always wants more & when it doesn’t get it, we crash & burn.
I have discovered that by stepping out of my own way that life is on a much more even keel & expectations play a big roll in that. I allow the best outcome to be created, rather then expect the result that I believe is the best.
The bottom is it’s all up to you: Open your mind & allow possibilities or close your mind & expect results. Trust me when I say this choice is life changing.
Until next time,
Bill
Quote of the day: “To expect an outcome only diminishes the result, be surprised, be open to the possibility & watch the world change around you.”
Do you truly know who you are? I don't mean your name or any other label you want to give yourself. I mean in your core in the depths of your soul, the parts of you that no one knows ….maybe not even yourself. The discovery of who we truly are is one of the oldest quests man has sought from the beginning of time. It drives many of us & consumes others. We put on so many different faces for the people in our life because we believe we have to be what “they” expect us to be. So we create the Mom or the Dad personality and there's the friend or the worker or the business leader....etc, etc. We create a complex life trying to please everyone & we believe that it's necessary because it's what's expected. What if I told you it's not what others expect......what if I told you that all you have to do is be who you truly are & you will be accepted by everyone in your life.
I know it sounds like an easy solution to a complex problem that has been plaguing mankind for our entire existence & the truth is it's not easy because it takes a commitment from you to take the time to discover who you truly are.....not what the PTA expects you to be...no....who you are...your true self. I believe that is our connection to everything. Our true self or what many others call our soul....can you commit to taking the time for self discovery? Aren't you worth it? I know you are because I the love you have inside that needs to be shared with the world. I know the beauty & purity of who you truly are because at our core we are all connected & anything that people perceive to be evil is truly only born from a lack of love & the need to know who we truly are.
So, how do we take the first step to begin the process of self discovery? There's no perfect way, but what I've found is simply to be. Quiet your mind, focus on your breathing, listen deep inside & feel the peace & connectedness of your true self. There is a feeling of being grounded when you're able to move beyond the thoughts going on in your busy mind. For me, I also enjoy being out in nature. I have discovered for myself that the depth of my connection to my soul/true self is much deeper when I'm in nature. There is for me, a profound awareness to the beauty around me & a knowing that I am a part of it. Whatever works for you, use it. Take the time today to discover who you truly are. Let go of the noise & the expectations, release the fear & move beyond the pain from the past. Understand that you are love. Listen to that small voice that comes from deep within & become who you were truly meant to be!! Let go of the veils of life that you hide behind & discover that when you are truly who you are suppose to be you are love & everyone will accept you for who you truly are.
Life moves with an ease when you can be who you truly are. It's a very freeing experience!! Believe in yourself & discover who you truly are!!
Hugs,
Bill
Quote of the day: “The journey of self-discovery is the most important journey any of us can take. Stop pretending & be who you truly are.....LOVE!”
I've talked a lot over the past year about letting life come to you & living life in each moment but what does that really mean.....”living in the moment”. I think as with many things in life you can interpret the meaning of that phrase in many different ways. For the purposes of this blog it's not important to me how literally you take the phrase or what this phrase means to you personally. What's important to me is that you begin to learn to live your life in each moment.
I've been challenged over the past few weeks to work myself through a huge shift in my life. I have moved (at least temporarily) to the Denver, Colorado area. I have left my beautiful wife, our two dogs, my house, my friends & everything I know as part of my life, for the past 12 years, behind to move to a state that I've spent only 3-5 days in for my entire life. The only thing that has keep me in a state of joy is living in each moment & discovering the joy that each moment has for us. The truth is there is joy all around us even when things aren't easy, but it's up to us to discover the joy that is hidden even in challenging times.
How do I this? I don't worry about tomorrow. I believe in the very core of who I am that tomorrow will unfold perfectly before me just as it should. It is in this shift of thought that all possibilities are born. I read from many people that they believe the key to life is to “live from the end”, in other words see the end & work backwards to today to see how to get there. This may work for some but for me it's the furthest from the truth that we can move. I know that if I set my intention for the future & release that intention into the world with no attachment to the results, God/universe will lead us to where we want to end up by living in each moment in-between. You see life is only about the now. The preoccupation with what will happen tomorrow steals away the life we can have right now. There is no promise that we have anything beyond this moment we share together right now. So why be concerned about what will happen tomorrow? The only thing that matters is right now & if you're willing to live each moment to fullest your life will always unfold perfectly before you.
