Nothing is permanent. Everything is subject to change. Being is always becoming. 

BUDDHA

Are you exactly the same person you were yesterday? 

Not even close. Even if you allowed that nothing has changed in your knowledge, your life experience within 24 hours, About 330 billion cells are replaced daily, equivalent to about 1 percent of all our cells. In 80 to 100 days, 30 trillion will have replenished—the equivalent of a new you. So even the part of you that you think is a constant is actually not.

If you spent each day staring at this gorgeous garden, you would undoubtedly see that this view is in continuous evolution. Always beautiful, but ever changing.

Once that we are willing to accept that we live in a world of catharsis, in which our own sense of reality is continually being modified, we are that much more able to navigate our way through distant perspectives of the future that we transpose on top of our actions today, such that we might someday get to those vistas. 

What is it specifically that makes this happen? The impermanence of things drives us to recognize that nothing is going to be reliably a constant, for any portion of our life, so we become that much more adept at forecasting where things are going, and thereby allowing ourselves to migrate in the proper directions. 

But given the impermanence of things, would you not agree that creates an intrinsic value in the present? 

The present is the only moment where everything in your world is a given at that moment in time. 

Allowing for surprises that others or circumstances could potentially bring you within that moment of consistency, everything else is, for all intent and purposes, a constant, for a tiny moment in space. 

Grasping that simple detail enables us to add further importance and relevance to all the time that we spend in our respective lives, doing the things that we want, aiming for the goals that are important to us, and living to the code of lifestyle that we are willing to ascribe to. 

The more that we are able to recognize that we are constantly in a state of becoming, the more this helps us to truly understand the art of being. 

Happy Saturday!

You came naked.

You will also leave naked.

You arrived weak.

So weak you will depart.

You came without money and things.

You will leave without money and things.

Your first bath? Someone washed you. Your last bath? Someone will wash you.

This is our fate as humans.

So why so much pride,

so much malice,

so much envy,

so much hate,

so much resentment,

so much selfishness?

We have limited time in this world.

Let’s make it count.

~ Unknown

If humility is the common denominator at entry and exit of this life, why is it so impossible to retain that quality throughout the middle? 

We are born helpless…perhaps one of the most helpless species on all of planet earth. How then, is it possible, that we evolve from complete humility into overt bravado? 

Is that cultural? Is that instinctual? Are we pattern-behaving by watching role models in our world? What ultimately drives us to cast all humility aside, in favor of something far less attractive? 

Have you ever met someone in life who is so powerful at what they do, so intelligent in their field, and so capable in all that they attempt, as to leave you pondering how are they able to do all of these things, while remaining such a friendly, humble and affable human being? 

I believe the stem of this opportunity arises from parenting. If a parent continuously keeps close reins on their child during the formative years and encourages them to be courageous and capable, yet humble and modest in their self assertions, you are far more likely to see them behave as such when they are adults. 

Sadly, many children are missing this piece of upbringing, and the overt bravado and desperate flailing acts of self aggrandizement  ultimately reveal the weak and spineless human being underneath all of that. 

We are creatures of culture, and it is almost impossible for us to be oblivious to that. So in the course of our maturation, becoming evermore wise to the deeper secrets of happiness and success, must lie on the individual’s shoulders, waiting for each person to find their source of inspiration from which they might mature into a fully  effervescent human being. 

We are the shoulders that the next generation will stand upon, such that they are able to surpass us, and excel in categories heretofore unimagined. Let’s do our very best, to set the stage for proper conduct as a human being, in order that we might all, as a species, mature, and improve the lives of the generations that follow behind us. 

Happy Friday!

We will go down in history as the first society that wouldn’t save itself because it wasn’t cost-effective.

KURT VONNEGUT

At what price, salvation?

In order to be a free society, fully capable of pursuing all of the liberties and freedoms that are granted to us, is it possible that some of this freedom gives way to our own destruction? 

We see continuous battles between large corporations and government, as the corporations are fiercely working specifically to increase value for shareholders, such that in many circumstances, decency, morality, empathy, compassion and common sense are thrown entirely out of the window, in favor of the proverbial bottom line. 

Large governments become corrupt by virtue of the power they control, and their true desire to benefit the people they represent is replaced by individualistic personal greed, regardless of whether the government is representational, autocratic, socialist, communist or other… eventually human greed corrupts the model.

Almost every industry is guilty of behaving in this manner. Whether it is the food industry, packaging countless untold artificial ingredients and watching people blow up with obesity, or the petrol industry, not taking proper caution or consideration, and doing billions of dollars of ecological damage in their wake, almost all industries cross the line. 

