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CONVERSATION STARTER
Friday Dec. 4, 2015
Without effort, nothing happens. With effort, however small, anything has a chance. Without, not much. Challenging ourselves – trying, asking, making that call (or sending e-mail, or simply asking the universe) gives voice to ideas and dreams.
I fail often, sometimes miserably, but tasting accomplishment in anything or learning anything is far more likely to occur when I try. Yes, we can learn by observing life going by, but we learn far more when we get off the bench, get into the game.
I’m a Lou Tice/Larry Kendall fan, their focus on self-programming. Reading/affirming/action steps for non-religious, daily ritual regularity, similar commitment to those devout ones.
Specifically, re-programming our reticular activating system. Streaks of NLP in it. Mostly, a process of finding the right mantra. For me, affirmations which remind that part of my brain every morning: that I am who I want to be, that I am who I allow myself to become. Also, thanks to Ron Stanners who encouraged me. Nudging words of Jim Dunlap on incremental change. And fantastic observation by Steve Wuori.
I don’t have to believe I can be the best in the world at everything – but I train myself to believe I am the kind of person who can be the best in the world at anything.
The difference, is who we want to be.
Do we want to be the best athlete? Best thinker? Perhaps that’s too big a stretch for some, so consider being best in the world at these things: best friend, best dad, best mom, best child, best cookie maker. Best sober person. Best adventurer. Best cook. Best speaker. Best crossword puzzler. Best hitting out of the sand. Or out of the bush.
Huge leaps? Or not? No need to do any, or all, we need to do what is right for ourselves.
Before we can, we need see and believe we are the kind of person who can.
As I remind myself I can, I know I am closer to being just that kind of person.
Every effort, everything we do, begins with desire.
Example: if we desire to leave town, we may not. If we desire to go around the world, we may not, but we are more likely to at least leave town …
I’ve been on/off this wagon, in terms of maintaining routine these past eighteen months. Works best when I stick with it. Who knew?
Seem like dinner conversation? Maybe just an appetizer …
Mark Kolke
written / published from Calgary, AB
morning walk: 1C/34F, sunny/clear, calm. Gusta doing well with traction on the grass. With so much icy-melt on sidewalks and streets I joined her on the grass – lumpy, bumpy, squishy and wet – and avoided pratfalls.
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