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Albert Einstein on Success

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On success

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“If A is a success in life, then A equals X plus Y plus Z.  Work is X; Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut.”

Work.  Play.  Listen.  Einstein’s formula for experiencing a new version of life called A.

The questions that sometimes emerge in my journaling are about how to combine work and play so that they are seamlessly one.  How can I enjoy my work so much that it feels like play?  And how can I incorporate more play into my work, while still feeling like I am creating something that serves another?

Perhaps my answer lies in Z.   Maybe I am not listening.   At least not enough.  My mouth is open and expressing thoughts, feelings, and even complaints.  If I paused to meditate, breathe, pause, and listen, it is possible that I might feel more simpatico with life’s meaning, purpose, objective — or whatever it is that drives us and compels us to discover and contribute and, ultimately, feel more successful.

Work.  Play.  Keep my mouth shut.   Listen.  Pay attention to the promptings and follow through.  Play more music.  Take longer walks.  Look around.  Be still.   Follow.   Experience a success in life.

 

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like yourself?

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piano-1396971_960_720. be yourself

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day,    Thou canst not then be false to any man.”  – Shakespeare

The other day, a friend asked me, “On a scale of 1 – 10, how much do you like yourself?”  I hesitated and wondered for a moment, letting self-awareness and self-confidence do a do-si-do with any real (or false) sense of humility and low self-esteem that was hiding inside me.

I was struggling that day.  Unbeknownst to me, it was apparent to this person.  I thought that I had been holding it all together so well with just enough breezy positivity to keep me afloat.  In reality, my world felt to be Continue reading →

I think . . . you are a really good dog.

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Val. cognito ergo sum. valentino

Dogs, how I love thee.

There is something about the way that my dog looks at me that reassures me that all is well with the world.  That things are going to work out.  That she always has my back. That she will be there after all of the dust has settled.  That my worries aren’t always going to manifest in the crazy ways that my imagination presents.

That life is meant to be lived in the moment.  That there is fun to be had and adventures to be discovered.  That spontaneity rules and patience serves.   That the moment is here to be experienced, not anticipated.   That it feels good to bust a move when I am just so darned excited.

Dogs.  Devotion.  Loyalty.  Trust.  And the best sense of humor on planet Earth.  We love them and they love us without hesitation.  You can’t get a friend more loving and loyal than your dog.  They lift us up when we most need it and then never let us down after that.  It’s like a constant sense of elevation that lifts the spirit and blossoms the soul.

Cogito ergo sum: I think; therefore I am  . . . a dog lover.

 

A Snapshot of I Can’t Remember

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celebrating or regrouping

theunseenwordsproject.com

I came across this picture the other day and am trying to remember why the heck I took it.  I didn’t take it with my phone but with my heavy, bulky, big-girl Canon . . . which further tells me that this was a special moment that I wanted to record with my “good camera.”

Weird.  I’m not sure but I think that I was celebrating, having just moved into a fantastic temporary beachfront rental for what turned out to be four exquisite months.  This transition was one of those ideas that had been on my Wish List for years: Live on the beach during the stormy winter months to write.  This recent move Continue reading →

Never underestimate the power of perspective. It can change everything.

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When you change the way you look at things,

the things you look at change.

Perspective.  What is it?

perspective: (noun)

  1. the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point.

  2. a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

Perspective. 

These two definitions connect well together and grab my attention.   Perspective as an art form and as a particular attitude.

As an art form, perspective is used to Continue reading →

Coffee lovers, check out this awesome video of a shot being pulled.

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imbibe-lifes-little-pleasures

theunseenwordsproject.com

Coffee.  One of life’s little pleasures.  And necessities.  

I love watching videos of how things work.  I remember when I was young and I watched how crayons were poured and boxed on an assembly line.  Some might say that watching this how-it-works video takes away the magic of the crayon that I am holding in my hand. But not for me.  The true magic for me is watching how some genius figured out a way to deliver colored wax crayons to the masses at such an affordable price.  Thank you to the good folk that made this possible.  

And I want to give a shout out to those who mastered how to bring shots of espresso to the huddled masses.  Take the design of La Marzocco espresso machines.  Simply elegant and consistent. Form and function.  Purpose and beauty. Yummy and electrifying.

Espresso: happiness and comfort in a shot glass.  

This time lapse film of a shot of espresso being pulled is beautiful.  If you let your imagination go, it looks like a golden exotic tree swaying in the wind.  

Enjoy your morning and carry this visual pleasure into your day.  There are so many great things about coffee:

  1. its caffeinated effects
  2. its flavor
  3. its pleasurable morning ritual
  4. its body
  5. its companion-ability
  6. its invitation to experiment with brewing methods
  7. its history and culture
  8. its happy-ifying effects

What do you like about coffee?  

Please, share one or more things that you enjoy about coffee in the comments section.  

Be one with the espresso.  Go with the flow.  Give it a shot.

Take some time today to imbibe some beauty from life’s little pleasures.  

 

Set your default to trusting yourself.

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trust: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

doubt: a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction

When you compare the definitions of these two words, it is easy to see why it is much more happifying to set your personal default to trust.

Doubt is one of those feelings that leaves us second guessing ourselves into an unsettled state that only leaves us feeling even more doubtful.

Like cells that have their own growth cycle, doubt undergoes different phases or stages. As cells multiply, there are checkpoints at the end of each stage of growth to make sure that the last stage is fully completed before moving to the next stage.

When we find ourselves at the end of a growth cycle or at one of life’s crossroads, let your checkpoints be governed by trust, not doubt.  

Questions of doubt:

Should I accept the new job offer?  

Should I move across the country to a town where no one knows me?  

Should I adopt a new pet?  

Should I go back to school?  

Should I break up with my boyfriend?  

Should I . . . ?  Notice how all of these doubts are foreshadowed by should.  

Re-frame with statements of trust: 

What if we were to re-frame these same questions with statements of trust? Notice what happens when you replace should with am and will:  

I am ready to start a new career.  

I am brave enough to go on a moving adventure.  

My life will be so enriched by adopting a new pet.  

By returning to school, I will learn so many amazing things.  

I am ready to honor my own preferences and become independent.  

Give doubt a shovel and it will bury your hopes and scatter your strength.  It is far more harmful and damaging than we give it credit for.  As we spend time doubting, we spin our wheels and allow opportunities to breeze by . . . even when they are exactly what we have been hoping to meet.  We think that by doing nothing, we are honoring our preferences . . . but are we?  Are we truly?

A Positive Challenge:

The next time you hear yourself doubting yourself or prefacing a sentence with I should or I shouldn’t, maybe you are merely at the end of a growth cycle and you find yourself at one of life’s checkpoints.  Please, be kind to yourself for feeling a little uneasy about launching yourself into the next growth stage.  It’s natural to wonder about the possibilities at these checkpoints.  Take a deep breath, eradicate any and all doubt, and replace it with a Trust Statement.  Say it out loud.  And repeat it as needed.  Imagine what life would look like and feel like if you trusted yourself more than you doubted yourself.

As my mentor Scott would say: You’ve got this!

 

Capture some happiness and share it with your best friend.

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so-cute

Is there anything cuter than this puppy?  I think that this little guy is absolutely adorable.

How can something so cute not put a smile in your heart today?  

We are so fortunate to have such giving and loving animals in our lives.  Our hearts are expanded by the love that we share with such faithful, loyal, and beautiful creatures. Today, take a moment to let your special buddy know that you appreciate the smile that they put in your heart.

Capture some happiness and share it with your best friend.