May 16, 2021 by Brian Weiner No CommentsChanging The World One Thought At A Time.

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

Is your cup half full or half empty?

It is pretty much that simple.

We are given opportunities to bring some of the most special people or animals into our world, in countless ways and in the course of life (and death) we are forced to summon the strength to say goodbye.

Some goodbyes are short term, and others are permanent. Both carry emotional impact that can leave us feeling a range of emotions from sad to devastated.

Emotions notwithstanding…. The ability to compartmentalize that sadness and remain focused on how incredibly fortunate we were to have had that person or animal or experience or circumstance in our world for the period it existed and appreciate its value in our life, is the true wealth.

The impermanence of life is the certainty. Life is transient. So the opportunity to focus on the variables that make us feel alive and vibrant is where our real treasure lies. There are countless examples that I shan’t expound upon. We have all gone through them.

But yesterday, I had the opportunity to say hello again to something that I had said goodbye to more than a year ago, and the reunion was magic. Pure magic.

I went to the movies.

Movies have always been my most favorite art form, bar none. I have seen more than 10,000 films and seeing them in the theater is still a totally different joy for me than watching on my TV at home.

The selection of films out at the moment is dismal. The film I saw, Wrath of Man, was mediocre. But sitting in the theatre again made me feel like I was 5 years old again! I can’t express the joy, exhilaration and vibrance of being back to something that had been ripped away from my life.

No comparison to losing a loved one, loved animal, or any other loss we might experience, but it was a reminder that when you are reunited with something you were forced to say goodbye to, you are suddenly overcome with an unspeakable joy. And that joy stems from an understanding of what that experience, person, animal or other has made you feel. And those feelings stem from how lucky you were to have had it in the first place.

Thought for a Sunday.

If you like my posts, I would be so appreciative if you would share them with friends. The entire purpose of my doing this on a daily basis is to help improve my life and the lives of others around the world. Thank you!

If you like what you are reading in the blog, you will even love the book more. Take a free preview below and watch the Sizzle Reel. It will give you a sense of how this book might be of help in your life when you are looking to make some tough decisions.

Changing the world…One thought at a time.

This book is written for you. Whether you are just embarking on your journey in life, or if you are a seasoned veteran, we all have so much more to learn. Lessons from the Mountain is a conversational exploration of countless topics of personal and professional self help.

Mr. Weiner has collected a diverse assortment of thoughts from the great sages of the last two millennia, each sparking personalized discussions, intended to stimulate you into deeper contemplation of the subjects that intrigue you.

Leveraging his experiences in building The Illusion Factory and then, Sizzle, Mr. Weiner reflects on numerous moments of engagement that are relevant to all of us as we navigate our path in life.

In this zen entrepreneurial discussion, the myriad topics range from:

• Narrowing choices to increase opportunity

• Assuaging a hurt ego

• Managing the depression that comes with a failure

• Learning to continuously improve

• Owning your mistakes

• Increasing your likelihood for success

• Making ethical choices

• Pursuing seemingly impossible goals

• Coping with a loss

• Making unpopular decisions

• Communicating with compassion

• Learning to collaborate with others more skilled than you

• Accepting your reality, while working to change it

• Stopping bullies in their tracks

• Letting go of anger

• Deepening self-respect

• Understanding love

• Making the planet a better place

• Taking giant risks and succeeding

• The elusive pursuit of happiness

• The art of honesty and friendship

• Following your heart

• Overcoming PTSD

• Learning when to become impartial

• Questioning reality

• The probability of UFOs

• Attracting positive outcomes

• The benefits of being a zen entrepreneur

and many other interesting topics of exploration.

The book has been written over a couple of years of climbing a mountain in the darkness in order to be atop for the sunrise. Photos from those journeys accompany the beautifully illustrated aphorisms, whose content spark each of the philosophical discussions.

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Written by Brian Weiner

When I was 5 years old, I discovered that the lemon tree in the backyard + dixie cups + water and sugar and I was in business. I have been hooked on that ever since. In 1979, I borrowed $14,000 to create a brand new product... photographic greeting cards with no text on the inside, called Paradise Photography. That was the start of The Illusion Factory. Since then, The Illusion Factory has been entrusted by all of the major studios and broadcasters with the advertising and marketing of over $7 billion in filmed, live, broadcast, gaming, AR, VR and regulated gaming forms of entertainment, generating more than $100 Billion in revenue and 265 awards for creativity and technology for our clients. When I took a break from film school at UCLA to move to Hawaii, my mother did not lecture me. Instead, she took 150 of her favorite aphorisms and in her beautiful calligraphy, wrote them artistically throughout a blank journal. That is the origin of the Lessons from the Mountain series. Since then, on my journeys to the top of a mountain to watch the sunrise, I have spent countless hours contemplating words of wisdom from the sages of all races, genders and political persuasions, constantly accumulating the thoughts to guide me on my life path. I hope you enjoy my books. Please let me know your thoughts, as I highly value your feedback!