The Caring Catalyst

Who Cares - What Matters

b r o k e n WHOLE

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Many   think   that   we’re

U     N     B     R     E     A     K     A     B     L     E

when they truest TRUTH

is that the thought of being

U  N  B  R  E  A  K  A  B  L  E

is the only thing truly

B    R    E    A    K    A    B    L    E

I recently finished reading Brene’s latest book

but it in many ways took me back to an earlier book of her’s:

“Resilience — the ability to overcome adversity — has been a growing topic of study since the early 1970s. In a world plagued by stress and struggle, everyone from psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers to clergy and criminal justice researchers want to why and how some folks are better at bouncing back from hardship than others. We want to understand why some people can cope with stress and trauma in a way that allows them to move forward in their lives, and why other people appear more affected and stuck.

“As I collected and analyzed my data, I recognized that many of the people I interviewed were describing stories of resilience. I heard stories about people cultivating Wholehearted lives despite adversity. I learned about people’s capacities to stay mindful and authentic under great stress and anxiety, and I heard people describe how they were able to transform trauma into Wholehearted thriving.

“It wasn’t difficult to recognize these stories as tales of resilience because I was in graduate school during the heyday of resilience research. I knew these narratives were threaded with what we call protective factors — the things we do, have, and practice that give us the bounce.

Trying to be PERFECT

when you’re I M P E R F E C T

Trying to be UNBROKEN

when you’re BROKEN

is stressfully

e x h a u s t i n g

“What   Makes   Up   Resilience?

Brene suggests:

“If you look at the current research, here are five of the most common factors of resilient people:

“1. They are resourceful and have good problem-solving skills.

2. They are more likely to seek help.

3. They hold the belief that they can do something that will help them to manage their feelings and to cope.

4. They have social support available to them.

5. They are connected with others, such as family or friends.

“Of course, there are more factors, depending on the researchers, but these are the big ones.

Ms   Brown   goes   on   to   say:

“At first, I hoped the patterns that I observed in my research would lead to a very straightforward conclusion — resilience is a core component of Wholeheartedness — just like the other guideposts. But there was something more to what I was hearing. The stories had more in common than just resilience; all of these stories were about spirit.

“According to the people I interviewed, the very foundation of the ‘protective factors’ — the things that made them bouncy — was their spirituality. By spirituality, I’m not talking about religion or theology, but I am talking about a shared and deeply held belief. Based on the interviews, here’s how I define spirituality:

“Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.

“Without exception, spirituality — the belief in connection, a power greater than self, and interconnections grounded in love and compassion — emerged as a component of resilience. Most people spoke of God, but not everyone. Some were occasional churchgoers; others were not. Some worshipped at fishing holes; others in temples, mosques, or at home. Some struggled with the idea of religion; others were devout members of organized religions. The   one   thing   that   they   all   had   in   common   was   spirituality   as   the   foundation   of   their   resilience.

“From this foundation of spirituality, three other significant patterns emerged as being essential to resilience:

“1. Cultivating hope

2. Practicing critical awareness

3. Letting   go   of   numbing   and   taking   the   edge   off   vulnerability, discomfort,  and   pain”

Now THAT

is an ALL-DAY

SUCKER

you could   s a v o r   and

s u c k   o n

for months

or maybe even a

l i f e t i m e

.          .          .Kind of gets to that inner heart chamber

of what it’s like to be a

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

CARING CATALYST.       .       .

It’s a big  ENLIGHTENED  Universe out there

with lots of intermittent  dark  spots

that makes us continually grope for our way

o r    a    N  E  W    W  A  Y

.       .       .and isn’t that at our core we are called to do

and better.          .          .

help A N O T H E R

to SEE

to ACHIEVE

TO  B E.          .          .

.          .          .sometimes in our PERFECTLY IMPERFECTNESS

I think it’s all about finding our way

by helping others finding their’s.       .       .

WHEN    YOU    CAN’T    LOOK    ON    THE    BRIGHT    SIDE,
I       W I L L       S I T       W I T H       I N       T H E       D A R K

uhhhhhhh.     .     .what’s more SPIRITUAL

what’s more of a Caring Catalyst

is that.          .          .

