Month: October 2020

I was doing some food shopping the other day. This guy came around the corner not paying attention and he ran into me. He was very very short. In today’s pc lingo he might be considered vertically challenged. All the tomatoes, lemons, cans, and stuff he was carrying fell on the floor and rolled all over the aisle. He looked up at me and said, ‘I’m not Happy. I looked down at him and said, ‘Which one are you?” 

Humor is a funny thing. Pun intended. There’s so much quantifiable goodness that comes out of it. I’m sure you’ve heard most of it, but let me remind you of some of that goodness: Laughter relaxes the whole body.  Laughter boosts the immune system. It triggers the release of endorphins.  Laughter protects the heart. It works the muscles. Laughter lightens anger’s heavy load because it helps to put things into perspective. Laughter burns calories. Maybe not a lot, but every little bit helps, yes? 

Laughter may even help you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

I found across this website that just absolutely cracks me up. I’m sitting in my room laughing out loud with myself. You know, the kind of laughter that brings tears to your eyes. When I step out to start my day after laughing that hard first thing in the morning, I observe how good I’m feeling. I notice how relaxed I am. At the same time, my body feels alive. I’m ready for this day. I walk out of my room smiling and looking for someone to share the laugh with. This is why I’m sharing this with you. 

Here’s a creative way a couple is dealing with stress and looking forward to the end of the pandemic: From the wife’s point of view: My husband purchased a world map, handed me a dart, and said, “Throw this and wherever it lands—that’s where I’m taking you when this pandemic ends.” Turns out, we’re spending two weeks behind the fridge.

One of the things that’s funny about humor, maybe not haha funny, but interesting and peculiar, is that what some people think is really funny, others might find offensive. So, unfortunately, you’ve got to be really careful these days. I did say unfortunately cuz everybody’s kind of tightly wound, and you don’t know how they may take it, but being careful is simply acting out of respect to not offend.

Here’s a quote from W. Lee Grant that says “Shared laughter creates a bond of friendships. When people laugh together, they cease to be young and old, teacher and pupils, worker and boss. They become a single group of human beings.” We find that common ground of humanity in laughter. 

How can we brighten up our days? Start with a smile. Share it. When passing another, don’t look down, or at your phone. Look up and smile. See how faces light up when you smile at them. Now we’re brightening up someone else’s day. Another way is to count your blessings. You can’t be grateful and angry at the same time. Find yourself a website that makes you laugh and visit it. Make an appt and give yourself 5, 10 minutes a day to laugh. I tell you it’s amazing.

And, here’s the truth as I see it, big picture, we all really need to lighten up.  Laugh together. The world will be so much brighter, more fun, and much easier to live in.

Just sayin’

 

What’s on my mind today? Blockedness.  Is that a word? It is now. Here’s a bit of truth… I’m feeling blocked. I’ve got a lot going on, but doesn’t everyone?  I’d like to do more of this, finish that, move closer to my vision on the other. Well?  How do I know I’m blocked? It wasn’t obvious to me until I started noticing what I’m noticing. The floors got swept. Put together some lunch. Made the bed. Answered emails. I’ve started to write about 3 different things to share with you today. These are all markers that point to a lack of focus, which to me suggests a block. What am I going to do about it? Now that I am consciously aware of it, I will grab a cuppa, turn on some nice background music, set the timer, and ‘make myself’ move forward on one thing. Many times, the motion, any motion, is enough to move through or around the block.  Later I will think about the reason behind it, but to do it now seems like another version of procrastination. 

What’s the lesson here? Notice what you’re noticing and then make one small step toward where you want to be. Make sense?  Simple, Right?

Just sayin’

Again, or still, I’m observing the worry and fear in the world these days. People are just worried; worried about maybe getting sick? Is their family maybe getting sick? What to do to not get sick? What about my work? The future. And regardless of what side of the fence you’re on, what will happen to the world after the election? And some people are more than worried, they are full-on afraid. So there’s also a lot of fear around.  People aren’t going out due to the fear of whatever, or lots of things.  

Isn’t worry and fear kind of the same thing?  Pretty much, but I find that worry is more mental and fear is more emotional, involuntary. They are pretty close, so let’s use this as a working definition. BTW – my intention here is not to minimize what people are going through. Not at all. As folks are in it, it is real and I get that. I support you in any way I can. Here, I’m just presenting it through another lens, in hopes that it alleviates some of the discomfort some might be feeling.  