Are there never setbacks? Is life always perfect going forward? Of course not!! We need adversity in our life to help us learn the lessons we need to know to move on to a better life. I was laid-off from my job in June 2009 & the past year hasn't been easy financially but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I have discovered more about myself in the past year then I have in almost 50 years before this....would I have asked for this? No!! But God/universe knew this is what I needed to grow into the person I've always been inside. You see none of us truly need improvement we just need to get back to who we truly are in our soul!! Our truest self only knows how to live life perfectly.
You can change your life today, all you need to do is start right now let go of the expectations of tomorrow & discover the joy in this moment.
Hugs,
Bill
Quote of the day: “Everything is possible in the present moment....open your mind & heart to the joy right now in this exact moment & begin the change”
How deep is your love towards a stranger? Are you willing to help someone you don't know? Are you willing to go out of your way for a stranger?
How deep is your love for nature? Are you willing to stand up & stop the destruction of our natural world? Are you willing to change the way you live to help reduce your carbon footprint?
How deep is your love for your friends? Are you willing to listen to their grief or bad feelings? Are you willing to let them stay in your house if they have no where else to stay?
How deep is your love for the person you love in your life? Are you willing to forgive infidelity? Are you willing to let go of the hurt or pain that your loved one caused you?
How deep is your love for yourself? Are you willing to move beyond a mistake you make? Are you willing to forgive yourself for doing something wrong?
In the world today we live in so much fear that we withhold our love from everything in our life. We justify this action by telling ourselves that we're protecting ourself from some unknown hurt that we just create to feel better. I've written a fair amount about love in this blog because I truly believe that love is the answer to all that ails us.
In order to begin the process of loving more we must understand the limits of our love & especially the love of ourselves. Love begins within us. Far too many of us look for someone to give us love & never truly discover the love we have inside. This love is our true connection to everything & if we're willing to take the time to understand & connect to this love, all other love is possible. When we begin the discovery of love within us we will open our heart to the love of everyone that enters our life.
By changing the way we look at love in our life everything in our life will change. Love is the key to finding true happiness & a true connection with someone else. Let go of the limits to your love, open your heart to everyone that enters your life. Make the decision today to love unconditionally. Release the need for love & discover the love you have inside!!
Till tomorrow,
Bill
PS Still looking for a guest blogger for tomorrow. If you're interested contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com
Quote of the day:"The discovery of the love we have within us is our true connection to all the love we could ever want in our life."
Sometimes I'm amazed at beauty of our world. It seems to me at times to be so big & diverse. Of course, slowly we've taken over more & more of the "wild" & natural spaces in the world, if we continue there won't be any place we can go that brings us back to nature. Yes, I could make this piece a political statement of how we need to protect our natural world but that's not what I write about. I only mention how big the world is to give you an understanding of how the smallest thing can be so important.
I've written a lot the last few days about how busy my life has been & I've tried to explain how I stay focused in the current moment even through all the noise in the busyness of my life. I try to relate these stories to help you understand how important it is to stay focused in the current moment.
When things get busy in my life, I always try to take time to focus on the littlest things around me. I can lose myself in the beauty of a flower. I can find joy in watching the birds in my backyard. I can find the wonder in the way the wind moves the tree branches. Yes, I love nature but to me it's through focusing on the smallest things that I can return to the joy I have inside.
All joy begins with the love we have inside & sometimes when life gets busy, we just need to rediscover the joy we have inside. For me that journey always begins with focusing on the beauty around me & paying attention to the smallest things that come into my life. Sure, "things" in your life can bring you joy & people in your life can bring you joy but this kind of joy is only a fleeting feeling that disappears quickly after the "thing" is over or gets old or when the person leaves or the moment passes. The joy we have inside is always there. It's just a matter of tapping into that deep well of joy we have inside.
When life gets busy we tend to get caught up in the busyness & forget the things that brings us joy. I have discovered that in this busy time is when I need to reconnect with my soul (true self) more then any other time. This connection with my soul is the doorway to the wealth of love & joy I have inside. Each of us is a truly loving being & it is only because of our disconnection from our soul that we search for love & joy outside of ourselves.
