– NO WAY!

Posted on May 7, 2018 by positivelyjohn

There are so many of us that “mean well”. We “Intend” to change how we treat others. We are “working on” our bad attitude. We never really mean any harm,” it’s just,,,you know,,,well, shit happens, I’m not perfect!””

These are the conversations we have with ourselves to justify our poor treatment of others. We tend to rationalize our behavior by deflecting the blame to “THEM”. I fully understand that there there are millions out there that push our buttons everyday. When we push back, or at someonelse then blame “THEM”, we have become one of THEM!

“My actions are my only true belongings.”— Thich Nhat Hanh

 

We are what we present to the world. there are time where we may actually believe; “that isn’t really me,,,you see it was,,,,and the so & so did such, so I ,,,,,, but it isn’t WHO I AM”.

GUESS WHAT??? It is you!! If it walks like a duck,,quacks like a duck,,,YOU KNOW THE REST!

“Our own life has to be our message.”— Thich Nhat Hanh

 

So many of us realize that we need to start changing a bit. It is comfortable being who & what we have been and change seems scary & difficult, but we know we are not being who we know we could be. We may be waiting to get “A ROUND TUIT”.

“Life is available only in the present moment.”— Thich Nhat Hanh

 

THE TIME IS NOW. THE ACTION IS LOVE. THE RESULT IS HAPPINESS.

It will never be later. All we have is the present. Be Love!

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” ~Gandhi

 

Namaste`

The Journey IS the Destination

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You’ve Got the Power

Posted on May 6, 2018 by positivelyjohn

 

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind. – William James

The above quote is from William James 1842-1910, who was referred to by many as the “Father of Modern Psychology”. William James was an accomplished author, philosopher, and psychologist, haven written many texts on theology, philosophy, psychology, ethics, and the study of metaphysics.  William James determined that there is a “Law” in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you want to experience, and hold it there long enough you will soon experience it.  This is what modern self-help gurus refer to as “Visualization” and Spiritual- Inspirational authors refer to as “The Law of Attraction”

When religion and spirituality “collide”, or the philosophies of noted metaphysical authors, and quantum physics theorists surface, the Faithful Christians, and those deeply rooted in the dogma of a popular religious denomination take offense claiming that “God has been trivialized” and man is assuming the power and control previously attributed to Deity alone.

William James’ epiphany as a religious lecturer-turned scientific philosopher was accompanied by the phrase “My first act of free will shall be to believe in free will”. With this awakening, he abandoned his belief in “Determinism” (fate) and began to explore personal responsibility as it relates to creation. If God created man with “Free Will” then why would we deny our part in creation?

Jesus preached positive thinking, and “The Law of Attraction” but the majority of his followers interpreted that as obedience to God, and rewards for faithful living. “Semantics”! Jesus was quoted as saying such things as: Mark 11: 24. What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you have already received them, and you shall have them, and: Mark 10:52 Go, your faith has healed you”, and: Mark 9:2. “Everything is possible for one who has faith.” These verses read to me as “Personal responsibility” and instruction that our minds create our reality.power

Spirituality, and Metaphysics do not contradict and trivialize the role of God, and the message of Jesus in our lives, but attempt to explain in scientific, and rational practical application how these instructions & lessons affect the outcome of our lives. Too many people of faith rely solely on the concept that “God will provide” or, if we are good people we will live the life of our dreams.  This removes us from personal responsibility and makes us victims of our environment, assuming God will interject, and make everything right for us.

Well, I believe God has already intervened by telling us such things as: (Phil 4:8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, fill your mind with these things) so that we would take control and create our own reality.

Positively Speaking, You’ve got the power! Our entire lives are within our control. Pain, fear, catastrophe, and ruin cannot touch us without our permission. Control your thoughts, and you will control your life. Believe & achieve! Go for it!!

