Saturday, January 28, 2012

Changing the Way We Look at Things

Life over the past year, has placed me in a deep thought and process mode regarding how to put the final details to words in order to complete my book draft.  Some of those details and thoughts involve the opening chapter.  However, I believe that it has been harbouring "attack" thoughts in my mind for some of life's unexpected experiences and toxic people lately, which has brought me writer's block, kept me from exploring my creative and emotional side to drive my story home.

As indicated in my recent blog posts, it has been a wild ride for me since the turn of the new year.  Though I had no control over the surprise of the things that came out of no where, we seldom do,  I know that I am a blessed and, while not immediately, have always been grateful to God for all the things and blessings in my life, good bad and indifferent. While those experiences can either add joy, sorrow or pain to our lives, they have always been what have provided me with either miracles, or the tools to strive to make the next day of in my life even better than the one before.  Above all, they remind me daily that it pays to accept them as a humble man. 

Today, for whatever the reason, I am willing to remember that it may be my unforgiving thoughts that are at he root of my not feeling at ease with certain things and even some people that are part of my daily life and my world. Today, I am again able to see the value in maintaining a positive attitude, the way I view things, and the self power we can feel with forgiveness.  The power it has provided me today is a breakthrough in my writing.

It is very interesting, but with the end of a year and the turn of the new year, I have been provided with a "Wake-up Call" to understand and embrace all of the good, bad and the indifferent.  After all, I cannot control the actions of others, but I do not have to allow them to invade my world. I may have to deal with them, for now, but they are not able to control me or the beauty of my existence.

With this new found power and insight, while it may seem or even sound corny to some, I am able to shut down the toxicity that seems to have wiggled its way into my world, to take a new look at all of the values that I hold dear, and to have and maintain an open mind to all new thoughts, ideas and beliefs. I feel as though I found a new way to open my heart and mind to the fire of creative energy by letting go of my self-imposed limitations.

I want to end this entry today with another one of my favorite quotes by Wayne Dyer, "“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  Amen to that...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Confidence


Once again, life, writers block and honestly, a lack of confidence and yes, motivation too, have kept me from updating my Blog for the past few weeks. I mean, I am human after all.

Admittedly, I have never been one to get on a soapbox to share my woes or disappointments. As I mentioned, I am human, have experienced what seems like my fair share of them lately too and I lost a bit of confidence. But, that is why they call it “LIFE.” Regardless, since I can remember, I have always been the shoulder and not the other way around and I will agree that it is not a very wise thing to do. It has never been in my nature to off load those things, only to process and find a way to get back on top. Of course, some of my very close friends and I have been able to share those from time to time, when they rattle my cage to see what is going on with me, or why I have not posted. It seems like they have a sixth sense and it does make me smile.

So, what brought me back you ask? Easily put it was finding my confidence again and being in a position to help a friend and colleague. It brought me back and of course i will be keeping it in place. I am certainly aware that self-belief is a positive tonic and key to our own self confidence, which has always helped me grow under the most difficult circumstances. I just needed a nudge, one I wasn’t looking for or even asked for, as most things are for me these days, it just came back.

This latest experience, or should I say experiences reminded me of something I read once and I cannot even remember who said it, but I know it was a passage in an inspirational book I recently read. Regardless, It went something like this:

“…fact of the matter is, there is no hip world, and there is no straight world. There's a world, you see, which has people in it who believe in a variety of different things. Everybody believes in something and everybody, by virtue of the fact that they believe in something, use that something to support their own existence.” This is so powerful to me. As I come back charging today, I felt it was important to share with anyone who may need the “nudge” themselves.

Today, I am going to leave you with one of my all time favorite quotes, by a very intelligent and one of my all time favorites, David Henry Thoreau, “Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.”

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Celebrating a New Year

It's been since just before I left for our family Christmas in Ireland that I have posted to my blog.  Seems like only yesterday, but so much "stuff" has been filled in between the lines. Regardless, by popular demand, Mark is back to his Blog.

Our trip to Ireland was awesome.  I enjoyed everything about my time away with most of the family.  I sure did miss Chenin and Sean, and of course all of my other family from afar.

Our visit to Ireland was everything I imagined and more.  It wasn't so much the spectacular lights, the sampling of many Guinness beers over dynamic and wonderful family time and conversation, the countryside or even that I was sharing all of this with our very special family.  It was experiencing the history in Belfast that will stick in my mind. Growing up, I loved studying history.  For the very first time in my life, I was able to see where the "troubles" experienced  between the Catholics and Protestants all began.  As I was at the Peace Walls and the Memorial Wall enjoying a moment of silence for those lost, it seemed to validate my often struggle with organized religion.  I know I was not alone in the power experienced in that moment in time.  Regardless, for me, it was the single most poignant moment of my Ireland adventure.

While away, I focused on me. Probably for the first time in a very long time.  I took a great deal of time to reflect on life, where I was, where it might be headed, the amazing gifts and miracles that came my way in 2011, and what I desired for my life in 2012 and beyond.  I enjoyed some very healthy moments taking stock and investing time in myself. 

Celebrating the New Year, will be just that a celebration of life.  As I was driving feverishly around Ireland and Northern Ireland with the family, having the absolute pleasure to witness history, green hills, stunning and beautiful countryside, peaceful walks and a calm pace; simplicity became my friend. 

Nevertheless, celebrating 2012 will certainly include my family, both new and "known," and some of the same things I was so fortunate to discover and experience in 2011.  As I close out today's blog, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Hal Borland. Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.