T E S T      I T

f i n d   o u t

One out of ONE

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If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.  I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.  I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.  I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.  I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.  I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.  I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.  I would have cried and laughed less while watching television – and more while watching life.  I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.  I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.  I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.  Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.  When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”  There would have been more “I love you’s”.. More “I’m sorry”.   .   .But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.   .   . look at it and really see it.  .  .live it.   .   .and never give it back.
© Erma Bombeck

Classic post, huh?

I am quickly coming up

on yet another Hospice Anniversary.          .          .

I began my Hospice career on October 31, 1994

which has literally been a entire lifetime ago.           .          .

I had two daughters that were 15 and one who was 13

and even harder to believe a 6 year old daughter and a four year old son;

We didn’t have the Internet per se

We didn’t have Smart phones

We didn’t have the pharmaceuticals

We didn’t have the technology

We didn’t have the therapies

We didn’t have the interventions

We didn’t have the supports

we have on this new world of

N          O          W

People died then

as they do today.         .        .

Death hasn’t been eradicated

and though we have new ways to prolong and temporarily escape it

it’s still an unseen death on each of our

C           A           L           E           N           D           A           R           S

I found out early on then

what’s impossible for me to ever forget:

PEOPLE  DIE  BUT  OUR  LOVE  DOESN’T

DEATH  TAKES  A  PERSON,  BUT  NEVER  A  RELATIONSHIP

and that one day

my heart will no longer beat

my lungs won’t inhale/exhale

my pulse will be absent

.          .          .and I will have said

what I have said on countless other’s behalves:

TO THE LIVING I AM GONE
TO THE SORROWFUL I WILL NEVER RETURN
TO THE ANGRY I WAS CHEATED
TO THE HAPPY I AM AT PEACE
TO THE FAITHFUL I HAVE NEVER LEFT
I  CAN’T  BE  SEEN  BUT  I  CAN  STILL  HEAR
I  CAN’T  SPEAK  BUT  I  CAN  STILL  LISTEN
SO  AS  STAND  ON  A  SHORE  LOOKING  AT  THE  SEA
OR  THE  BEAUTY  OF  A  FLOWER
REMEMBER  ME,
THE  TIMES  WE’VE  FOUGHT
THE  TIMES  WE’VE  CRIED
THE  TIMES  WE’VE  LAUGHED
THE  TIMES  WE’VE  LOVED
FOR  IF  YOU  ALWAYS  THINK  OF  ME
I  WILL  HAVE  NEVER  GONE.     .     .

So maybe the biggest question that looms in front of each of us isn’t

Not what will I do on the Day I die.          .          .

so much as

What will I do the day I KNOW I will DIE

.          .          .CLASS  IS  IN  SESSION

and YOU WILL HAVE TO RESPOND

already knowing,

NO RESPONSE

is a RESPONSE.          .          .

The Bad News:

YOU     ARE     GOING     TO     DIE

the Good News:

M A K E     S U R E     Y O U R     B U C K E T   HAS    A    H O L E     I N     I T

If I had my life to live over.     .     .

Y               O               U

have the chance to fill in the blank

.            .            .no written exam available

 

A Call To ARMS

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Another     Horrific    Tragedy:

We are all still stunned

As WE seek for

UNDERSTANDING

REASONS

THEORIES

SAFETY

HOPE

HEALING

L            O            V            E

Non-Violence  is  the  greatest  force  at  the  disposal  of  mankind.  It  is mightier  than  the  lightest  weapon  of  destruction  devised  by  the  ingenuity of  man–Mahatma Ghandi

T          R          U          E          L          Y

are we past  T H I S ?

Aside from totally being stunned by the sheer madness;

the utter devastation of at least  5 9  innocent people being massacred.       .       .

theres’s a Call to Arms.          .          .

And if there’s ONE TIME

that’s absolutely true.          .          .

IT  IS  NOW

after recent hurricanes and earthquakes

and now, THIS:

I T     I S    N O W

.          .          .But,

A            C A L L            T O            A R M S ?

