The Value of Persistence

Persistence can carry us beyond many outer and inner obstacles. Sometimes we slip and fall as we move in the direction of our goals, but we can rise each time we fall. You can't beat the person who will not give up.

A poem by Dee Groberg called "The Race" beautifully expresses the value of not giving up in the game of life. Mac Anderson made a movie based on this poem which is well worth watching.

Go to the link below to see the movie.

www.simpletruths.com

You are worth loving and being loved

It has been said that we are not human beings who came to this earth to have a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings who came to have a human experience. As spiritual beings it is our nature to be loving souls. Love is the glue that holds everything together. Giving and receiving love makes life worth living and brings us joy. We can begin by giving love and we will see it return to us in ways we might not expect.

The following movie put together by Kate Nowak is a reminder that each of us is loved and that we are worthy of love.

www.hasanyonetoldyou.com

The Shift movie

Many people believe that the world is close to a crisis point. Weapons of mass destruction and global warming are capable of destroying life as we know it. Our very existence could be at stake. Every crisis provides opportunities for positive change. If enough people get involved and decide to make a positive difference we can shift direction from a destructive course to one that is constructive and life enhancing. I would like to share with you a four minute movie called "The Shift." It is about a shift toward higher consciousness and a new movement for positive change that is taking place throughout the world.

http://theshiftmovie.com/index2.html

Work as an Art Form and You as the Artist

Anyone who responds to an inner calling to fulfill a worthy purpose, envisions their goal, and then brings this vision into manifestation and form is an artist. In this way our work can be a form of art. Gibran said, "Work is love made visible." When we love what we do, our work becomes an expression of love. It is natural to desire to express the best of ourselves in the world through our vocation. This is how the inner (that which needs to be expressed from within us) becomes the outer visible form of our work.

An architect envisions a building, draws it on paper, and eventually it takes the form of a physical building. A teacher sees the results he or she wants the students to achieve, conveys this expectation to the students, and inspires them to rise to the level of expectation. Both the architect and teacher are like artists who paint their masterpiece. Lawrence Boldt, in his wonderful book, Zen and the Art of Making a Living put it this way, "You can experience your everyday life as art by bringing inspiration and absorption, creativity and resourcefulness, play and delight." When we are inspired and in the flow, our work becomes a form of art.

Time is limited and precious

Each of us has a limited amount of time to make our dreams come true. The time between our birth and death has been referred to as "The dash" by Linda Ellis. I am including a link to a movie by Mac Anderson and Linda Ellis about this subject. It is thought provoking and can inspire us to make the most of our dash or brief period of time.

http://www.thedashmovie.com

Using your dissatisfaction to find work that matters

One clue for discovering work that matters to you can be found by noticing your own dissatisfaction with problems you see in the world. Are there problems that invoke compassion for others? Do you see problems or needs that make you feel sad or angry? Is there a need you would like to fulfill if you had the power to make a difference?

Dissatisfaction can be positive if you use your discontentment to make a contribution. How can you use your talents and skills to help fill a need you see in the world? Aristotle put it this way, " Where your talents and the needs of the world meet, there lies your vocation."

Small Steps to the Life You Want

Lao Tzu said, " A journey of a thousand miles must begin with the first step."

The Japanese word "Kaizen" means small steps for continued improvement. Any large goal or project can be broken into small steps which leads us to the achievement of the goal. Slow and steady often wins the race.

According to Robert Maurer, author of One Small Step Can Change Your Life, taking small steps helps us to bypass fears that often arise when we are facing big changes. An overwhelming task does not seem daunting when we break it down into small steps. Fear and anxiety restrict our ability to think clearly and to be creative. When we take small steps to our large goals we remain relaxed, confident, and think more clearly.

I started weight lifting when I was 18 years old. I could only bench press 75 pounds. Two of my weights were a quarter of a pound each. I would tell myself every couple of weeks that I should be able to lift a half pound more weight and I would add these small weights to the barbell. In a few years I was able to bench press 300 pounds at a body weight of 145 pounds. This is an example of using small incremental steps to accomplish a big goal. I kept increasing the weight by a small amount, consolidated my gains, and in a few years was lifting 225 pounds more than when I began weightlifting. It is amazing what can be accomplished with small incremental steps.

You can decide what you want in life, whether it is a great relationship, career, or any other goal. Then begin taking small steps toward your goal until you achieve it.

I am including a link to a three minute movie on attitude by Mac Anderson. Here is the link:
http://www.powerofattitudemovie.com/