In our society, the single guiding line is the bottom line. If an entity is not creating value for its shareholders, it is missing the mark, and is most likely to be attacked by other entities with less compassion and a deeper penchant for being ruthless, regardless of consequence. 

What would be the path out of such a self-destructive spiral? 

If the ruler of a hypothetical kingdom was experiencing all of these problems, and they came to you and asked you how to prevent their own society from completely collapsing and dying in the wake, what might you offer as a viable solution? 

Would you proffer suggestions of compassion? Or utilization of empathy? Distribution of common sense? Regulations to preclude predatory organizations from feeding upon innocent victims? 

Where would you draw the bottom line? 

If you are the one who is responsible for not only delivering value to the shareholders of this fictitious kingdom, but also ensuring that the shareholders would be alive to enjoy the profits that they have generated, where would common sense, and intelligence slip in to mitigate the continuous problems that are plaguing this kingdom? 

Would you preclude specific foods from being manufactured any further, in order to stop people from abusing those foods from becoming obese? Or would you be more insistent, that other organizations adhere to more strict rules and regulations, such that they are not going to have any further problems in their production and delivery methodologies, thereby precluding environmental hazards from taking place? 

We are prisoners of our own economy, and until such time as we are overwhelmingly, willing to work together in compromise fashion, we are all continuously on board a train to final destruction. 

Margaret Mead wrote: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

Happy Thursday!

Accept reality. When you finally realize that nothing is permanent in this life, you will become more tolerant, more forgiving, and less judgmental.

Have you ever been on top of the world?

How long were you able to stay there?

One only need look at the stories of countless exemplary figures who have each, in their own vertical, accomplished this task.

As time slowly passes, their ability to remain in such an elite position, eventually fades. There is a great joy in aiming for the absolute and an even greater joy in achieving it. But this does not, in and of itself, create any kind of a guarantee that we will stay there for any period of time.

One only need look at people like Lance Armstrong, Steve Jobs, Jack Nicholson, and other outstanding luminaries to witness that the time one may spend atop the perch, is a short term window at best.

One of the single greatest lessons that such a realization can potentially bring, is the awareness that given the fragile status that has been accomplished, there is only opportunity to relish it, while it exists, and as it slowly fades, savor the memories and then aim for another opportunity to accomplish same again.

In the course of this lifecycle, if we are truly sentient, we will discover that there is much more to the equation, than we might first envision on our assent to such a status.

These recognitions will hopefully help us to develop some of the more important and valuable human skills that provide us an opportunity to mature as a person, and consequently become more tolerant of others, and perhaps more forgiving of their foibles.

In our own journey, we are able to experience, first person, the meteoric rise, paired with the eventual decline. In our course of action, we may discover qualities about ourselves, that we are then able to more readily distinguish in our perspectives of others.

This fully facilitates our own ability to transpose some of the life lessons that we were able to learn on our own path, and forgive some of the lesser qualities that we witness in others who are attempting a similar journey.

In our ability to forgive them, (for they just as human as we), we continue to mature and become wiser in the process.

Happy Wednesday!

It is OK for you to believe what you believe. It is not OK for you to insist everyone else believe the same as you.

Is it always appropriate to presume and expect others to believe identically to the way that you believe?

Is it possible that some of the things that you believe are not necessarily true? 

If you believe in something that is non-verifiable, does that make it necessarily false? 

I think the interesting thing about humanity, is the broad swath of diversification of thought processes, cultures, systems, and expectations. 

As humanity continues to expand, and our collective available resources for learning, grow in proportion, the opportunity for so many disparate belief systems to come to fruition and find adoption in large groups of people, becomes ever more apparent. 

In this expanded mindset, the likelihood of everyone being on the same page, regarding disparate ideologies, religions, methodologies, cultural expectations, and social expectations, could not be more prevalent. 

How then, will everyone find a way to find harmony with one another, if everyone is thinking differently? 

The truth is, the only way that humanity can coexist, is through the elasticity of acceptance. If we are willing to accept a majority of belief systems, practices, rituals and life approaches, we are far more capable of finding a new level of harmony, so that our continuous ability to coexist, will grow in proportion to the size of our respective communities. 

It is of course, appropriate to draw some boundaries, presumably, those in which certain people, animals or other living things, are being victimized as a result of a practice that is potentially out of harmony with the rest of society. 

That’s the reason for laws, and for enabling people to find solutions at the ballot box, as opposed to on the battlefield. Only in our continuous understanding of one another are we ever going to get to a position of mutual understanding and respect. Together, as a society that allows other people to find their own harmony in whichever belief system is appropriate for them, are we ever able to achieve a higher balance of non-antagonistic, living circumstances. 