Our connection to God/universe is all encompassing & the depth of love we have inside is amazing to discover. The key is to take the time to discover it. Let go of the past, move beyond the filters we create & discover the joy & love you have inside!!
Till tomorrow,
Bill
PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in being a guest blogger contact me at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com
Quote of the day:"When things get the busiest in our lives, take time to appreciate the smallest things & rediscover the joy you have inside!"
I've written before about how we're not allowed to make mistakes anymore. In the world today everyone is trying to do things better & faster. Mistakes are held against us & we are judged for every one we make. It didn't use to be that way, people use to be allowed to make mistakes & discover who they are or what they are good at but because of all the pressure that's associated with trying to live a "perfect" life we lose who we are. Discovering ourselves is one of the most important things we can do in our life & I've written before on the ways I've used to discover my true self & my true life's purpose. The most important aspect of discovering yourself is taking the time to look inside & learning to move beyond the EGO.
Today I want to discuss the other part of getting through your daily life & overcoming the mistakes you make. Besides getting to know who you are, the most important advice I could give anyone is to believe in yourself. We all get caught up in the labels that everyone else gives us. We listen so carefully to what others say about us. We worry that we're not liked or that we're misunderstood. Stop it, stop being concerned about what others think. Live your life for yourself. Be true to who you are & believe in yourself.
I'm not saying that you should blindly go through life believing that every action you take is always the right thing to do. No, just the opposite, you need to pay attention to the signs that God/universe sends you in your life. You need to take the time to discover & connect to your true self (soul) & you need to live your life from a place of love. But, the world can be a cruel place & we can encounter people in our life that are very difficult to get along with. To move beyond the hardships we face in life we need to have a deep seated believe in who we are & what we want to do. This believe needs to be flexible & ever changing as we discover the world as it unfolds before us in each moment. But, we need to believe.
Trust in who you are & let go of the need for approval from others. Believe in the process of discovery & life will open up before you. By believing in yourself you move beyond the influences of others & onto a more joyful life.
I believe in each of you. I believe that at our core we are all loving, good people. Take the time to love yourself, open your heart to others & believe in who you are!!
Hugs,
Bill
P.S. I'll be away for a couple of weeks. We were fortunate to get a nice anniversary gift from my in-laws & we're going to travel to Disney World (where we got married) & then camp in the Smoky Mountains. I'm not sure how much internet access I will have at either place so I won't be writing this blog until I return. Please take time to read some of the topics I've written in the past...I look forward to hearing from each of you....hugs
Quote of the day:"Believe in yourself, trust in love & the world will become more amazing then you can imagine."
Today I am blessed to write my 200th blog post. I have never been big on milestones, I enjoy living in the moment & allowing the world to unfold around me. If you asked me last June if I would still be writing this blog, I would have said I really don't know. I began writing here through the urgings of many friends on twitter who enjoyed what I had to say about life. I have worked hard to keep this blog on topic, I veered off to share my daughters wedding last August & talked in Feb. for a week about my favorite national parks but all in all I've tried each day to write about the ways each of us can discover more joy in our lives.
The amazing byproduct of writing this blog is how much it's helped me to continue to grow & learn. The responses I've received for all of you have blown me away & I appreciate each & everyone of you. I don't claim to have all the answers. I only know that my life has changed dramatically over the years & I've been able to live an incredibly joyful life for a longtime now.
Things aren't perfect in my life & that's just fine with me. I've learned to roll with the punches & find the joy even in difficult times. In a small way I've tried to help to change the world. I believe in people & I know that each of us can affect the world more then we can imagine. Believe in the power you have inside of you, you are connected to everything & in that connection to God/universe everything is possible.
Thank you for your love & support but more importantly thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts & change your life. You are a co-creator of everything in your life. Create the life you want to live & watch it unfold before you.
Till Monday, enjoy your weekend.
Hugs,
Bill
Quote of the day:"You can create the life you desire. Believe in the power you have & know that love is the catalyst to finding a more joyful life."
