act vs. react

Do you tend to speak up when someone affects you 

positively or negatively?

I struggle with this.

Because I know it takes effort to be extraordinary at something,

I tend to go out of my way to reinforce when someone goes out of their way to be just that.

Friend, cashier, employee, sister, mother - stranger on the sidewalk.

The lady at Walgreens today went out of her way to help me, which made 15 minutes of my day less frustrating.  I thanked her adamantly. While I usually get annoyed when I'm asked to go home and log onto a website to fill out a customer satisfaction survey, I knew right then and there I'd go home and do this one.  

~~~

I've also improved upon - but not perfected - the opposite end of the spectrum.

The younger version of me?

I'd speak up 100% of the time.

Who do you think you are? Why would you do this? Seriously?

The revised and continuously improving version?

I've kept quiet about a lot for a long time now.

There is definitely a benefit to giving yourself at least one night to sleep on something before you react.

I appreciate those who have helped coach me on when to speak up - and when NOT to.

I am very thankful that I've passed up addressing certain issues over the years.

However, for those of you who NEVER speak up and continue to let things be just because you want to avoid any and all confrontation - 

this isn't always helping the bigger picture, which is bigger than you.

This is not my operating system every time you start my engine.

We are all part of this picture. Communication is key.

Thank you to the person today who helped me realize that speaking up can make a difference in something bigger than just my own issue with something.

Ego nano? Yes.

Hybrid engine? Good.

Zero fire? I'll pass, thanks.

I appreciate my voice

even if you didn't notice my silence.

a class on that ass

The next time you are afraid of an asshole,

take 10 minutes out of your time to sit them down and 

ask them a personal question.

Maybe one about a love that didn't last, or why they're afraid of trust.

Listen to their ego while it's calm,

pay attention to the human being that really is in there

and remember that calmness

the next time your assumption of them in your head screams judgment.

~ L

the demise of size

It comes as no surprise that the SUPERsize generation has seen it's day.

Mini is in.

Paper-thin computers,

Cars so small they look more like cages,

ipod nano -  you can hardly push it's buttons.

the running shoe so light it's like AIR.

BIGGER is not better anymore.

Such is the ego when it is inflated, filled with negative thoughts about oneself that are bigger than the actual truth,

separating oneself from the world more and more the bigger it gets.

Perhaps you should try swallowing the pill in these words.

(( Shrink your ego here ))  

It's in style now.

EGOnano.

Observe your mind, big or small as it may be.

Release your grip.

Lay down your weapons.

Shrink.

How's Life?

"Blue zones" refer to places in the world where people live the longest.

Americans' focus on better health is centered mostly on exercise and food.

However, this is only a part of the equation in what makes a "Blue Zone", well.......Blue.

A more important factor that has been proven is social structure and sense of community - of belonging.

For example, on the Greek Island of Ikaria - a Blue Zone,

even antisocial personalities are taken in and payed attention to.

In other words, no one is alone. 

There is little judgment.

In Okinawa Japan, there is far less cancer, dementia and cardiovascular disease than America,

most of which is attributed to strong social networks and more regular exposure to Vitamin D.

We haven't figured it out yet, America.

Be kind to one another.

Think before you "unfriend" someone on Facebook.

Rest before you react.

Make the horn on your steering wheel useless.
And for God's sake forgive a little.

Read about the Blue Zones Project

for an interesting report on how and why people live past 100 years of age.

Also check out how happiness is measured across the globe - and how America scores on the Better Life Index.

Blue Zone of Sardinia, Italy

don't try this

The last time I tried staying awake and worrying about something

was the last time I accomplished nothing.

freedom

Sometimes the only choice you have

is to recognize that you do, in fact, have a choice.

she acts like summer and walks like rain

Sometimes I reflect on past writings, so on this rainy day in June I found the post I wrote exactly one year ago today.

A profound one for me to reflect upon because I'm reminded of my growth over the past 365 days.

Yet it's still raining.

STILL

I've come so far yet I still crave the thirst-quenching feeling that the rain and thunder brings.

For me it's a dark forecast thrown at a lighter me and the choice I've made is to embrace that it's here.

STILL

Don't be afraid of your atmosphere.

~~~

(( Post from June 6, 2012 ))

It's a rainy day over most of south Florida which means I'm in this boat on this lake

I've been here before - waist deep....head first....drowning - but today I'm very much afloat. It will never stop raining no matter how I evolve...and I like that.

But it always makes me stop and think about

what rain sounds like to me on this particular day...

I've missed you

I haven't written in 26 days.

Think I forgot about you?

I didn't.

You've been a longing that I needed to put to rest for the time.

I needed to study what it's like to be away from you.

I pushed away and you pulled me back in.

Dammit.

But the force of the push in relation to the pull was the study I needed to conduct.

Why do I stay away for 26 days when I have rarely been gone for 7 days at a time?

Letting go a bit doesn't mean giving up.

A day.  A week.  A month.  A season.

I'll start fresh today.

I didn't mean to let you down.

Forgive me.

Can we start over?

Hello, blog.

It's me - YOU.