Start at Zero

Today we start at zero
Like everyday
Another chance to be my own hero
My favourite day

The past has made its mind
And wont be convinced
The future waiting to be made
Starting today, repeat and rinse

Interview day

Interview day, What to say?
Will they hear the sound of fear?
Everything on the line, I’m not fine.
I said it all wrong, everything’s gone.

But what a weird thing, I think,
as if bombing it all, made me recall.
Life goes on, and rather strong.
I’m not dead, its all in my head.
Fear of failure, at the price of what we were.

Tension and Comfort

Tension is the fabric that makes life interesting.  Not necessarily easy nor comforting but interesting, yes.

Lounging on sandy white beaches with palm trees is easy and comforting.  But that gets boring real quick.

The trick to creating an interesting life is finding the right amount of tension you are able to handle.  This is the tension that will compel you to say something bold.  This is the tension that will inspire you to try something scary.  This is the tension that swells your being with a sense of purpose.

Convenience is the enemy of effective

Sometimes a utilitarian approach to life is important.  I try to ask myself: Does doing this serve my greater goal?  Does going down this path make me the person that I want to be?

Often times I’ll find that the answer to that question is polluted by convenience and instant gratification.  Convenience is the enemy of effective.  Instant gratification is the parasite of fulfilment.

So when the answer is one that is misaligned with my greater purpose, I simply change the story.  The narrative can always be rewritten.  The choice is up to you.

Change of Mind

I find it comforting to think that there is an obvious truth that I wholeheartedly believe in right now that I could radically impeach in a year from now.  Truths and falsehoods are simply placeholders that serve us in a particular time in our life for those who are still willing to change their minds.

When I realized…

When I realized how I view the world is just one way, I wasn’t tied to wearing one pair of glasses.  I could try on the red ones today and the purple ones tomorrow.

When I realized that walking within the lines is only one way to play this game, the possibilities opened up.

When I realized it’s OK to not like what everyone likes, I could then like what I actually liked.

When I realized the comparisons will surface but I don’t have to feed into them, I became happier.

Mirror Mirror

Mirrors are ubiquitous in our lives. They offer a reflection of our physical bodies. Every morning we look up from our sinks to be reminded of the pimple that we grow insecure about. We zoom in on the wrinkle that nobody else sees. We emphasize the skin fold that threatens our self-worth. We may not like what we see but the mirror can only show what is there; the stories we tell are invented by us.

But is there a way to examine those stories we make? What about a mirror that reflects our internal body? The internal landscape that makes up our thoughts.

I believe stillness is this internal mirror. Stillness can take many forms: meditation, tai chi, yoga, solo hiking, solo travel, etc.  Any activity where your mind is in retreat creates stillness as a mirror for our thoughts. Any non-activity where you relinquish distractions and desires generates stillness as a reflection of our inner dialogue.

I have tried many of these forms and the tool that has stuck with me the longest is journalling.  Journaling for me creates an environment of stillness condusive for reflective processes. Through journalling I’m able to see my most fragile and vulnerable thoughts and see them as that, only thoughts. By reflecting them on the page I’m able to identify and dissociate from these thoughts.  Journaling helps me to create new stories, stories that I’m proud to tell.

Balls In Your Court

It’s never been easier to be a creator.
Everyone is a photographer with Instagram.
Everyone is a filmmaker with YouTube.
Everyone is a writer with WordPress.
Everyone is a reporter with periscope.
But most important, everyone owns their own media company with the share button.

The ball is in your court. And it’s always in your court.

The Education Badge

I’ve been fortunate to personally experience how education can transform one’s life for the better. I’ve witnessed first hand how the lack of it can spiral generations into the rut of poverty and learned helplessness. There’s no question that improving education is one of the most, if not the most important step in breaking the pattern of poverty.

And in order to realize these efforts, it requires that those who are educated view those who are not, as equals. Because in our world of competition, education is another badge we attach to our worth that dictates who we can relate and connect with. Because in our measurement world, one’s luxury of education can sometimes peepetuate judgement and segregation. Because those with less may not teach us about science and math, but can teach us about compassion, tenderness and courage. These are the universal experiences that connect us and teach us what it means to be human.

Job Opening

There’s a job opening. You need to climb tall walls with thin ropes holding your weight.  Your boss hands you miniature shoes that squeeze your toes. He instructs you to pull with your hands and push with your feet. Todays the day we fight ripped callouses and banged knees.

Who would sign up for this job?  Yet many people would gladly pay to do this work, and they do. It’s called rock climbing.

It’s all work. Work is not the issue. It’s finding the right work that you are willing to put up with.

When you find work you enjoy doing, the work becomes bearable. When the time flows by unnoticed, optimizing for efficiency becomes irrelevant. Rather, you’re trying to figure out how you can spend more time doing your work.