A B S O L U T E L Y

but not by buying more guns

or even absurdly thinking to rid the world of them.     .      .

but by using what is so readily available to each of us:

O U R       A  R  M  S

.            .            .But, H O W

Literally HUGGING everyone you know

and those you don’t.            .            .

RESPECT   EVERYONE–INCLUDING   YOURSELF

No one can degrade you without your permission and it is WITHIN YOU to uplift ANYONE, the richest, the poorest, the most kind or the most evil around us.     .     .

ALWAYS  INCLUDE  CONSTRUCTIVE  ALTERNATIVES

Fancy way to say:

B E     T H E     D I F F E R E N C E

Thousands of studies have shown that working together is the most effective way to unite people–this is being an ultimate CARING CATALYST; It builds community and reassures the general public that YOUR MOVEMENT  is not a danger to any social order but a pure restoration of IT

BE  AWARE  OF  THE  LONG  TERM

Yes.     .     .VIOLENCE is effective, maybe way too much effective but in the long run it leads to more misery and DISorder; In non-violence, we can lose battles but still go on to win the war

LOOK   FOR   WIN-WIN   SOLUTIONS 

Whenever I can be a part of another’s success; I AM SUCCESSFUL; When I row you across the roughest and most troubled of waters, I get to the other side, too!

U S E     P O W E R     C A R E F U L L Y

PROVE that the greatest power is never at the end of a gun  barrel  but at the end of your hand.     .     .it’s true, that when you reach out you may get hurt, shunned, mocked, but you also run the high risk of not just healing, affirming, comforting but actually REACHING what needs reached most: A N O T H E R

TRUE     OR     FALSE:

Is all LIFE is interconnected; Your PAIN is my PAIN; YOUR HAPPINESS is MY HAPPINESS.       .       .

I  can  never  be  what  I  ought  to  be  until  you  are  what  you  ought  to  be.   And  you  can  never  be  what  you  ought  to  be  until  I  am  what  I  ought  to  be.  Martin Luther King, Jr.

When it comes to  not  just  bearing  arms,

but actually using the two most powerful ways possible:

O U R   A R M S

to effect the most drastic means of healing change

there’s but one answer:

Without a doubt

Violence is a bon-fire of hurt that burns many,

Love is that small flicker that makes it impossible

for us to forget the

F         L         A         M         E 

We hear.     .     .

We witness what happens

most recently in Las Vegas

and while we’re so tempted to

r     e     m     e     m     b     e     r

the senselessness of it

we need more to be

m     i     n     d     f     u     l

of  how  our  own  personal

C A L L        T O       A R M S

is a Caring Catalyst way

that will bring the most

long lasting solution.          .          .

Our Constitution

is not going to be amended to repeal our right to bear arms

H     I     S     T     O     R     Y

i n s t r u c t s

evil will remain.       .       .

u  l  t  u  m  a  t  e  l  y

G U N S  and  L O V E

can never be legislated.          .          .

but of the two—

only one has a everlasting effect.          .          .

B  E

T  H  E        G  L  O  W          O  F          T  H  A  T          W A R M          E M B E R

which   is   always  inextinguishable

L  I  G  H  T       T  H  E      W  A  Y

Caring Catalyst Cost’s

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No   doubt   there’s

N    O    T    H    I    N    G

Like   it,

but   being

A       C  A  R  I  N  G      C  A  T  A  L  Y  S  T

C          O          S          T          S

Yesterday, on the Fourth of July

millions across the Country  celebrated

Independence Day.       .       .

It probably went largely unnoticed

that  FREEDOM

isn’t   F R E E

In this world

S      O      M      E      O      N      E      S

truly  pay  the  price

for people to be free.        .       .

Doubt it?

Go back to the very signers of

The Declaration of Independence

ALL  56  of them

paid with what you can’t cash in a Check

I F 

they   won   the   war   with   the   British

there would still be years of hardship as a struggling nation.        .        .

If   they   lost

they would have faced a hangman’s noose.       .       .

and yet there it is where it says,

“WE    HEREWITH    PLEDGE   OUR   LIVES, OUR   FORTUNES,  AND   OUR    SACRED    HONOR.”