A chance encounter that lead to love. Today is my 10th anniversary. If you've read this blog for a while you know I believe in miracles. I think amazing things can happen in your life everyday if you just look for them. How do I know this? Because miracles have happened to me & one of the greatest miracles was meeting Heidi.
Here's the story of our meeting: Heidi & I were both working at a professional theatre in Kentucky in 1996. Heidi was a stage manager & I was an actor. The theatre had community mailboxes for everyone in the company to pick up their mail. I had been working at the theatre for nearly month & went to pick-up my mail & Heidi was there. I said: "Hi, what are you doing this season?" she answered: "I'm stage managing" I replied "Oh, I don't like manager's". That's how a chance encounter changed my life.
Heidi didn't stage manage any of my shows that summer but we became friends & stayed friends. We would explore the area on our off day "Monday" & just have a lot of fun together. Three years later on the stage of the theatre we met in-front of 250 people & the former governor of Kentucky, I proposed to Heidi. She was stage managing the evening performance & I was doing the curtain speech. The "ring" was actually given to her by the light operator (a woman), as she was up in the booth getting ready for the show. We were married on this day in 2000 at Disneyworld, yes Disneyworld. We were married behind the Polynesian resort at a place called Sunset Pointe. The picture that is my profile picture is from that special day.
So why I am I writing about this here? Because we never know who we're going to meet in our life. The challenge in everyday is to be open to the people who come into your life. You never know who's going to walk into your life & make a difference. I would have never thought that this chance encounter would change my life but by being open to anyone who enters my life, I was able to change my life forever.
Let go of the judgment of others in your life. Open your heart & listen to everyone. We can all learn from the people who enter your life & the message they bring may change your life forever. Miracles happen, I've seen them happen in my life. Today the miracle could be yours.
Till tomorrow,
Bill
Quote of the day: "A chance encounter can change your life. Open your heart to everyone who enters your life & amazing things can happen."
A new blog that I have checked out. It's about healthy foods & natural remedies. Healthy family
Possibly the oldest question in the world; What is the meaning of life? I think we all have a time in our life when we question why we're here. As part of that question we wonder what the meaning of life is. I think there's a big difference in this question between what our life's purpose is & the meaning of life.
A life's purpose is what drives us & hopefully what we end up doing. So maybe it's to be a teacher or to help children or to raise money for your favorite cause. There are hundreds of things you can do with your life & each one is just as important as the others. I've written before about finding your life's purpose. I truly believe that we are all born with a life's purpose. There is one thing that we are meant to do. Sometimes it takes us our whole life to discover what this purpose is & sometimes unfortunately, we never discover our true life's purpose. Life has a way of getting in the way of things sometimes, mostly because of our EGO. We move away from our true purpose for the instant gratification of the EGO & become more & more disconnected from our true self (soul) & our true life's purpose. Also, sometimes we can't make money at our true life's purpose, it only gives us great satisfaction. In these cases I always say you should volunteer or take time to do what fulfills you, so it's always a part of your life.
The meaning of life, to me, is the same for everyone & that meaning is to love. Through love our life is defined. Love is the greatest gift we have to give the world. I'm not necessarily talking about romantic love, that's a part of love. I'm talking about growing in love to the point that we give it freely to everyone in our life. Love is the answer to everything, there are no other questions! When we become pure love we are our most like God/universe. Unconditional love is the purest feeling we can know in this human form. It will bring us the greatest joy we can find in our life.
Each of us has the ability to love unconditionally it is only the EGO that keeps us away from this beautiful feeling. We are connected to everyone & everything. This connection is born in love. Learn to love with an open heart. Let go of the need to "get something" in return & make the world a better place.
Till Monday, have a great weekend,
Bill
Quote of the day: "The meaning of life is simple, it's to love unconditionally. Open your heart to love & you will be filled with great joy!"
Let's face it we spend a lot of time at our jobs. For some of us we spend more time at work then anywhere else in our waking hours. So how do we change the relationships we have with the people we work with?
As many of you know I believe love is the answer to everything in our life. If we can learn to love ourselves first & allow that love to flow outward to the rest of the world, amazing things can happen. But can we truly love the people we work with? The answer is a resounding YES!!