With that definition in mind, worry, being mental, is something we can control. I love the quote that says  ‘Worry is a prayer for something we don’t want.’  The idea is that focusing on something brings it to form. In quantum physics, there’s something called the observer effect which explains that events happen or are changed just by being observed. Watching it. Expecting a certain result. Did that make sense? Listen to it this way. Science is proving that by putting our attention on something, we have can have something to do with either allowing it to happen or actually creating it. Meaning, we are at cause. Think about that for a second….. We create. We are creators. Or co-creators, if that feels better to you. 

With worry, we are actually suffering something that hasn’t even happened yet. It may never happen. Based on what we learned about the observer effect, worry could bring this event into play. If we stop worrying about it, we reduce the probability of it happening.  In addition, the act of worry puts a dark cloud over our present moment.

Look at us!  We have power more than we know…. But what is important here is knowing that the power we have access to is within us and we can use that to create our experience. You’ve heard this before, probably from me, but here you go again. Pay attention to what you are paying attention to. Or more simply, notice what you’re noticing. If you find yourself overly concerned with something that you really don’t have any control over, let it go. It’s as simple as that. Not easy, of course, habits are hard to break, but simple, and it just takes practice. Awareness and practice. 

And here’s something else we can do. Talk to someone about it. Anyone. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about how our connections with others alleviate stress, creates inner peace. There is now data that strongly correlates longer life with solid, satisfying, social connections. Sharing our thoughts, having someone hear us, takes the ‘scare’ away, and sometimes just hearing ourselves speak, saying them out loud, puts the fear in its place, which is usually somewhere else, leaving us to breathe a little easier. 

Be the creator, bring into your life what you do want.

Just sayin’

“Human beings suffer their own memory and imagination, that is they suffer that which does not exist”. -Sadhguru

 

I finished leading my first webinar on Tuesday, It was called “4½ Blocks (between where you are and where you want to be)”.  We had fun, we all learned alot and the people that attended said they got a lot of value from it. I’ll probably do something like that again.

I tried to watch the debate. Man! Discuss amongst yourselves.

It’s been fun to get out and play live music again, with folks, for folks. People really enjoy this, and I feel that sharing it is truly what it’s all about. I know some of you think the hokey pokey is what it’s all about, but community is what it’s really about. Live music supports and promotes that.

Here in Southern California, we’re in the midst of a mini heatwave.  People are walking around saying, “Hot enough for ya?” what does that even mean?

Fall is here, football has started and we also have playoff baseball. There’s something in that air that gives us a feeling of normality. That’s a good thing, right? Is that a judgment? See last week’s Thursday Thoughts.

Now I can see the desktop, Let’s see what’s in the drawers.

Chaos! Everywhere. Why is that? I believe there is a purpose. Everything has a purpose. Do I know what the purpose is? Nope. It is bigger and more varied & vast than I could ever imagine. They say that from chaos comes order. I suppose that when I’m not here anymore, and I look back, it might make sense. (now there’s a hint of an idea for a future conversation)

What I do know is that the path I am on, the path you are on, the path they are on, is the right and perfect path for each of us at this time. Whatever is happening in the world is just simply what is happening, and quite honestly, there’s not a whole lot we can do about it.

There are some people who are called, driven or pulled to a bigger role. It’s up to them to step up and do what they can to make a difference. Is that you? If it is, get on that bus, take that ride and go for it. Wholeheartedly, and unabashedly. Make a splash. You are completely and totally supported! I’ve got friends like this and we need them. There’s goodness there.

Most people aren’t like that. Most people are content to work, play, eat, love, grow old, and die peacefully. And that’s also just fine. Those folks are necessary cogs in the machinery of the universe and there’s goodness here, too.  We each do what we need to do, what we can do, and we do the best we can.

Being authentically you, living your life simply and with love, compassion and meaning is very much a part of the big plan.   All parts contribute inextricably to the whole. Keep smiling, stay peaceful, help others, keep your energy and vibration high, and believe it or not, everything will work out. You know why?  Because it always does.

Just sayin’.