A heart-centered maverick, living on Whidbey Island since 2000.
After 81 years, a work in progress and still trying to figure it all out!
My mission is to make a positive difference by sharing my view of life sensibilities.
My hope is my words will make a positive difference for you. Nothing more!
Your comments at the end of each article are important as your thoughts
help me tweak the course and “steer the ship” in a sound direction!
After 81 years, I continue to search, listen and be open to learning. I am grateful for any opportunity to share and hope that something in my reflections will be meaningful to you, expand your understanding, or even inspire you to create a greater good for yourself.
Wherever you are in your life, we are each the culmination of our life’s ongoing circumstances, including challenges, opportunities, bruises, joys, and choices. Our thoughts today are the result of our individual and unique circumstances. And, by what we regularly hold as thoughts, we each create our own picture of reality.I continuously find ways to look beyond my thoughts, including my wounds and blemishes. I accomplish this first by acknowledging that I don’t have many answers. Then, by reading from different sources, connecting with new people, and being a sponge for different perspectives. I do this to grow! To create a better self with a greater sense of understanding and hope and strive for a greater personal good.
What I firmly believe is one person can make a difference. If nothing else, to plant the seeds that blossom into a flower or tree, or a beautiful garden, or a great new way of being, or perhaps even into a new movement to make a positive difference for others.
You could be that seed!
I could be that seed! Each of us is a microcosm of the whole. The whole is a reflection of the behaviors of its collective microcosms. You and I are microcosms of our unique communities and, ultimately, the entire world.
One thing is to show up and speak up for what is true to you and behave in the manner you believe is important to yourself, your community, and your world. I continue to express the essential life lessons I’ve learned. Perhaps to reinforce for me how I want to show up?
There have been and will continue to be some who struggle with wounded or disillusioned thoughts. Some never learned or may have lost sight of right from wrong. Some are hurting from disease or mental issues. Each of us, in some way, struggles with survival and our sense of reality.
Important Life Decisions
Most of us rely on intuition when making life decisions and do not consciously go through a formal checklist of options. It’s a reliance on our ability to make good decisions. The downside of this is we each, including myself, draw upon a filtered or distorted view of actual reality. That filter is firmly entrenched and has become our unique internal compass. Over time, aging and maturity mend some of these distortions. In the process of maturing, most of us gain a clearer perspective and greater acceptance of who we are and our particular reality.
You, and I, can consciously strengthen our personal values and behavior muscles every time we interact with others.; to behave in alignment with your vision of good in all your interactions.
There are many critical personal values to consider for “value muscle building.” Consider these fundamental behavior values for your personal “muscle building.” How do you stack up?:
Integrity? Humility? Accountability? Empathy? Compassion? Vulnerability? Inclusiveness? Listening? Authenticity? Empathy? Love? Seeking and seeing the good? Not having to be right? Gratitude? And finally, Forgiveness; of others and yourself.
You may want to add others to the list. After reviewing them, check in with yourself; the opportunity is to become a better you. Which behavior muscles are most important to you? Where can you grow?
Internal compasses occasionally get challenged. But, usually, whether conscious or not, most of us consider the path to yield the greatest good, the path of least resistance, or the most respectful path. And, of course, the direction aligned with your understanding and value of ethics and morality.
In addition to these life experiences, the people we associate with, especially those we befriend, have a significant impact on who we are or become. Choose friends wisely! Considering who we choose to associate with and become friends with can be a blessing related to important life decisions. Most often, friends become unexpected angels in our life.
The blessing of friends, beyond companionship, is they bring different experiences and points of view. They offer a broadening of life, not knowing more; knowing different! They bring new insights and a bond of mutual affection. They bring a sense of belonging. They bring mutual trust. They bring love. These unexpected angels bring respect for you and your view of life and living.
Friends similarly honor your ethics and morality. In other words, not only is there a level of alignment, but more importantly, there is reinforcement for who you are and the life choices you have made.
Unfortunately, some people have been severely wounded and no longer have a clear moral compass or they bring a skewed view of life. The downside is, at any age, choosing to associate with or befriend someone severely wounded can result in adopting a skewed view of life or even growing in a negative direction. Or, it can be a real blessing by you becoming an unexpected angel to them and perhaps they for you. You get to choose!
Becoming a Hermit is Not an Option
When learning about life, becoming a hermit is usually not an option — at the same time, becoming paranoid or fault-finding are also not good options.
It may seem too simple a solution; however, when meeting new people or acquaintances, consciously choose to look for and see the good in them! Give each person you meet the opportunity to be an unexpected angel for you and you for them. In other words, live from the eyes of your heart and see the blessing in each person you meet, not the blemishes. We all have them!
Owning and Expressing Your Gifts
Yes, we each have multiple talents, unique capabilities, aspirations, outstanding accomplishments, and potential; at any age! Showing up, owning, and especially expressing your gifts will bring personal satisfaction and joy to yourself and to others.
To own your gifts, you may first have to overcome old internal programming, some of the messages you may have heard in the past. “You’re not good enough.” “You will never amount to anything.” “You cannot do anything right.” And so on.
Stand Up for Yourself and prove those outdated messages no longer define who you are.
Ask yourself, what thoughts do I have that no longer serve me?
What new thoughts will make me feel freer?
What new thoughts will make me feel happier?
What new thoughts will make me feel more fulfilled?
How do you want to show up?
At any age and whatever your circumstances, now is a great time for you to consider creating a new picture of your reality.
So, what can you do to create a greater good for yourself, those important in your life, and those you are yet to meet?
Creating a greater good and making a positive difference in your life will also become your most potent purpose! These reflections are my way of creating a greater good and making a positive difference.
Set the bar high, strengthen your behavior muscles and make a personal masterpiece! No matter where you are, the opportunity is to become a better you. There is no downside! Aim high!
Here’s to you!
Ron