They signed it.        .        .

but do you know what price was paid for those very signatures?

The late, great Paul Harvey

in his broadcast on July 4, 1974 reminded us

That Carter Braxton, a wealthy planter and trader, after signing saw his ships swept from the seas to pay his debts.    .    .He lost his home and all of his property.  He died in rags

         *              *            *

That Thomas McKean of Delaware was so harassed by the enemy that he was forced to move his family five times in five months.     .     He served in Congress without pay–his family in poverty and in hiding

    *               *                *

That Thomas Nelson, Jr of Virginia raised $2 Million on his own signature for provision for our allies, the French Fleet.        .        .After the War he personally paid back the loans which wiped out his estate; he was never reimbursed by the government and he died bankrupt

  *                 *                *

That John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside while she was dying; his 13 children fled in all directions for their lives.     .     His fields and gristmill were laid waste and for more than a year he lived in forests and caves to only return home from the War to find his wife, dead, his children, gone, his properties, gone only himself to die a few weeks later of exhaustion and a broken heart  

*                  *                 *

Of all the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence

few were long to survive.          .          .

Five were captured by the British

and severely tortured before dying.          .          .

Twelve had their homes

from Rhode Island to Charleston

sacked and looted

occupied by the enemy

or burned.     .     .

Two of them

lost their sons in the Army

One had two sons captured.        .        .

Nine of the 56 died in the War

from its hardships or merciful bullets.       .       .

They had learned that liberty is so much more important

than security.       .       .

For   T H A T    they pledged their lives

their   fortunes

their   sacred   honor.          .          .

They  fulfilled  their  pledge

They  paid  the  price

   AND      FREEDOM      WAS      BORN

T       R       U       T       H :

I didn’t give that much thought

with the second helping of potato salad

the extra piece of apple pie

the barbecue

and certainly not during

The  Fireworks

b   u   t         w   h   y.        .        .

why not think

give second thought

that being a Caring Catalyst

especially then

or even at the very moment

doesn’t come with a cost.          .          .

that needs

P               A               Y               I               N               G

which    leads    to    the    ultimate    question

On the Fourth or the Fifth of July

or   E V E R:

Are    You    Willing    To    Pay    IT?

They   did.       .        .

D O    Y O U ?

 

The Happiness BEAST

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S i m p l e    Q u e s t i o n:

W H A T      M A K E S     Y O U     H A P P Y ?

A good Cigar

Some fine music 

Adult Beverage

A Book

A Beautiful Outside Setting

?               ?               ?               ?               ?

Not for everyone, huh?

Is there that overwhelming

100%

slam-dunk

one-size-fits-and-pleases-all

solution to

W          O          R          L          D

or

p e r s o n a l

H            A            P            P            I            N            E            S            S

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.       .        .

the answer might not

uhhhh make yoiu

h          a          p          p          y.             .             .

Maybe it’s just being overemphasized;

Did you know that

H A P P I N E S S

has it’s own it’s own

h     o     l     i     d     a     y ?

Just a few years ago

The General Assembly of the United Nations

proclaimed MARCH 20

to the be the

International Day of Happiness.       .       .

Oops.          .          .

I missed it;

I didn’t celebrate.          .          .

But it is easy to see why

H A P P I N E S S

is worth celebrating:

Happy people are healthier;

they get sick less often

THEY     LIVE     L O N G E R

Happy people have better realtionships

more friends

make more money

are more productive at work.     .     .

Based on decades of research

it’s become very clear

that Happiness is not just a personal issue;

it’s a matter of public health,

global economics

and natural well being

B           U          T

it’s subjective, isn’t it?