Changing any relationship in your life is never easy. We get entrenched in the pattern we've established in our relationships & because we"know" the other person so well we're quick to label them. This labeling in fact will only create more of the same behavior. What we put out we will get back!! & this is especially true in relationships.
Things get even more complicated with our work relationships. There is so much EGO involved in our workplace that moving beyond the EGO becomes increasingly difficult. We compete with others for recognition, promotions & bonuses. This competition is every much EGO based. So how do we move beyond the EGO & into a place of love?
It all begins with you, if you change the way you interact with the people you work with the relationships will begin to change. Remember that everyone in your work environment is trying the best they can. This "trying" may not be up to your standards but they are trying. I know there is always a few people who try to coast through life doing as little as possible but unless we're their boss we're not here to judge them. Let go of the need to judge others, Let go of the need to always be right & your relationships will improve.
If we treat people with love & compassion we will improve every relationship in our life including our relationship with the people we work with. Take time to center yourself in love & let go of your past patterns with everyone you work with. By changing the relationships in your life & spreading more love, your world will become a more joyful place.
Till tomorrow,
Bill
Quote of the day:"Let go of the old patterns you've created in your work relationships. Open your heart to love & compassion & discover more joy in your life."
I woke this morning with The Beatles song "Revolution" in my head. I haven't written often on my process of writing but many times that's how I get my ideas, I wake up with something I can't get out of my head. I know I'm showing my age by mentioning this song but actually as I've gotten older I've come to appreciate The Beatles work more & more. Here's the beginning of the song:
You say you want a revolution Well, you know We all want to change the world You tell me that it's evolution Well, you know We all want to change the world But when you talk about destruction Don't you know that you can count me out Don't you know it's gonna be all right all right, all right
I think we all need a revolution in our life from time to time. It takes dramatic steps sometimes to change our life out of our normal pattern. I'm not talking about taking up arms or trying to change the government. I talking about changing our own life & the world as you'd like to see it.
I have written often about change needing to begin with each one us. If we all start by looking at ourselves & take small steps to change our lives the results would be incredible!! I know change isn't easy & some of us resist it simply because it's change, that's why we need a revolution.
When you listen to the lyrics of the song (Youtube video below)Lennon is talking about the same thing that Ghandi has talked about a peaceful revolution. Peace can be obtained in our lifetime if each of us is willing to find the love we have inside & let go of anger & violence. We have all become wound so tightly in the world today. Each of us ready to explode at a moments notice when things don't go the way we expect them to go. Let go of the expectations of others in your life. Allow people to make mistakes, we all do!! Discover the love you have inside & create the world you want to live in.
Thoughts are amazing things and a true shift in world consciousness can happen if we all work on changing our thoughts about ourselves & others. I know it's not easy we all have bad days & we all get angry every now & then. When you feel the anger coming on take a breathe and let it go, become an instrument of peace!!
Let's start the revolution today in each one of us!!
Now The Beatles:
Have a great holiday weekend, enjoy your friends & family at this special time of the year.
Till Monday,
Bill
Quote of the day:"Sometimes it takes a revolution to change our thoughts. Make the change towards love today & see the world shift with you."
Do you believe in true love? Do you think we each have a soul mate? Is there only one "right" person for each of us? I've contemplated these questions often in my life. I believe strongly in love but I've always believed that many people confuse love with infatuation. There is a natural high that comes from meeting someone new & going through the process of getting to know them. Far to often we believe this is love when in fact it's just infatuation.
I'm not here to say that love at first site can't ever happen but in actuality love at first site is more of a physical attraction then a deeper truer love. We all have many people who come & go in our life. Of these people there will be several that we feel a connection to. Usually these people will become our friends. The connection that we feel with others can be very complex. I believe that anyone we feel connected to reaches beyond our EGO & into our soul. This "soul" connection can lead to some very deep & meaningful relationships.
The people that we truly connect to in a deep meaningful way can make a huge difference in our life. If we're lucky we may find a handful of these people that can really make a difference in our life.
The feeling you get from these connections is far beyond the casual comfortable feeling we get with acquaintances & in some religions there is belief that the people we have these deep meaningful relationships with, have been apart of our life before & they are here to show us the way to a better life. What you believe isn't important, what's important is finding these connections.
