"You Are Magnificent."

 

Ric,

You are kindness, generosity, and compassion. You truly are magnificent.

~ John

"What is your new favorite discovery?" (John)

"What is your new favorite discovery?" (Ric)

 

"Life is Just a Moment."

Ric,

Especially in these times of COVID, when we see so many lives cut short. Life is just a moment, and I enjoy every bit of it with you.

~ John

DailyOM - "Goals"

Goals

Our desires act as fuel, propelling us toward new horizons. Without something to strive for, we stagnate and become stuck in ruts of our own making because we are unsure of what to do next. Goals are the dreams that we are willing to work for. When we set goals, we take responsibility for our lives and choose to wholeheartedly devote ourselves to our aspirations. Even if we only take the smallest steps toward achieving our ambitions, it is vital that we actively pursue our goals rather than just daydreaming about them. Having goals makes us feel good because it adds a sense of purpose and direction to our lives.  

When you endeavor to achieve clear and quantifiable goals, your choices and actions take on new significance. Consciously creating your goals can help ensure that the success you seek is attainable and serves you. Your plan must be conceivable, tangible, and measurable. If you cannot visualize your goal in great detail or believe that you can realize them, you may find it difficult to commit to your goals and take the necessary steps to achieve them. Make sure that your goals have the potential to be emotionally satisfying. You may even want to write them down. Putting your goals into words can keep your intention fresh in your mind and remind you of your purpose. As you make progress toward realizing your goals, give yourself a reward each time you take a step forward so that you have the incentive to keep going. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, examine ways in which you can revise your strategy so that your plan can work.   

In creating goals, you create your future by outlining your destiny. When you choose your goals using your head and heart, you take the first step in manifesting what you want. You grant your own wishes every time you achieve another goal.

Another day, another DailyOm that strikes a chord with me. These days, I'm very specifically working on several goals concurrently. And it's a little stressful, and I'm wondering if I have taken on more than I should at one time.

But these are all things that are important to me. 

• Creating my webinar content for You, But Organized
• Writing my book, "The Story of John"
• Developing our new site, JohnandRic

To reach these goals, I will stick to my schedule, stay focused on my tasks, and hit my target dates. 

I can do this. And the rewards will be worth every bit of the challenges.

"What does your partner need?" (John)

"What does your partner need?" (Ric)

"Someday..."

"Life is Beautiful."

 

Ric,

No matter the challenges, no matter the pain along the way. You remind me every single day that life is beautiful.

~ John

DailyOM - "Contracting Before Expanding"

I subscribe to the DailyOm, and for the attractive price of zero dollars, each weekday I receive a thinking prompt. Often, I skim through it because I don't feel connected to the topic, but sometimes... wow. And a couple of days ago, the message felt spot-on targeted directly to me.

Contracting before Expanding

It is a natural part of being, that our lives sometimes contract before expanding. Sometimes our lives contract before they expand. We may be working hard on ourselves spiritually, doing good in the world, following our dreams, and wondering why we are still facing constrictions of all kinds -- financial, emotional, physical. Perhaps we even feel as if we've lost our spirituality and are stuck in a dark room with no windows. We may be confused and discouraged by what appears to be a lack of progress. But sometimes this is the way things work. Like a caterpillar that confines itself to a tiny cocoon before it grows wings and flies, we are experiencing the darkness before the dawn.   When things feel tight, it's easy to panic or want to act in some way to ease the feeling of constriction. We might also spin our wheels mentally, trying to understand why things are the way they are. However, there is nothing we need to do at this time other than to be patient and persevering. We can cling to the awareness that we are processing the shift from one stage to another, and the more we surrender to the experience, the more quickly we will move through the tightness into the opening on the other side.