THE   GREATER   GOOD   SCIENCE   CENTER

(Yes, it really does exist–Google it)

They simply recommend through

S   C   I   E   N   T   I   F   I   C        S   T   U   D   Y

ACKNOWLEDGE    THE    GOOD

(WRITE DOWN 3 THINGS A DAY YOU ARE GRATEFUL )

ADD    HAPPINESS   THROUGH   SUBTRACTION 

(GIVE IT UP PRACTICE–GIVE UP WHAT YOU REALLY LIKE JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME SO YOU CAN APPRECIATE IT EVEN ALL THE MORE)

FIND MEANING AND PURPOSE

(TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND LITERALLY JOURNAL FOR 15 MINUTES A DAY JUST ABOUT YOUR IDEAL FUTURE AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE)

USE   YOUR   STRENGTH

(PICK ONE OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND USE IT EXCLUSIVELY IN A NEW AND DIFFERENT WAY FOR A WEEK AND THEN ANOTHER AND THEN ANOTHER. . . )

CONNECT     WITH     OTHERS

(JUST DO FIVE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS A DAY–NOT OVER A WEEK, BUT A DAY FOR A WEEK; STUDIES SHOUT THAT WHEN YOU DO–GIVE–IT SIGNIFICANTLY MAKES YOU HAPPIER)

WHAT      REALLY     MAKES     YOU     HAPPY ?

It’s different for everyone

T       H       A       N       K       F       U       L       L       Y  

QUICK  ANSWER:

WHATEVER   FEEDS   YOUR   SOUL

but you’ve got to

ACTUALLY  FEED  YOUR  SOUL

it won’t happen

through osmosis 

IF HAPPINESS IS A TRAIN

YOU DON’T HAVE TO RIDE THE CABOOSE

OR JUST BE A PASSENGER

WATING TO GO TO THE DINING CAR

ENGINEER THAT TRAIN

AND TOOT-TOOT YOURSELF DOWN THE TRACK 

NOT TO HAPPINESS

BUT TO YOUR

S E V E N T H     H E A V E N 

SEE YOU AT THE STATION!

CHOOO-CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Your Compassion Fingerprint

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6303

WHAT’S      IN      IT      FOR      ME ? 

It’s a question asked by many.       .      .

by me.         .         .

by you.         .         .

b  y         u  s.

It’s really asked when it comes to

being   kind,

being   compassionate, 

not   o  n  c  e,

but time and again and again,

over and over.

HOW  MANY  TIMES  IS  ENOUGH?

WHEN’S  IT  OUR  TURN?

WHY  NOT  US?

All good questions,

but can we just take a deep breath,

no.           .           .

go ahead and take three deep breaths in a row,

holding each one for about five seconds

and then letting them all the way out real slowly.         .        .

P           A           U           S           E

And reframe the Questions

to just one single

o      n      e:

W h y     P r a c t i c e     C o m p a s s i o n ?

The scientific research is really starting to pile up

and it all dramatically points to what you might have felt

but now can fully experience.

The benefits of being

C      o      m      p      a      s      s      i      o      n      a      t      e,

literally,

can improve your health,

well-being,

and relationships,

both your intimate,

close ones as well the fringe friendships.       .       .

Many scientists are even telling us that Compassion may even be vital to the survival of our species and through actual dedicated, intentional practice, these benefits can literally be

off      the      charts !

The Compassion Research is telling us:

  • Compassion makes us feel good: a compassionate act activates pleasure circuits in the brain.
  • Being Compassionate–tuning in to other people in a kind and loving ways can actually reduce the risk of heart disease by boosting the positive effects of the Vargus Nerve, which helps to slow our heart rate.
  • Brain scans during loving-kindness meditation, which directs compassion toward suffering, suggest that, on average, compassionate people’s minds wander less about what’s gone wrong in their lives or what might go wrong in the future, making them happier.
  • Brain scans also show that when people experience compassion, their brains activate in neural systems to support parental nurturance–they become better parents.
  • Compassion helps make people better spouses; they’re more optimistic and supportive when communicating with others.
  • Compassion helps make better friends.
  • Employees who receive more compassion in their workplace see themselves, their co-workers, and their organization in a more positive light, report feeling more positive emotions like joy and contentment, and are more committed to their jobs.
  • Compassionate people are more socially adept, making them less vulnerable to loneliness; loneliness has been shown to cause stress and hare the immune system.

So.        .        .