I’VE GOT THE POWER

 

The JOURNEY  IS the Destination

 

 

 

 

 

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The Swing is the Thing

Posted on April 30, 2018 by positivelyjohn

us riding

I’ve heard it said that golf is a nice walk in the field gone awry. I have also had many s ride gone sour by making the decision to drive through the city, or by riding with people I don’t really like. The best of days, and most pristine conditions can be ruined in heartbeat by one decision.  Basically; The natural state of our world is peace. Turmoil, upheaval, controversy and panic are constructs of the human mind. Each of us will occasionally find ourselves shrouded in confusion and mayhem. All we need to understand how to sidestep the chaos is that we either created it, allowed it, fed into it, or focused upon it, thus drawing the situation to the forefront of our being. By shifting our focus to the natural order of life, (which is peace) we can once again claim our sense of calm.

The idea of living an idyllic life seems so far out of reach to many. What most folk fail to realize is the level of control we actually have. Life by itself is not inherently, negative.  We have complete creative control. Perhaps we do not determine what situations cross our path, but we do decide what road to take when we get to the fork, or which exit on the traffic circle to lean into. swingTo use a baseball comparison, a pitch can come in high and outside, low and inside, wildly out of control, or right down the pipe. The fate of the batter is determined by his decision to swing or not to swing, and how that swing meets the ball. The pitch is not the deal, the swing is everything. No matter what is going on; the determining factor whether we live blissful lives of peace, or anguished existences enshrouded in turmoil and grief is ultimately our choice.

We all spend our days with millions of thoughts swirling around in our craniums. We actually decide which thoughts to focus on, and which ones to discard. Sometimes it is a mystery how some of them get there, but the focus is surely by choice. Happy thoughts will create light moods that result in happy choices and better life experiences. Leaving our minds wallowing in the dark recesses of our inner most fears, will result in like conditions showing up in our lives.
Our experience is a reflection of our choice of focus. The calamity may have been borne of forces beyond our control, but we could only experience it by invitation.  When riding down the road, look at the pretty stuff and leave the garbage behind. Swing batter, batter swing!
Choose peace.

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Out of Focus: Remaining sane amid the insanity

Posted on February 2, 2018 by positivelyjohn

Are you aware that the temperature at the South Pole in the winter can hit -76 degrees F? Did you know that Caracas Venezuela has 3 homicides pr 10,000 people every Year? Does either of these facts disturb you? Will the knowing of this compromise your quality of life? I think not. Partially because you are removed from them, but mostly because you don’t give them any thought. Even being far away from these places, if you researched these statistics regularly, attempted to change them, spoke about them, wrote about them and viewed video of people affected by them, you would be angry. It would probably degrade your happiness quotient resulting to a life of grief.images

The point is; not matter what is going on, fact, fiction, opinion, or conjecture, without giving it focus and intention, it will not bother us.

Today, there are millions of people, riled up about the opinions of others, stories they hear, and perceived wrongs that may or may not have validity. None the less, these millions either take to the airwaves, media, streets or local gathering places and focus on, embellish upon, glorify and vilify situations that have very little impact without such focus, to the point of misery. Regardless your side in the “Great Divide of 2017” I’m sure you feel the pain. All sides believe the other side is filled with idiots, morons, heretics, “phobic’s of some sort or the other, and hell bent on destruction. There is serious unrest and a marked degradation in the quality of life all around.

What has changed? Nothing really! The left is left, the right is right. Up is up and cold is cold. No more have died, or been misplaced. The only real difference is the level of attention paid to conditions that do not suit us. When we focus on situations that are not aligned with our desires we feel pain. There is still plenty around that IS aligned with our desire, but it seems we are looking at, talking about and blowing up, the situations that we are not in synch with. That is abnormal.

We each have more control than we know. What we focus on expands in our lives. That is why positive thinking, speaking and living is paramount to happy successful lives. If we each make an effort to keep our attention on the things in life that we find pleasing,download (2).jpg speak about, share, and highlight only those conditions; our lives will be filled with happiness, regardless of what mayhem exists beyond our little sphere of awareness.

What you think about expands. As a man thinketh; so shall he be! You and only you have full control over your happiness.

THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION

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Smell,,,,whatever!

Posted on July 30, 2017 by positivelyjohn

Stop and smell,,,,,,ANYTHING!

