Archive for January, 2009
I had a little old lady walk into my office today to talk about realty. She looked great: hair done, make up on, business attire. She measured walls, walked up and down stairs and was the sweetest woman I have met in a long time. She asked me how old I was, and so I felt I could ask her back….”I’m 79!” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
I couldn’t believe it! What had happend to her retirement? Her pension plan? Why was this lady still working. Getting in her car, driving through ice and snow to get to appointments?
We were talking about things and she said, “I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life…but all that matters right now is today…right?”
“Right!” I said.
I don’t know what had happened in her life that makes her have to continue working. I don’t know what choices she made or didn’t make. But she sure motivated me today. If a little old lady of 79 years can still work, climb stairs, take measurements, fill out forms, sell herself to the public day after day, then I can sure do my job with a smile on my face.
We are an amazing people! We just keep on going no matter what. We do what has to be done and some people don’t even complain about it. Lets work hard to make this world a better place. Let’s not be too greedy that we have to make big piles of money at the expense of little old ladies and their pension plans. And above all, lets be happy at our work. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 30th, 2009
I was talking to someone today who had not done anything for three days; just hung around, watching TV, eating and reading. It may sound great to some people, but for this person, in this situation it was not a good thing. The non-activity, the not taking action had created negative thoughts….which inevitably leads to depression.
I guess, if it had been a vacation, a time set aside to actually replenish the spirit and the soul, it would be different. Then it would have been a designed amount of time to do something specific…relax, regroup and revive.
But for someone who was just hanging around, because there was nothing to do, no work to do, no school to go to, it was not a good thing. And so what is the answer? To take action.
There is always something to do. Here’s a list of things to do if you are ever in a situation where you feel you are just hanging around with nothing to do….and getting bad thoughts….which lead to depression.
- Meditate: meditation is an amazing thing to do to revive the spirit. You can do it for a minute, ten minutes, an hour or more. Sit, breathe in and out and empty your mind.
- Take a walk: Einstein often had his best thoughts when out walking. it’s a great way to problem solve, or just allow the spirit to soar.
- Exercise: go to the gym, go for a run, ice-skate, roller-blade, play a game of tennis, basket ball, golf or anything that you enjoy.
- Read an inspiring book. Some books have exercises that help guide you into a new place…a different place from the one you may be in.
- Make a list of everything you are grateful for. Start with simple things, like hot water coming out of the wall (a shower), a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner that will suck the dirt off your floor!
- Cook a nourishing meal. Find a great recipe, something you have never done before, go shop for the ingredients and make a great meal.
- Cook something up from what you have in the refridgerator. This is a great way of using up what you have: vegetables, rice, eggs, etc.
- Make a goal. Write down what you really want from your life, and list the ways you can achieve it.
Whatever state of mind you are in, you can always come up with something to make yourself feel better. The list I made is just a short one…and if none of these appeal to you, then think of something loving that you can do for a loved one. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 27th, 2009
You may have heard the story about the grandson who tells his grandfather that he has two wolves fighting inside of him; one is good and one is bad. He asks his grandfather what he should do to stop the fighting; and the grandfather says, ‘feed the one you want.”
And I had that experience this morning. It started with one negative thought…something about global warming I think. Then my mind went on to the economy, and people losing jobs; and on and on. Jeff of course, could tell something was up and asked me, “What’s wrong?”
And I said, “I feel depressed.” And so he, in the good old English way of mending things, went to make a cup of tea, and talk to me about how great my life really is. But I also wanted to meet this depression head on; and so I focused on this depression…this mood that had overtaken me for a moment. And I tried to see it as a shape, with an outline, and a color and a weight. And you know what? It was just like a dark, grey fog in the shape of me. And it was covering my own body like a heavy blanket…holding me down so that I felt literally pinned down, unable to move.
And as I saw it as an actual manifested depression, it began to disappear–because as you know, two things cannot exist in the same space. When I saw the physical manifestation of my depression as a shape, it literally couldn’t stay in the same space. Anyhow, not to get too woo-woo or wierd. I realized that I had been feeding it. Feeding the depression with my thoughts, with my attention.
Jeff talks about it in workshops–he calls it the Animal Brain. And so I switched my thoughts. I didn’t want to be depressed. I had no reason to be. I dragged myself to the gym, had some healthy steel cut oatmeal, and created a different day for myself.