I recently stepped back from Facebook for two reasons. One, I need to spend some time focused on my own emotional and mental wellbeing and not just worried about helping and supporting everyone else. And two, I want to work on my course content for upcoming webinars. But I've been struggling with my own mood and with staying on track with the work. And then I got this DailyOM email and the words resonated so strongly with me. Yes, it feels like I have contracted and my world got smaller. But that's okay and even to be expected. I have turned my energy inward and I'm concentrating everything on two tasks. I don't need to worry that my absence from the spaces I normally occupy are somehow permanent. Everything I know and love will still be there waiting when I return. And that helps me focus even more intently now on the work I really feel called to do.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" (John)

"How much sleep did you get last night?" (Ric)

"In thickest darkness, the stars shine brightest."

Ric,

Every work day, you descend into an emotional, stressful environment. The people in need of medical care are not at their best. And still, you handle the work, care for those most in need, and put your feelings aside to make sure others are okay. In the thickest darkness, the stars shine brightest. And you are that bright star.

~ John

"What is your partner's most adorable habit?" (Ric)

 

"What is your partner's most adorable habit?" (John)

 

"You deserve all the good things."

Ric,

Because you go out of your way to make sure that others have the things that they want and need. Your heart is so big and your spirit so giving, you deserve all the good things.

 ~ John

"What reminds you that you're in love?" (Ric)

 

"What reminds you that you're in love?" (John)

 

Introducing "Affirmators"

First, let me just say... I'm back. It's been months since I have felt like posting anything to my blog, but that changes now. And I'll start with a selfie I took yesterday. This is me, nearly a year into pandemic hibernation. The hair and the beard grow a little longer, but then Ric gives me a haircut, I shave, and I look cleaned up again.

In other news, I'm spending several weeks off of Facebook. I am isolating a bit from social media and working on a few personal things, instead. I'm puttering around on Twitter a bit and dusting off this blog, but FB is on hold until Spring, at least.

I've been trying to focus on my own emotional and mental well-being. Dealing with a global pandemic in 2020 was tough on all of us, of course. On top of that, I went through an ugly personal  situation that resulted in a painful, permanent, but necessary separation from a family member. And also like many of us, I spent time soul-searching and made the decision to distance myself from many people who have demonstrated that they have very different priorities regarding political, social, and cultural issues. They likely feel the same about the positions I take, but candidly, that isn't my concern, anymore. I wish them good lives, but I no longer wish to be in them. It's better for all of us, I'm sure.

So, all of that said, it's been a tough year with new challenges. Add to that the unresolved issues of the past that I seem to routinely drag back out into the light, and clearly, I need to get my shit together once and for all.

And that brings me to the "Affirmators." They are described by their creator like this:

Even pessimists like a little positivity, so comedian Suzi Barrett created these inspirational-but-not-cheesy affirmation cards. Providing the fun of a horoscope with a little less woo-woo, and full of positive affirmations, this whimsical box will help you help yourself, no shamanistic consult required!

Here's my plan. I am not going to preview any of the cards. Instead, each Saturday, I'll select another one, read the message, and spend the next week trying to incorporate whatever positive lesson there is into my day-to-day living.

There are fifty cards, so I can do this for almost a year. That sort of consistent positive thinking has to have a good influence, right? I'll find out.

So, this is a little weird right out of the gate. The instructions with the deck suggest shuffling them without looking at the front of any of them, and then selecting one that feels like the message I need right now.

I did.

And I got a card that feels tailor-made for me in this very moment.

Week 01: Don't Take It Personally

This one is pressing all the buttons, mostly because I am currently putting distance between myself and many of my Marine Corps brothers. We were friends thirty years ago and have stayed connected since, but truthfully, many of us have grown apart and developed very different views on the world. Seeing this card - with the camouflage backpack - feels like it's speaking directly to those military connections.

So, this week, I'll keep this card front and center at my desk and put some real thought into the message. And if someone is less than kind to me, I'll try to remember that it's all about them and what is happening in their life. It's only about me if I let it be. Instead, I need to remember that they are free to say whatever they want and I am equally as free to not bother listening.

Let's see what kind of impact a full week can have when I keep repeating,"if you don't enjoy the message or the messenger, feel free to disengage."  

Hearts on Fire