It seems we don’t have luck with rose bushes on my property. That does not mean I need to miss out on my life. There are a ton of other flowers that the bees and the wildlife enjoy around my house all the time.download (1)

I am a staunch advocate of “Living in the NOW”. I regularly pontificate about the present moment being the only true reality, as before and later exist only as thought. The “pre-sent” space/time canvass that we have to create out experience is a PRESENT to us from the power that transcends our understanding.  While I can wax philosophical about this important life component, it dawns on me that I am not as diligent as I should be with my own advice. Granted, when I’m riding my Victory Cross Country Tour, I manage to be present and soak in every second of the scenery, the speed, wind, sensation on my skin, and love for the woman sitting behind me: but there is so much more.

New England winters can be challenging, so I really look forward to April so I can get out and enjoy myself. I get a good couple of weeks off from work each year so I have ample opportunity for vacation, and I do have weekends and evenings. The light hanging with us until almost 9:00PM is an added advantage also. The problem I have found is:

DO I get on my bike and ride? Or play golf? Drag the kayaks to the lake, or take a dip in my pool?  Take the bicycles to the scenic path, or hike one of the hundreds of fantastic trails in CT? Cape, or Lake George. Mountains in NH/VT, or the Maine coast? Winery, brewery, concert or show? Car show, or bike run: Hot Tub or fire pit?I feel like none of those selections could be missed if I plan to enjoy the season, so I frantically run from one to the other trying to weave in lawn mowing, pool cleaning, home maintenance and the like. I recently realized, while I am doing one activity my mind is racing about how and when to get the next one in. All of this relaxation is stressful.

Last night my wife Andrea and I were at the home of a close friend that runs a non-profit Therapeutic Horse  Stable . The program pairs challenged youth and adults with any type of emotional, developmental or physical challenge, with Horses, to create a bond, trust and therapeutic connection. He shared a story of a client that had suffered trauma as a youth and was there to learn to connect for freedom from anxiety. The woman was brushing a horse and it walked away, turning its back. In horse speak that is the equivalent of “ Screw you”. The therapist counseled the woman on letting go of her racing thoughts that historically guided her actions, and just simply be in the moment. The woman emotionally confessed that she has never done that as she has always lacked trust of people and more importantly, trust of herself. She admitted that no matter what she is doing, her mind races with thoughts of the past and they cause her much anxiety. As she connected with her inner spirit through this epiphany of honesty, the Horse turned around, came back and rested its head on her chest. While the animal kingdom does not speak English, they understand us more than we understand ourselves. At that moment, the woman experienced the grace of living in the present moment while releasing her chains to the past severing the debilitating control they had on her life.

We all must let go of yesterday so we can be free from its bondage, and plan for tomorrow, but be present right NOW, one activity at a time. Better to do 2 things fully than 22 things without really experiencing any of them.

After he told the story, we sat and looked out at the evening sky overtaking his pasture and he calmly uttered: Not too tough to take; is it”? We just sat after that.

Oh, then we had ice cream!

THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION

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SELF DECEPTION 

Posted on April 4, 2017 by positivelyjohn

Each individual is a component of the whole. There is only ONE life that enshrouds all that is. 

Divine grace is at the core of our being as we exist to create experience through contrast. Imagination is the seed, desire the driving force and faith the determine factor to the end result. All limitation is illusory. 

. We have determine the barriers we cannot surpass by the example of others. Our limits are self imposed and can be exceeded by faith. It is not unusual to go beyond our expected limit as soon as we see others have. All that is needed to be limitless is imagination. 

WE ARE THE CO-CREATORS OF ALL THAT IS. 

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Don’t wait to Create 

Posted on April 3, 2017 by positivelyjohn

Our strongest desire is to create. Knowing we have made an impact on others is very satisfying. All innovation and progress since man began procreating has been born from the desire to create.

We all have great ideas about wonderful things we would love to do, yet remain stuck in a rut rooted in fear. Somehow the possibility that an undertaking may not work out has become the bogeyman of complanceny and conformity. Ray Bradbury told us;

Life is about trying things to see if they workimg_3636

Those that ignore the drive to use their talents to contribute to society compromise their relevance and react with negative consequences.