WHAT’S   IN  IT  FOR  ME?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.      .      .

it seems,

not   one   thing.      .      .

It’s    m a n y    things!

Pssssssssssssssssst:

 N  E  V  E  R      T  R  U  S  T      T  H  E      S  C  I  E  N  C  E !

Use yourself as your own private lab experiment.         .         .

Test it for yourself.

What have you got to lose?

Ummmmmmmmmmm:

Just  being

 L    E    S    S         C    O    M    P    A    S    S    I    O    N    A    T    E  !  

Your V o t e

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img_2262

The     V    O    T    E

y        o        u       r        s:

I’m not asking if you used yours

this past week.      .      .

I’m asking if you are

e          x          e          r          c          i          s          i          n          g

your  vote  at

this very moment?

I’m not asking

W      H       O

you voted for.        .        .

I’m imploring

W     H     A     T

you vote for

day by day

moment by moment?

History

was made

this past Tuesday

as America came to

v o t e

once again.       .        .

i m p r e s s i o n s

are more importantly being made

every moment

a vote

much more important than

what happens every four years

is the one

that we

m          a          k            e

countless times

a    d a y.     .     .

n           o           w ;

we are hearing

we are seeing

we are feeling

we are experiencing

a myriad of emotions

ever since

T H E     V O T E :

Grief

Anger

Shock

Fear

Disbelief

Elation

and we do what we do best

when any one of those things intrude on us:

T  U  R  N      A  W  A  Y

A  Suggestion:

Turn  Towards

I      T

D A R E.       .       .

EMBRACE   IT.     .     .

Why?

Because we can’t control the

u n c o n t r o l l a b l e.     .     .

Just because we like

fairytale like

h a p p y   e n d i n g s

seldom guarantees them;

The more sure bet guarantee is

c h a n g e

u n c e r t a i n t y.     .     .

There is brutal suffering in our world.     .     .

in  our  Nation

but there is an abundance of

C          O          M          P           A           S          S          I          O          N

to  confront that suffering.       .       .

The Buddhists

have an age old saying:

BEFORE  ENLIGHTENMENT,  CHOP  WOOD  AND  CARRY  WATER;  AFTER  ENLIGHTENMENT,  CHOP WOOD  AND  CARRY  WATER

Can you give that a  VOTE?

NO  ONE  IS  GREATER  THAN  ALL  OF  US

Can you give that a  VOTE?

LOVE  IS  THE  GREATEST  FORCE  IN  AND  OUT  OF  THIS  WORLD

Can you give that a  VOTE?

BEING  A  CARING  CATALYST  IS  A  CONSTANT  CHANGE  AGENT

Can you give that a  VOTE?

No one can ever take our  VOTE  away.       .       .

Especially

The one we choose to exercise

our

compassion

our

love

our

willingness to be open and affirming

our

openness to embrace

the uncomfortable

until it becomes

more bearable.     .     .

To  SHOW   UP

when it’s least popular

or even advantageous

Can you give that a  VOTE.       .        .

Then you’ve just

chopped a forest of wood

carried a Lake of water

and made history

that hopefully gets

r e p e a t e d

endlessly.     .     .

Can  you  give  that  a   VOTE?

L O V E

is

L O V E

Right Side UP

and maybe more especially

 UP  Side  down.        .        .

W i l l    you  give  that  a   VOTE ?

Congratulations on a Campaign well run

an Election well won

.        .         .now   l e a d

where aimless haven’t followed

and followers haven’t yet gone.       .       .

What You Do

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How many times have you been asked?

How many times have you asked it of yourself?

How many times have you actually answered it?

How many times have you dared to

L     I     V     E

 I     T   ?

If money were truly NO object.      .      .

What would you do?

Are you Living the life of your dreams

or the life that just feeds a bank account,

a pension, a 401K account,

a mortgage payment,

a water/gas/electric/cable bill,

a   s t o m a c h ?

Do you even believe it?

Doing what you truly love

means that the money will actually follow.       .       .

How many people do you know,

r i g h t  n o w ,

at this moment,

that are actually  l    i    v    i    n    g

the   life   of   their   dreams?