If you are devout in any particular belief system, there is of course, an opportunity for you to share anything you desire with another willing party. But should they not adhere to your thought process, it is equally wise to celebrate them as an individual who is freethinking and fully capable of making their own determination in life. 

Together, you may still find many places of commonality, and friendship.

Happy Tuesday!

As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.

RUMI

How do you know you’re on the right path?

And if you are not on the right path, would you recognize it enough to modify as you go?

So many programs appear to be clearly delineated, predicated upon objectives, plans, milestones, and other incremental criteria. Are these details carved in stone? Or are they merely guidelines to help us further determine what it will take for us to complete our journey and deliver us to the place that we are most desirous of going?

Many times, we are certain at the outset that we are on the right course. In that certainty, we set out with fierce determination, and a deep expectation that our internal guidance system will deliver us exactly to where we set out to go. Life, in many circumstances, has alternate variables that will weigh upon us over the course of our trying to make these kinds of choices.

As we do, we are subject to a continuous stream of variables, many of which we may not have contemplated, nor considered at the outset of our journey.

As with any odyssey in fiction, we start off on our quest, like the protagonist of the story, only to meet continuous obstacles, collaborators, opponents, and circumstances that we could not possibly have imagined. It becomes our core responsibility to filter through each of these, such that we are that much more clear on what we really need to do, in order to prevail.

If you are wise on your journey, you will do your best to stay on course with what you have set out to accomplish, but you will never be blind to the myriad potentials that entice you and potentially give you a reason to dig deep within and summon some of the untapped resources that you have yet to have avail yourself of, in the course of making new determinations, course corrections, and modifying your ultimate objectives, should that be necessary.

Happy Monday!

Never believe you are above or below anyone. Keep a humble spirit.

Are you better than anyone else?

Are you certain about that?

I would believe that there are two sets of answers to that query. The answer that everyone would expect you to give, and the answer that you harbor deep within.

With relatively few exceptions, we are all creatures walking this planet, seeking our individual goals, and working to live up to the internal and external expectations that surround us.

As we work to escalate our own unique path of success, we encounter countless people with whom we must engage. 

Some are straight forward, and others may prove to be condescending. As we try and navigate our own journey, we are subjugated to the perspectives that others cast upon us, whether we like it or not. 

In this experience, we are given ample opportunity to be made to feel as if we are potentially less than another. This is neither pleasant, nor appropriate. In many cases, what this truly represents is an example of what happens when another person who deep within, is potentially insecure, suddenly has opportunity to pass some form of judgment on us, whether fitting or not. 

It is both disrespectful, as well as demoralizing and leaves a very bad taste in our mouth. If we encounter a lot of this, we are more prone to replicate this ugly behavior as we rise in the ranks. 

This form of tribalism perpetuates itself as people who have been subjugated to that kind of ugly behavior on their journey, now feel a need to subjugate people whom they see as being less than themselves, such that they may feel an internal increase in their own value, position and stature. 

The reality is that none of this is accurate, nor appropriate, nor necessary. In fact, we might be better served to recognize that this is a perpetuation of their insecurity and bad upbringing.

Humility goes much further in life than bravado. If you are what you truly know yourself to be, stay very humble and allow others to discover this about you on their own. The impression you generate is significantly more positive and impactful.

Happy Sunday!

Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers.

KAHIL GIBRAN

Here in Los Angeles, we are delightedly sharing pictures of our mountains, crested with snow and proudly displaying hail on our windshields, because just the tiniest amount of snow here, is newsworthy. 

That said, what percentage of kind acts are regularly posted and what percentage of it is actually newsworthy? 

Kindness is equally a courtesy, a blessing, and a genuine gift that anyone can give to anyone else with the tiniest of gestures. When you are the beneficiary of someone else’s kindness, you cannot help but feel a luminance deep inside, that makes you feel special, appreciated, desired, understood. 

When we receive kindness from another person, there is an exchange of value that is above and beyond anything of monetary consideration. 

To the contrary, kindness is one of the most valuable things we give away on a daily basis. 

When you do something kind for another person, doing it altruistically, without any hope, or expectation of recognition, appreciation, or any other form of expressed gratitude, is the only way to create a true delivery of kindness. 

It can happen with a smile, or by holding a door for another person, or any one of millions of unique acts of service that enable another person to recognize that you appreciate them on some level, such that you are willing to be gracious with your time, your effort or your energy. 