A major component to a happy successful society is when the fabric of circumstance is a collaborative effort with contributions from all. People owning the environment in which they function is the basis of pride an esteem. Being on the outside drawing the narrative of your life from the creative decision of others renders many irrelevant and becomes the impetus for negative creation.

Desire is the starting point of all achievement. Not a hope, not a wish, but a strong pulsating desire which transcends everything. ~Naploean Hill

It is important that we all respond to the pull of creation and follow our imagination. It is everything. !

THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION.

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Contribution Revolution

Posted on April 1, 2017 by positivelyjohn

There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling of having made a difference. While we all look to those that volunteer and donate to causes and conditions as heroes, the satisfaction they derive from their selflessness far out weights their compromise. Don’t misunderstand me though, selfless givers are surely individuals high on integrity and compassion and certainly deserve our accolades, but know that the selflessness translates to self satisfaction absent any recognition. We all need to be needed and will only live fulfilling lives if we are making a contribution to the common good.

Some of us may not have the luxury of time needed to be involved in a variety of causes. That does not mean that the lives of those that do not give selflessly are less than those that do, or not as rewarding. Our careers, jobs, families, customers and coworkers are all the beneficiaries of our contribution. Whenever we use our talents and skills to improve a situation, we are contributing to the well being and evolution of society.Attachment-1  It does not matter that we get paid. Wallace Wattles, a 19th century “New Thought” Guru taught that is important to give more value than we receive. If we get paid $1, we should give $1.10 in goods or services. This allows us the knowledge that we made a contribution. Never give less than your best, or you are taking as opposed to giving.

Last week I spent 2 days working on an event in my town, I  know the town  surely needs as much help as they can get to revitalize the economy and reawaken the social scene.  Since I was volunteering my time, it was very satisfying to see how successful the event was.  I am grateful for the opportunity to help

In today’s politically correct world, with social programs being offered to almost half of the country, individuals are being robbed of the opportunity to contribute and be relevant.  I do believe that what separates us from lower species is our compassion for those that have challenges and are facing hardship. However, since the dawn of time, man has always fended for himself and provide for his loved ones and community. When we take that option off the table, we’ve dis-empowered those we believe we are ministering to and leave them void of purpose, destroying their self worth and minimizing their impact on society. The vehicles the this country has employed to be compassionate end up compromising the importance of the very group we intend to uplift.IMG_3619

We have all seen and heard the stories of individual with challenges both physical and otherwise, rising beyond their limit and making significant contributions to the world. They then become role models for others and rise in worth exponentially.

Instead of giving to, we should all be seeking to empower those in needs first so that they can realize the joy of contribution and have fulfilling lives.

Too may services create too much dependence and it spirals out of control. Lift up before handing out and you will be a modern hero! “teach a man to fish,,,,, Let’s start a Contribution Revolution. It’s time to help other use whatever gifts they have to participate in this wonderful experience.

 

The JOURNEY IS the DESTINATION!

 

 

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Desire Vs Expectation

Posted on March 7, 2017 by positivelyjohn

I have dreams. I have goals, and I have desires. I also have expectations. We have had some unseasonably warm weather lately and I have seen and heard an inordinate amount of bikes out for this time of year. As soon as I saw the weather warm up, I expected to see that. So it was.

Many of us have goals, dreams, desires and such, but few ever realize them. There is a bible verse that references faith and expectation.

Mark 11: 24.What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you have already received them, and you shall have them.

Don’t worry; I’m not going to go all biblical on you. I just wanted to set the stage. You see; faith & our experiences are directly related. While we have plans, goals, and dreams, all the things we desire, we also have expectations. I have a very strong desire to win Powerball. I don’t expect to: SO I WON’T.  Many times we tell ourselves we have faith, we would like to believe that we really believe what we are praying for will come to pass, but in the cold light of day, we don’t expect it to. That is where our doubt overshadows our faith. The two cannot exist simultaneously. Even though we try to convince ourselves we believe a certain way, unless we feel good about, put all worry aside and expect nothing less, we have no faith. That is why prayers do not get answered, actually they do; the expectation being stronger is what gets validated.