Whatever is going on for you right now, be aware of what you are feeding. It doesn’t mean we have to be all PollyAnna about things in our lives. If you hate your job, you don’t have to pretend to like it…you just need to direct your thoughts and your focus on getting a different job, one that you like. Feed what you want. Be aware that if you are depressed, you may be feeding it with depressing thoughts.
Think of all the good deeds that you have done in your life. Think about all the good you have done. The right choices you have made. Feed the positive side of you and keep on feeding it. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 26th, 2009
Do you remember when you were a small child? Did you have a dream of what you wanted to be? Or as you were growing up, did you have some talent that you were really good at, and enjoyed doing? Are you still doing it?
We went to church last week and the pastor said that her mentor had asked her, “How will I know that you are doing well–that you are enjoying your work?” and she answered, “Ask me if I’m dancing.” She had not always wanted to go into the church, she had trained as a ballerina and loved to dance. So if she is still taking classes and dancing, she is happy. She is well.
So whatever your dream was, whatever it is that you love to do, make sure you are still doing it in some way or another. For example, I love to swim. I got my scuba certification when the children were little and always enjoyed being in the water. So the other day, a friend said that she wanted to go swimming, and I decided then and there that I would take it up again. Jeff is not so much into the water as I am….he loves the air…flying, parachuting, gliding. Together, we have compromised and we go sailing….it’s kind of a water and air combination that works for us.
So whatever it is that you have loved doing in your life, make sure that you get time to do it. One of my mentors told me once, “whatever you plan to do when you retire, do a little of it now…” Here’s to you doing a little of what you love. Rock N Roll Val & Jeff
January 23rd, 2009
I’ve noticed that it’s so easy to get caught up in thinking, ‘I’ll be happy when….” And, “If only this were to happen I would be happy.” My friends it’s just not true. Happiness only comes from being awake now. Being alive now. Being in the moment now. There may not even be a tomorrow! So let’s buck up and be happy right now, with whatever is going on.
Do you want to suck on a lemon or make lemonade?
It is too easy to be unhappy, and it comes from being in our heads. We can make up so much stuff in our head that it’s unreal. I was talking to a young woman today who had made a vision board. You may have done one yourself. You get a white board and a bunch of magazines and then cut out and paste everything that you want in your life. It gives you a vision of where you want to go. Then you put it somewhere as a reminder of what you want. It’s a creative visual.
She said, “I made the vision board and now I feel terrible.” I asked her why, “Because now I see everything that I don’t have.” She went on to say that she hated her job, had made bad decisions etc., etc.
We’ve all been there. Felt like we made the wrong decison, made a wrong turning and ended up someplace we didn’t want to be, with people we didn’t really feel close with. So I said to her, “You’ve made great decisions in your life…” And we named a few of them, like having two wonderful children, and working from home because that was the best thing to do at the time. “You are exactly where you are supposed to be right now.” I told her. “Look around you and be grateful for what you do have right now.”
Wherever you are right now, you are exactly where you are meant to be. And if you want to be in a different place, then be grateful for where you are, be happy where you are and keep your heart open for new things to come. Being grateful for where you are right now is a way of opening the door for new and wonderful things to happen.
If you are miserable, then you are opening the door for more misery. Life is very specific that way. The Law of Attraction isn’t about wanting things and having a vision board and hoping they will come true. It is about living your life the way you want to live it, now and in the future. You are creating your future now with the way that you are being in your life. So be great, be grateful and have an amazing life. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 21st, 2009
What a great day to remember all the amazing people that have gone before us; people whose actions have made our lives better today.
It’s about love, peace and happiness. Feeling secure and safe to walk out on the street, sit in a school room and on a bus. I’m amazed sometimes at the courage of people and so today, lets have courage in our hearts to do the right thing.
It takes courage to let go of the things that we’ve done that were wrong, and to not feel guilty about things. Guilt doesn’t help anyone. Worry doesn’t help anyone. Frustration doesn’t help anyone. The only thing that helps is taking good action. Keeping our word. Telling the truth and doing the best we can do.
I love what my grandaughter told me when I asked her ‘what makes people happy?’ And she said, “going to the ice-cream store.” And then I said, “what makes people sad?” and she said, “Going into a dark cave.”
I think the dark cave are the bad thoughts we have inside our own head. Going to the ice-cream store is like doing something good for yourself. Rewarding yourself for taking good action.