Out of these few connections we may find true love. Love at this deep level takes time to cultivate & grow. When we actually take the time love will grow deeper then we can ever imagine. We can in fact find true love or a soul mate but it takes work to move beyond our EGO & make the true "soul" connection that can bring us beyond ourselves.
Relationships no matter how deep they are take work to continue them. This is because of the EGO. We forget about the deep meaningful connection we have with people because the EGO wants xy&z & if it's not getting it from the people in our life it looks elsewhere. In every part of our life we battle the EGO but it's no more prevalent then in relationships. Take time with the people you love, open your heart & listen. Let go of your superficial needs & find the connection of a lifetime. Discover true love & your life will never be the same.
Till tomorrow,
Bill
Quote of the day:"True love is a deep connection between the souls of two people. Remove your EGO & discover the connection of a lifetime."
I begin with the beauty all around me. I take a breathe & suddenly I am not just seeing the beauty but now I become apart of the beauty. Even though I continue to walk on this mountain hike I am no longer just walking. I am going deep inside myself & I feel my soul being refilled.
The physical effort that I need to exert is difficult. The air begins to get thinner as we move from 3,100 feet above sea level at the beginning of the hike to 4,800 feet above sea level at the end of the hike. But even as I try to catch my breath & my legs begin to ache, it's not the physical feelings that I feel. It is the peace & serenity all around me. I am amazed at the quiet. Occasionally we come across other hikers but for most of this 3 hour hike we have only each other & the quiet of the mountain. It's the quiet that amazes me & in the quiet I discover the quiet inside of me. I am no longer hiking in the mountains I am on a journey to reclaim the connection I have with my soul & in part with everything that is.
The sound of the water is constant along the trail & in fact there are times we walk through the water as it makes its way to the mountain stream. We can still see snow & as we make our way to the top there is more & more snow along the sides of the trail. The wind begins to get stronger & we feel it blowing at times along the path when there are no trees to block.
The path ahead becomes very difficult as it's now all rocks & because of all the rain & the melting of the snow the path is very slick. We pause when we need to, to allow our legs to rest & to again catch our breathe. Every time we pause I go deeper inside myself. I feel that I have known this mountain my whole life even though I've never been on this hike before. The connection to each tree, stream & rock brings me back to time long before I was born. I imagine what it was like to encounter this beautiful area for the first time. I hear the birds & their song moves me to places I haven't been in a long time. As we continue on I wonder why this connection is so deep within me. I also question whether I've missed an important part of my life by not working in nature. I set my intention to find a way as I get older to be able to at least volunteer at some of these beautiful treasures we call the National Parks.
At last we make it to the top. The wind is now blowing over 40mph & it is actually very cool. The temperature has continued to fall as we made our way up the mountain. The view from the top is wonderful although it's bit odd because of the lack of green. The Smoky's always have vast amounts of green but since spring has been a bit slow to come here most of the trees haven't even started to bud. So the rolling hills now below us are more brown then green but the view is spectacular!!
We stand at the edge for a while & just take in the beauty. The words are difficult for me to explain the feeling I get when I stand on top of a mountain. I have done many times & vistas ahead of me cause my heart to swell & eyes to tear up. Its been too long since I've been able to feel this feeling. Its been too long since I've seen a vista like this & its been too long since I've been so deeply connected with myself.
The serenity of this hike is amazing & journey back to my soul is always deeper in these natural settings then anything I can feel at home. I capture these moments to always remember them so even when the world keeps me from coming back to the mountains, I am able to close my eyes & come back in my mind. This process serves me well even when I'm under great stress. Like a favorite song the picture in my mind of this moment brings back to me all the joy I have at that particular moment. I will never forget the memories of this walk & I will return often even if it's just in my mind.
We begin the hike back down & the body is starting to remind me of my age & lack of exercise over the winter. I'll be sore for days but I don't mind, the hike was well worth the pain. I wish for each you to find your place of serenity & to visit it often. It is only through the discovery of our inner self that we can be a beacon of light in the world today. We each need to be willing to take the journey to our soul & to discover our connection with everything. May your day be filled with peace & love.
Till tomorrow,
Bill
Quote of the day:"The serenity of nature calls me back to the true connection I have with my soul. Whatever opens your heart to this connection, take time for it today!"
