Monday, October 1, 2018

Scout

Scout brought happiness and terror into our lives but for a brief moment. He was a fierce and vicious, sweet and cuddly, little dog. A Jack Russell by birth he filled our lives with mirth, but once again, for just a short, little while.

Scout taught me a few things. Scout embodied the perennial saying paraphrased, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog."

Scout had a humongous fight in him. He taught me never to back down. He would stand up to any other dog no matter how big that dog was. He taught me never to back down.

Fights are gonna come at you. All your life. Don't back down. Face each one with a chin held high and a chest puffed up. Like Scout. You lost your job? Shake it off and find a new one. You lost your home? Do the best you can, get back on your feet, and find another place to live. You lost your family? Don't be too proud. Still, keep your head up, love them the best way you can, and take the next step in your life journey.

Notice I never said any of that would be easy. But when Scout stared down an opponent, friendly one or not, his eyes, his face, his chest, his legs, front and back, never betrayed an ounce of self-doubt. He had none. He was in it to win it. Literally.

Scout, thanks for teaching me to stand up and show up to any fight life wants to throw at me. And not only did you teach me to stand up and show up, but also, to never back down. No matter how big the fight that life throws at me, I can stand up to it, and not back down.

I can stand up and show up, never back down, and finally I can do it with confidence, with my head held high and my chest puffed out. Just because I choose. Just like Scout.

I can choose confidence or I can choose defeat. It's up to me. The choice is a switch; it will turn on the size of the fight in you. It will determine whether you back down or not, whether you show up or not.

Scout showed up every time. Scout never backed down. Scout stood "tall", confident.

How about you?

Friday, June 8, 2018

Peace?

I've always been a peaceful person. My whole life. I've avoided conflict any time,  everywhere, and for whatever reason. I want things around me peaceful all the time.

It's easy to see that this is nothing but a pipe dream. If you want peaceful all around you all the time fly off to one of those remote islands in the Pacific somewhere. Otherwise, it doesn't exist. You can imagine my frustration for most of my life.

Trying to control everything around me so as to have it peaceful, all the while raging turmoil inside my soul. Wrangling everything I could so as for calm to prevail. I wanted it peaceful in my sphere. Calm. Quiet. But I did not know Peace.

Peaceful is an adjective. Peace is a noun. Peaceful describes something, peace you can possess.

Do you possess peace? Peace inside gives you the ability, not to control things, but to remain in control as everything unravels. Do you possess peace when disaster strikes, when struggles come, when peacefulness shatters?

If you don't have Peace, find Him.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

My Three New Mantras

Ok so, now that you know that life has put the hurt on me, I'm going to share with you three new mottoes that I am going to live by from now on. Three new mantras:

1. Take responsibility
2.  If you're not ten minutes early, you're late
3.  No excuses

First: Take responsibility. I am taking responsibility for my life, all of it; from my depression and anxiety, to my reactions to life and people, to happiness and adventure.
Life was just happening to me! It was pathetic! I'm going to happen to life from now on; I'm taking responsibility.

Second: If you're not ten minutes early, you're late. That's easy enough. I'm not just talking about work, although that's a biggie. I'm talking about work, appointments, commitments, etc. It's about respect people. You want respect, respect others.

Third: No excuses. That's it. No excuses. No excuses for not taking the risk. Period. Take the risk; take a step forward, see what happens. It won't kill you.

I'd love to get your comments. And more, if it resonates with you, I'd love it if you shared my blog!
All the best.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Welp...I lost my jobby-job.

Again. Major life event some would say, some not. Which are you? Are you paying attention? At this point in my career, major life event. That's two now. Two in a row. It's making me take a long hard look at my life. A major life event will do that to you, if you're paying attention. I wasn't. I haven't been for a long time. Just set it in neutral for oh, I don't know how long. Coasting.

Major life events are stunning aren't they? They're soul-rattling. They're destabilizing. They will take your core, your gut, and squeeze. Like a boa constrictor. That is, if you let it. What do you do with these things? What do you with an event so devastating, so monumental...?

Of course, you're thinking of negative major life events, which is what I'm talking about. But positive major life events can have the same effect. They are soul-rattling. They are destabilizing. They will take your insides and squeeze. If you don't believe me just think back in your life to when you had your first child.

This isn't where I was. I was just coasting remember. Nah, said life. Hello! Wake up! I SAID WAKE UP POOH!

It's your choice actually. What you do with a major life event devastating or exhilarating; welp...It's your choice. You do have one.