Having confidence, faith and an ironclad knowing of what we desire is the seed of manifestation. being filled with gratitude for what we have, and expecting i more of the same will yield positive outcomes.image1

As we look at the elephant in the room (the state of the country), we must admit that it is difficult to expect harmony, unity and brotherly love to prevail tomorrow. We are all witnessing just what we expect. In other words, we are getting what we asked for even though we do not realize we asked. Isn’t that great? We expect it; and it is SO!

We are all mature enough to understand that we cannot change the mind, attitude or behavior of others. All we have control of is our own actions and attitudes. What we look for and expect to see will multiply in our life. We all need to start trying to see the good out there. Expect positive encounters and we will find ourselves wrapped in them. The more of us that embrace this, the quicker the world will get in line. Even if the world does not improve, our lives will if we expect them to.

WE ALLOWEmotional suffering, stress, worry & grief are the meter that informs us how far our expectation is from our desire. When we start to feel joy on a regular basis, that is the indication that our expectations and desires are getting close to one another. That is the genesis of change.

 

Change the way you look at life; your life will change!

THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION.

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Acceptance

Posted on February 4, 2017 by positivelyjohn

When the Screen Actors Guild has an award ceremony, or The Oscars, Emmy’s and the like are held, all of Hollywood excels at ACCEPTANCE. They have elaborate acceptance speeches, eloquently articulate their gratitude for all those that have supported and empowered them, and sometimes even accept in absentia, or on behalf of an associate. It seems that this sense of acceptance has suddenly disappeared. Not only in Hollywood, but unilaterally,  bi-coastal, inter-racially and completely. Our nation is in crisis right now. The crisis is of a magnitude the likes we have never seen. The catalyst is not a race, gender, religious group, left, right middle political affiliation, rich or poor. The crisis is all of us. The issue is intolerance.

I am 58 years young and have survived several Presidential elections in my day. There are times my choice won, and times it didn’t. Of course during the latter I was disappointed. I respectwould hold on to hope that either I was wrong and the country would be better off with the choice of the people, or that no matter  how it worked out, we would move forward and grow, ( just not as I would have chosen)

I’m used to that. We all are. At work the decisions made are not always in line with my desires, nor at home. I have to capitulate the the desires of my wife and children to keep the peace. It’s called compromise. We have been doing it since the dawn of existence.

The Rolling Stones said it beautifully in their song “ You can’t always get what you want”. They continue to explain: “ But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what need”!

With acceptance and compromise, we can work together to find Common Ground. This way the disparity between opposing views is minimal. When we fight against our disappointment; nothing gets resolved. All that happens is the displeasure escalates, rendering the possibility of happiness on both sides impossible.

When we are confronted with conditions that are not of our liking, constructively working toward change will have the possibility of yielding such common ground. Viciously surfingfighting against what we are unhappy about will never make us happy. When it gets right down to it; the fight is all about getting our way so that we can be happy. But fighting will render happiness unattainable.

“Tolerance, compromise, understanding, acceptance, patience – I want those all to be very sharp tools in my shed.” – Ceelo Grren
hate

Anything we fight against results in pain for all, while anything we work together toward, yields positive results. So when did we become animals and discard reason?  If you are rioting, destroying, looting and committing violence, or vowing to retaliate against those that are, you are only making matter worse. The world is watching in both fear and delight as the largest superpower, leader of freedom and democracy implodes.

Regardless where you stand, left, right, top, bottom, or in the back yard; reach out in peace or shut the hell up. You’re not helping, or creating change.

These last 10 weeks the USA has looked like one of those third world dictatorships in revolt. I assure you any attempts to over throw or undermine will land us in a huge dung heap. RETHINK YOUR STRATEGY AND ASK YOURSELF IF IT IS WORKING.

THIS SUCKS!

The JOURNEY is the Destination.

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