Are   you?

What ultimately keeps you back,

fear of failing,

fear of success,

fear of going bankruptcy,

fear of embarrassment

that others might heap upon you?

If money were no object.       .       .

If failure wasn’t in fact an option.        .        .

Would you.       .       .

would you live the life of your dreams?

What?

How do you know what

T         H         A         T

actually is?

It’s been theorized

that the graduates of 2016

will not have five jobs.     .     .

they will have

S       I       X

C  A  R  E  E  R  S

Psssssssssssssst:

IT   IS   MOST   OFTEN   MORE   THAN   ONE   THING !

Don’t ever subtract your very self to just

A     P  u  r  p  o  s  e
A     M  e  a  n  i  n  g
A     R  e  a  s  o  n
A     D  e  s  t  i  n  y

You   are

P    L    U    R    A    L

not Singular.      .      .

You are NOT just a Success or a Failure.        .        .

You are a succession

of   both

and so many other things

in between those two poles.      .      .

You will never be inspired

to be a Musician

if you are a true Painter,

an Accountant

if you are a Mechanic,

a Teacher

if you are a Rocket Scientist.       .       .

You are    P     L     U     R     A     L

never    Singular; 

Go ahead PICK ONE       .       .

even if it means turning the page.     .     .

or Beginning a new Chapter.     .     .

Starting a new Book.     .     .

or completely shredding it

and writing a new one

with some-not-so-blank

p a p e r

and an inkless  pen.       .       .

It’s   Y O U !

And you.        .         .

You are always worth betting on;

If you can bet,

go    all    in    on    y o u r s e l f.         .          .

A n y     w h i c h     o n e     y   o   u.       .       .

Labor Day/Labor Life

By 2 Comments

Pay_To_Quit

What would it take?

How much money would you need to walk away from your job–

N          O          W ?

$5000.00?

$50,000.00?

1 Million dollars?

How much money would it take for you to quit your job?

You know,

it’s   not   a   fantasy   question.

AMAZON CEO, Jeff Bezos actually instituted such a program a little over a year ago.

It’s called:   P A Y    T O    Q U I T    P O L I C Y 

under their heading of

 “Employee Empowerment.”

Now, Mr. Bezos, doesn’t actually want to have people quit, in fact, the headline on the offer is is:

PLEASE DON’T TAKE THIS OFFER

So why the offer. . .

w h y    t h e    t e a s e ?

The goal is supposedly to encourage folks to take a moment and think about what they really want.

Amazon feels that in the long run,

someone staying where they don’t want to be isn’t healthy for the employee or the company,

h     e     n     c     e,

here’s   $5000.00   to leave.

So.        .        .

what would it cost to get you out of your job?

Wait.        .        .

hold onto   that   anchor

before you pull it up and set sails to some other sunset.

There’s a study with Wells Fargo

that 22% of the middle class would

 rather  die  early  than  not  have  enough  money  to  live  comfortably  in  retirement?

Holy Conundrums, Batman.

In a way,

every day is some sort of a   Labor Life,   isn’t it?

Not just the First Monday in September.      .      .

Not just a couple of days ago to end a perfect weather weekend.       .       .

Maybe the real question is,

WHAT   REALLY   KEEPS   YOU   DOING   WHAT   YOU’RE   DOING?

How about a 30 hour work week?

Amazon just pitched that out to their employees, too.       .       .

I      N      T      E      R      E      S      T      E       D ?

Pssssssssssssst:

IF  Money  and Benefits are the answer,

maybe we’re not living to our fullest capabilities

and  we’d  be  better  off  cashing  it  all  in?

It doesn’t matter much what your real Passion is. . .

WHAT   DO   YOU   DO   BEST?

It’s amazing when I have had countless conversations with hospice patients

and it eventually gets to the part of

r        e        g        r        e        t        s

and has life been

 m       e       a       n       i       n       g       f       u       l, 

just how often the extreme existential pain centers around

what  was  done  instead  of  what  was  

W    A    N   T   E   D  

to    be    done.

