Growing in Isolation

 

 

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.”



And What Now?

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 together but 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.”

When Enough is Enough!

We all have our breaking points, they can be vastly different from one person to the next but we all have them. Sometimes they’re triggered by life events; Marriage, Divorce, A Death or Moving & sometimes they’re triggered by our own internal strife; Being unhappy, not knowing our true self, listening to the noise around you rather then to that small voice inside. There are dozens of more examples of these things & of course we can always add ‘people’. Yes, people can push over the edge. I personally try to move away from this because I’ve come to understand that I have no control over how people react in my life. Certainly in the moment I can get caught up in the energy of the other person but I quickly realize that whatever they’re upset about may not have anything to do with me. No matter how well you think you know another person, you can never know truly what’s ‘bothering’ them unless they’re willing to talk about it & you’re willing to truly listen (not an easy task always).

My point here isn’t what triggers the feeling of being overwhelmed or having enough. The reason you reach that point isn’t as important as being in that state of mind & how you react when you get there. So when you reach your breaking point, what do you do? Do you scream & yell, to hide away from the world? Do you avoid people or situations so you don’t go even further over the edge? Do you drink more or take drugs to dull your feelings until you get through to the other side of this tipping point?

I personally have no perfect solution to the feeling of being overwhelmed; I have discovered though that there are ways beyond the feeling & although I have fallen into this trap from time to time myself, I have discovered ways to minimize the length of time for feeling overwhelmed. What makes this situation even worse is stress. When stress is added to the equation of feeling overwhelmed you can really dig yourself a tough hole to get out of.

So what I have learned? First, give yourself permission to feel overwhelmed. It’s ok, really it is. We deal with so much in our lives today that no other generation had to worry about. Everything happens so much faster & the world expects an answer now, not tomorrow, not next week but now. So it truly is ok to feel overwhelmed, it’s ok to feel you’ve had a enough, allow the feeling, feel the feeling & then let it go. This may sound easy & after you practice releasing feelings or any kind it will become easier. For now just trust that by slowing down, relaxing & releasing the situation to God/universe you can begin to heal from this overwhelming feeling.

Secondly, I give myself time. I try to push as much stuff in my life to a future date or I ask for help from friends or family explaining that currently my plate is full & if you can do xy or z for me it would really help me right now. This can be a tough thing for some people to do but think about how wonderful you feel when you’re able to help a friend or family member with something. Don’t deny them that same wonderful feeling allow them to help with whatever they can.

Thirdly, be grateful! Find something in your life that you’re grateful for, no matter how bad things are you can always find something to be grateful for & by experiencing true gratitude you will begin to feel less overwhelmed. I have personally found that this step alone can lift me back up, for through gratitude everything is possible.

Finally, for me, the final step is to understand that this to shall pass. Nothing lasts forever & even though when we’re in the middle of a situation it can feel like it, it will come to end. Think through all things you’ve gone through in your life; give yourself credit for making it through everything that’s happened to you in the past. We all tend to be the hardest on ourselves so instead give yourself credit & know that you’ve made it through all the things you’ve experienced before & you’ll make it through this as well.

We all are beautiful divine creatures & we can’t control everything that happens in our lives. We can learn from what we face & grow into a better understanding of how to face uncertainty in the future. You have the power within you to create the world you want to live in. You have the power to transform your life into anything that you want it to be. Believe in yourself; believe in the process of life & growth. Know the joy in every moment even the moments we’d rather forget. Joy is all around us & if we allow ourselves to discover it even in the hard times, imagine how much we’ll find in the good times.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “You are beautiful, you are love & you can change the world, believe & it will be.”

WHY?

The timeless question of why? It may be the first thing you remember asking as a child. It fuels our curiosity & drives us to find a better way. The truth is ‘why’ is one of the cornerstones of who we are as human beings, we question everything & although this can lead to new & exciting answers, it can also lead to a spiral of despair.

I understand that when you look back over the last 200 years or so you’ll know that only because of great men asking why have we had all the inventions that we’ve become accustom to. I know that through our curiosity we can grow to a higher level of understanding but I’ve learned first hand of the downside of an active mind. A mind that questions everything & is never truly satisfied with the answer. A mind that lacks contentment & peace, that knows not the joy of the beauty around it.

Yes, that was my mind for many years. I did find beauty from time to time but my mind was always onto the next best thing. I could figure out complex puzzles while watching a movie or walking the dogs. This wasn’t all bad but on a spiritual level I never felt satisfied. My EGO was going wild because there seemed to be nothing I couldn’t do, except find true joy.

The quieting of my mind took me most of my life, thus far, to figure out. I learned painfully well that by ‘over-thinking’ everything in our lives we miss out on the most important thing & that thing is….how we feel. I learned to understand that by allowing myself to feel that deep feeling that comes from my heart, I could discover joy.

Now, I’m not going to sit here & tell you not to think, that’s not the point of this blog. The point is to understand the difference between acting out of pure thought & understanding how you feel in any given situation. There’s always times when you need to look at & analyze things, as there are times when you act on pure emotions without regard to thought. We don’t live in a vacuum where one thing is better then another, we instead live our lives everyday doing the best we can & because of this we look for ways to bring more joy into our lives, to me that way is by understanding our true feelings.