So just for today, have courage. Do the right thing. Be the best that you can be and have an amazing day! Rock n Roll Jeff & Val
January 19th, 2009
I watched everyone celebrating the upcoming presidency today, and it is wonderful to see so many people gathering in the name of change and of hope. People wanting to see things differently, people expecting new things to happen. People with hope in their hearts.
And what I know for myself is that having a leader is wonderful, and I still have to do the work. And if I can make the work something that I enjoy, it is easier to do….and I notice too, that even if I enjoy the work, there are always some parts of it that are not so enjoyable. Like writing. I love to write, and the act of getting myself together to go and sit down and actually write can take lots of effort. Sometimes I’ll make up busy work just to ‘put off’ the moment of sitting down and writing….even though when I am actually sitting down and writing…I really, really enjoy it!
So, lets go into this coming week with the possibility of making a difference in our lives and of the lives of people around us. Let’s be great and do the work that we need to do. Lets not put off until tomorrow what we have to do today. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 18th, 2009
I’ve noticed that there is usually a split second between laughing and getting angry. It’s as if laughter and anger are on the same continuum. Just the same as dark and light, up and down, left and right. You can’t have one without the other.
And this morning, even though I meditated for my usual hour and felt really calm and peaceful just after….life quickly got in the way of my serenity. I cant even remember what happened really. Maybe it was a call from the bank, or a proposal to get done immediately, or some other urgent task that came along….but I got frustrated. Then Jeff did something funny and we laughed and suddenly all the tension disappeared.
In that split second I had a choice, to either laugh or get angry. When I was younger, I remember always choosing to laugh, especially with my friends. We found the silliest things funny….then adulthood took over, and the serious business of making a living, and having a family took over. But really why? Yes, it’s a serious business making money, cooking, making beds and washing clothes, or is it? Why do we take things so seriously, when we have so little time to have fun.
If our work day is 9, 10, 15 hours, we need to make sure we get laughter in there.
I asked my granddaughter yesterday, “what makes people happy?” She said, “Going to the ice-cream store.” And then I asked her, “What makes people sad?” And she answered, “Going into a dark cave.” Simple isn’t it?
So my advice to you is, go eat some ice cream and stay away from dark caves, unless you are a hibernating bear! Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 16th, 2009
Listen, this life is short. And as far as we know, we just have one. So wherever you are on your journey, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or final quarter of your life–make it a great one. Let go of whatever has happened in your past, and have a great today, tomrrow and all the rest of the tomorrow’s to come.
Like today, we ordered a new telephone system which is tied into our cable and internet connections…a bundle in other words. And the total cost is lowered. Except the TV went off because the order hadn’t been put through correctly. And of course, it means staying on the phone and being put through to different people, and explaining for the fifth time, what the problem is. And here’s the thing. We can either be upset about it, or just stay focused and keep on the line, and get it sorted out.
I believe that’s what life is about. Having fun whatever you are doing. So when Jeff is on the phone, he chats with people, and has fun with them…asks them where they are located….chats about the weather, the phone, cars…whatever, and the service goes from being blah to fantastic! He gets what he wants, and the people on the other end of the line, who normally have to deal with upset, angry people, feel great.
So what do you want in your life? How do you want your life to be? Amazing, fun, uplifting! I hope so. Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 15th, 2009
I don’t know if you meditate or not, but for me it is a great way to release stress and bring about a positive way of living. I sit every morning for one hour, preferably early, before other people are up and about. I begin my meditation by thinking about my health. feeling grateful for my body and then I go on to think about my mind and my spirit. I think of them as being healthy, full of life and joy. It’s a way of being conscious about what is going on in my life and making small changes, adjustments if you will so that I can be the best I can be and live an amazing life. Then I simply sit in the silence and when a thought pops into my head I just let it drift right on through. I don’t pay it any attention. I allow myself the moment to sit and just be.
So if you are holding on to anything today, something from the past maybe that is holding you back, you can do this small exercise. Sit for a moment and take a deep breath in and then release that breath. Imagine your past, whatever is holding you back, some event or situation that feels heavy to you. In your mind, make it into a ball. Imagine all the feelings and emotions being brought into this ball. And then simply throw it away. See it flying through the air and disappearing into the light.
Seeing your past and any hurt as a separate thing from yourself allows you to realize that the past really is the past. It is over, done with and gone! Thank you and goodnight!
Now you are ready to live today in a new and encouraging moment. Feel your life as completely new. You are a new person. You are amazing. Have a wonderful day! Rock N Roll Jeff & Val
January 14th, 2009
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