If everybody were going around, working to express kindness in just a few instances every single day, the entire world would completely change. It would not happen overnight, but the slow, methodical value of kindness can only potentially be compared to water, for how is it that a single drop of water has any true force to it? Yet one only need to look at the Grand Canyon and see what the Colorado River has done to a territory over millions of years, to fully understand and appreciate that water, acting consistently, could be one of the single most globally changing forces on our planet. 

If we were to look at kindness through the same filter, we might discover that in that kindness, a single act may not appear to deliver anything other than a brief moment of appreciation and mutual understanding. Yet, if it is delivered in massive doses with genuine motivation, kindness can be just as powerful in shifting and evolving humanity, as water has been, carving the Grand Canyon. 

Take a few moments today, stay conscious of the fact that spreading kindness is contagious (in the best of ways) and reach out to another party in your world and let them understand how much you appreciate them, and how your simple act of kindness is just one of many different ways for you to demonstrate this to everyone’s benefit and delight. 

Happy Saturday!

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness, the greatest relationship.

BUDDHA

All it takes is one significant impediment to our health, before we are able to instantly discern that our health supersedes everything else in priority. 

When we are given ample opportunity to discover perspective, as relates to some of the most critical things in life, we awaken to several core truths that cannot be overlooked. 

Do you wake up every single day feeling like you get to go to work or like you have to go to work? 

That has always been the discerning line for me as to what constitutes true wealth in life. In the course of waking up every single day, and dedicating ourselves to spending a majority of our lives, focusing on specific duties, responsibilities, tasks, obligations, etc. we are clearly defining the core parameters of our life. 

In these choices, we are quick to learn that getting paid sums of money, to spend our lives doing something that we do not like, is not wealth at all. It is being compensated for sacrificing a giant chunk of our life, towards something which carries no value or deep purpose to us. 

Whereas we might spend time volunteering or working specifically for free or at very small rates, in order to manifest a dream of ours into full existence. If you have that privilege, at any point in your life, you will quickly learn how ultimately wealthy you feel waking up every day with a genuine fire in your belly. When we take time to contemplate what will ultimately give us core satisfaction, as we look back on our lives, we have opportunity to evaluate the things that really make a big difference to us. 

Being faithful in any relationship, requires morality, dedication, commitment, and a true determination, to make any form of relationship work to its ultimate mutual benefit. In that commitment, we may be quick to rule out other opportunities that may, or may not have value or purpose for us. The only way for us to make any real relationship of magnitude work, is to commit ourselves to the principles of that relationship and live up to it 100%, be it personal or professional. 

Health, contentment and faithfulness are cornerstones to living a deeply fulfilling life, and each one gives way to a greater likelihood that our time on this planet is best spent. 

Happy Friday!

Do you control your thoughts or do your thoughts control you?

At first blush, that answer seems obvious, you control your thoughts. But if you think about it, is that really true?

There are countless circumstances where your brain loves to run amok with its own concerns, worries, anxiety, fears, as well as hopes, dreams, wishes, etc.

What is the distinction between controlling your own mind or your mind controlling you? If your mind is running rampant, leaving you to some degree, incapacitated and debilitated in the process, then you are not controlling your own mind, even if your mind tells you that you are.

These are not things that are taught in school and many people aren’t even aware that there is such a possibility, but the reality is that it is very possible for us to monitor our own mind, and to keep it in relative confinement, predicated upon our own internal strengths and desires for sanity.

If you spend a few moments watching your mind, you might quickly discover that your mind is not even you… even though you might believe that to be so.

You are awareness.

Awareness is the highest level of being, and it is capable of surveying the entire landscape that surrounds you, physically and metaphorically, and leveraging your greatest skills and capabilities to your benefit within those physical and metaphorical landscapes.

If you are able to witness your own mind running around like a two year old, who has not had a nap, and who is flailing in all directions because of exhaustion, then you are on the first step on the path to separating yourself from your mind, by recognizing that you are aware.

Even if the distinction seems like a technicality, as you read this, you need to understand how truly real and practical this realization can be… for within our ability to monitor our own thoughts, emotions and feelings, and convert those into a sane frame of reference that enables us to take control, and assert ourselves above and beyond the spectrum of emotions which we are experiencing, we are that much more powerful in the process.

Our mind is a repository of all of the variables that are happening in our world: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. In our ability to meditate through one form or another, we are students on a path of eliminating the mental discombobulation that arises from a flurry of emotions that we are trying our best to quell and keep within our own internal control.

This tiny variable is one of the most important tools in life that we may learn. If this particular message reaches you, and you have not yet tried yourself, to master this experience, seek out various methodologies that teach you and put it to good practice.

You will forever be rewarded for your efforts.

Happy Thursday!