I’ve been told,

“I hated every day of that job for 40 years.”

“WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER DONE,” I’d ask?

“I wanted to be a Teacher.”

“I wanted to be a Musician.”

“I wanted to be an Artist.”

“I wanted to be a Writer.”

“I wanted to be______________________________.”

Hmmmmmm.         .         .

the pain of the never-to-be-filled-in-blank is intense,

sometimes unbearable.

I usually ask Leadership groups that I facilitate,

“WHO HAS THE BEST JOB IN THIS ROOM?”

HINT:

If the answer isn’t,

“I      D O !”

maybe it would make this next question even more relevant?

What   would   it   take   for   you   to   walk   away   from   your   job?

A certain amount of money?

Severely generous benefits?

Full paid tuition for further education?

Unboundless Security?

N    O    T    H    I    N    G ?

I wonder.    .    .

which answer would completely assure you were in the absolutely,

100% perfect-for-you-job?

.      .      .a true Labor of Love

.      .      .a true Labor of Living?

Pssssssssssssst:

If you’re going to bet your life on something

.     .     .bet it something you’re willing to die for

while  you’re

l          i          v          i          n          g !

Go     All     IN

Bet  The  Farm

BURN     THE     BRIDGE

and use the

L          I          G          H          T

to    go

Y  O  U  R       W  A  Y

 

A Sewing of Special Oats

By 2 Comments

https://youtu.be/eoyq9pcp4Cg

 

What a Grrrreat Video, huh?

W H A T    I F

.      .      .what if you got the chance to do something you’ve always wanted to do.      .      .

but.      .      .

B      U      T,

You had to start  

T             O             D             A             Y–

B E G I N     R I G H T      N O W ?

I love my children intensely.

Most parents do,

no matter what their ages,

conditions,

situations

or willingness to return the same kind of love.

As School has already begun and Summer vacation has come to an abrupt end

My mind has wandered back to

T       H       O       S       E              D       A       Y       S

when we had all five of of our kids under roof at one time during the Summer.

Best Memory:

I would take each one,

by themselves,

out to the Breakfast stop of their choosing.

Not only would they get whatever they wanted for breakfast,

we’d usually hit the Dollar Store

or Thrift Shop

before returning home to the others.

There were no times in my life,

more sacred and precious.

We’d laugh,

joke,

pull stuff on the others at home that they were never suspecting.     .     .

TALK   ABOUT   ALL   OF   THE   OTHERS   AT   HOME,

scheme,

dream,

talk about

‘once upon a time’s

and time’s to come;

they’d listen to their favorite music or radio station during that time;

we’d just be together.      .      .

we would love.

I remember when I was a little kid,

I’d be just a tad jealous when Mother’s and Father’s Day would come around.

Seriously.      .      .

PARENTS    GET    A    DAY,

I’d think. . .?

One time I even asked,

“HOW COME KIDS DON’T GET A DAY?”

.       .       .and I loved the answer:

“BECAUSE    EVERY    DAY    IS    CHILDREN’S    DAY!”

.        .        .these are the things that I initially thought about when I first saw this video.        .        .

B     U     T.        .        .  

the Question:

“WHAT    IF    YOU    GOT    THE    CHANCE    TO    DO    SOMETHING    YOU    ALWAYS    WANTED    TO DO    BUT    YOU    HAD    TO    START    TODAY ?”

Cranked me right between the eyes and thankfully,

sank in much deeper than the outer eye could see

and the inner eye had to examine.

Well.       .       .

what if you got    that    chance?

What if.        .        .

you never got THAT Chance.      .      .

but    manufactured      it      anyway?

Would your life be different,

T    O    M    O    R    R    O    W ?

Hmmmmmm.       .       .

that’s enough to Roll your Oats,

isn’t   it?

Forget letting  THAT  stir something up in you.        .        .

let it be your Life-Long meal

that sustains you again and again and again.          .          .

and.          .          .

feeds others in a way,

they too,

never hunger again!

A   Sewing   of   a   Special   Kind   of   Oats

Bon  appetit!

Professional Speaker, Author, Assurance Man