We can grow only so far by reading & thinking & staying on an intellectual level. The longer we stay there the harder it is to move away from it & before you know it you’ll talk yourself out of some the best things in the world. Our hearts won’t lead us stray very often if we truly listen to them. In fact, as we begin to understand how we feel about the things in our lives, we begin to understand ourselves better. It is through this understanding that God/universe acts to give us more of what makes us happy. Each of us was born a pure spirit that knew nothing but joy, we’ve learned to be cynical, we’ve learned to hate & fear. By opening our hearts we begin to discover the joy we knew as a child, the joy that knew no bounds, the joy makes a moment last a lifetime.

Believe in yourself; know that whatever challenges you are facing, big or small, can be overcome by growing your spirit & understanding who you are. Allow yourself to trust in your heart, it will open the world to you. Know that you will make through no matter how difficult it gets. I believe in you & in your spirit, you are special & I am blessed to know you.

Till next time,

Bill

Quote of the day: “Trust in your heart & everything is possible.”

It's not easy being green!

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.”

Moving out of your own way

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.”

My Journey

This week I introduce another guest blogger; Tony Anders. Tony is a great friend that writes a wonderful blog called: "Artisan of the Human Spirit" Check out Tony's blog & enjoy this wonderful post.

My Journey........

Joy was always out there- the key words being "out there." Interestingly as I was invited to post on Journey to Joy, I had a blog brewing on this topic. I was always sure that even in the storms, in the peril, and through the pain, joy awaited.

I look back and have found many times when I was able to find joy. As a young lad, I could always seem to find a bunch of it every Christmas morning. A trip to the mall to get my new school clothes would definitely fit the bill. A puppy. A new bike. Ice cream.

Joy was simple, abundant and obtainable. I didn't have to look far, travel much, or struggle to find those things that brought me joy. They seemed to simply manifest. Maybe that is why I did not spend much time looking for it. It appeared like the morning sun.

I have always been blessed growing up to have a roof over my head, food in my belly, and loved ones surrounding me. However for some reason, once my life's odometer turned into double digits, the usual difficulties of teenagers set in. Daily struggles became as predictable as pimples on prom day and joy seemed to prove to be a bit more elusive.

"I don't have enough for the Jordache jeans, so I guess I have to wear Wranglers."

"Dude, can you spot me a few for gas money?"

"Why don't girls like guys who are in the chess club?"

Ah, yes - the big issues. It sure was rough being a teenager in America. Joy seemed to runs away as fast as we chased it. Broken hearts, scratched CD's, and parental dictators made the world a cruel and formidable opponent.

Fortunately the distance between here and joy was often narrowed with dances, football games, and handwritten notes passed in the hallways allowing us to forget the “doomsday” that was yesterday. Sometimes.

Adulthood - the point where we finally get to celebrate our liberation and make our own choices. We are now free to make our own decisions forgetting that the bad ones can be as useful to our growth as the good ones.

We go from being parented to parenting. I have often said: "Kids and golf - the most fun you can have being pissed off!" (I adore my kids)

We don’t have to ask for money anymore, yet now we have to earn it. This pungent ingredient in life's mix is often the machete that severs our tether to the security of our dock. This coveted item often causes some of the most joylessness in our lives. Whether it be abundance or abandon, money can paradoxically hide the path to joy like no other.

It is often the "things" we seek joy in that are often the things that contain the least amount of it. Titles, adoration, money, power, toys, and treasures are what many place as the true north on their compass in their journey to joy. This compass has a wavering polarity held in place by the magnetism of our soul.

I have found in my journey to joy, the further I searched, the further I ventured, the longer I traveled, the further I distanced myself from that which I sought. The more I cast my eyes down the road, the harder it was for me to see what was right in front of me.

The lighthouse we seek to lead us to joy must first have a beacon burning inside of us. We will then see the lights that shine, often illuminate the path to the same place. It illuminates the spaces closest to us.

It is in these familiar spaces we reconnect with our soul. Joy is not as much "out there", as it is inside of us awaiting release.

Once the beacon is lit, we then see bathing in that light, those around us who support and love us. The joy and wealth in life is found in our relationships and our ability to recognize them.

Joy is not found in a destination, but the path we tread upon and those we venture with.

In our journey to joy we should not resign ourselves to the exclusive appreciation for those people, and experiences around us currently, but to continue to open ourselves to the new experiences awaiting us. Both the pleasant and the punishing cultivate the people we become along our way.

Along your journey, find solace in the fact that in your preparation, you are going to encounter potholes and bumps. You will encounter things that test your emotional shock absorbers. However it is with gratitude and appreciation for those you journey with and encounter along the way that make your journey to joy a soul nourishing adventure.

Thanks for walking in my journey with me! Return here often for friends to accompany you in your journey as well. Godspeed...





Tony




After spending a quarter century in the beauty industry, Tony realized his passion had shifted from what was happening on the outside of people to what was occuring on the inside. Years of listening to other’s stories led him to seek a deeper spiritual understanding of how all things are connected. Tony’s own challenges and experiences give his writing a warmth and compassion, and are shared through the perspective of a “regular guy.”
Tony is an active blogger and a published author and his work can be found on:
http://artisanofthehumanspirit.blogspot.com/
and on his website:
http://www.tonyanders.com/