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To Make More Money, Create More Value

10/28/2019

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Time for some true money-making motivation. Don't worry about making money, care more about creating value. Sure, I'm far from the first to say that. But, our society often puts money first and value second. It's like show me the money and then I'll give you value. So, when you see people say, create value first without getting paid, you might think they're crazy.

This is a position I long held myself. For example, I always told myself "don't give away exclusive content for free; make sure you retain the rights." But, in some cases, giving away the rights to a piece of content can actually create value that comes back to benefit you.  After all, writing for.my own properties, I sometimes.feel like writing for free, too! But in reality, I'm creating value. Then, it's a matter of people just knowing it's there.

Value doesn't mean anything unless people are exposed to it! In today's world, you need all the exposure you can get. You either find the money to pay for advertising, or you find creative ways to create value in which both sides benefit. Your benefactor gets quality content they now own and you get the exposure for your knowledge and expertise.

Sure, you're not always going to benefit, especially not right away. But, the online world is no longer just build it and they will come. Sure, you'll get some to come. But the more value you create in other places, you build a web of value that leads right back to you. Sometimes those mentions and no follow links help you more than any link juice tactic can.

How can you create value and help others today? The more you do that, suddenly the more money making opportunities are due to come your way. Just be patient and don't stop creating!

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Stuck in a Rut?

5/15/2019

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By Crystal S. Kauffman
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Starting over elsewhere may be exactly what you need to get out of the rut you seem to be stuck in lately. Sometimes, just going where someone doesn’t know your past mistakes can help you heal more than therapy. Trying to live with everyone's constant judgement can weigh you down with guilt over your past mistakes. How can you move forward when no one will allow you to escape the guilt and shame?
Stop letting people disappoint you and talk down to you, just because they have not forgiven you. Admitting you made a bad choice and work on changing your life. Start by evaluating your close friends and family, in order to decide who you want to be in your life. If you need to move, then create a plan to begin transitioning to your new place. Decide what you will tolerate and what you won't tolerate, as you begin picking up the pieces of your life.
You have to believe in your own self and stay positive, while trying to rebuild your life. No one has a right to put you down or degrade you. So, with that said, be careful who you allow into your personal space. Don't let anyone who is toxic in your circle of friends and family. This will keep you on the right track as you moved forward in your journey to recovery. Additionally, pick up hobbies that you enjoy and try to stay out of your own head.

Copyrighted 2019

PS; I am not a licensed Therapist. Based on personal experience.
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What is True Success?

10/28/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
You may believe that success lies in getting results. Believe it or not, success is not always about winning. Success comes from doing your best. But, that doesn’t mean that you have to be the best in your field to succeed. It means you just to be the best at what you are best at doing.

Success is not driving the most expensive car or having millions of dollars in the bank. True success goes far beyond material things and the number of digits your bank balance contains. Here are the four things you need to do to find true success:

- Live your life to the fullest
- Live life on your own terms
- Give everything you do your all
- Live without regret

These four things sound extremely simple. But, while many people understand what they mean, only a small minority ever realize all, if any, of these concepts. Let’s look at what it takes to meet each of these four things in daily life.

Life Your Life to the Fullest

While this phrase has become highly cliched, the core message is still good. Always find a way to make the most of every day. No, you may not be highly productive or even accomplish something significant every day. What you can do is always find a way to improve yourself. That may just be reading something interesting, helping out a friend, or finding a recreational activity that you enjoy that also allows you to recharge.

Basically, don’t just sit around and wait for things to happen. Make things happen. They won’t always work out well. But, as long as you keep moving, you’ll always find ways to make the most of each day and spare moment that you have. That's how you start living life to the fullest!

Life Life on Your Own Terms

Don’t let people tell you how to live your life. Don’t let them EVER tell you that there is one best way to live. You need to discover for yourself what your best life looks like. Many people believe that living life on your own terms means being your own boss and setting off on your own. While this is true to a degree, you can still find yourself subject to the whims of others, even if you run your own successful business.

Living life on your own terms actually means being self-aware and self-confident enough to know when compromise is worth it in order to achieve success and when it will only hold you back. Living life on your own terms means knowing yourself well enough to know when you are no longer moving forward and are willing to take the risks and steps necessary to continue to grow. These steps are rarely easy, but no one ever said success was easy.

Give Everything You Do Your All

This tip sounds obvious, but it’s very common for us to sometimes just do the minimum amount of work required to perform a certain task.  It actually is better to give full effort to each thing that you set yourself to doing, because then you will naturally do the best job that you can.

It becomes a good habit to pour yourself into each task because even the seemingly most mundane tasks have their purpose. In the process, you may find ways to make mundane tasks easier to do or even fun. So, giving your all has its benefits.

Live Without Regret

This may be the hardest of these four things to do well. Regret is powerful, especially when you regret opportunities you could’ve taken better advantage of at the time or missed entirely. This is why it’s important to give your all and take full advantage of each opportunity as it comes.


In applying these concepts to your daily life, you will find your own version of success. Even in failure, by doing these things, you will still find yourself still moving forward. You may well find success in ways you couldn’t have even imagined.

How can you apply these concepts to your  daily life?
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Self-Motivate Early and Often

9/25/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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People love New Years resolutions.  They are  wonderful things people make to try and steer their lives in new and exciting directions.  But, most of the time, people don't stick with them. Why's that?

The truth is that having goals is great, but achieving them takes time. As the year goes on, people will lose motivation and lose sight of what they set out to achieve. Most people set their goals and resolutions blindly without knowing exactly what they need to do to actually reach them.

Really, though, all you need to succeed is to keep motivating yourself. Unless you hire a coach, though, you have to do it yourself.  What a coach really does is find what works best to motivate you. Then, a coach reminds you to keep doing those things and to try new things when old things aren't working. But, you could learn how to self-motivate and coach yourself.

Sure, you could go to some seminar or retreat held by some big-shot motivational guru to jump-start your self-motivation. But, that gives you a temporary high, which after a week or two being back in “regular” life will disappear. That is, unless, you learn how to motivate yourself from it.

At the end of the day, you are the only one who can motivate you. Only you can know your true intentions and how your own emotions impact your actions. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with what you’re trying to do, remind yourself what got you started in the first place. Visualize the reasons that you set out to do it. That should get you going again.

If that’s not enough, write down your reasons for following your dream. Remind yourself that you should be following your passion. Keep writing it down if you have to, and keep it somewhere you can see it.

There’s a reason that motivational posters do so well. Motivate yourself with your own words and your own reasons. There’s no better motivation than that!

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Know What You Want

9/19/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Know what you want. That sounds obvious, doesn't it? But, do you really know what you actually want? The only way to clearly knowing you want is to put it in writing.

Not only do you need to put your goals in writing. You also have to define your goals  clearly and concisely. Focus yourself on your true intents. Intentions are ever powerful things. If you're not clear in your intents, you'll find it hard to keep your direction.

Be specific with your goals. Know the whys of what you're setting out to do. What are you setting out to accomplish? Make a list of your intents and work on at least realizing one every day. Give yourself a deadline for each one if you feel you need that as a motivator.

Every day, look at this list of goals. Focus on realizing your intents on a daily basis. Writing down your intents is powerful, but they derive their power through your force of action. If you keep your intents in your mind, they will drive your decisions and actions. Only then will the true steps to your greatest success become clear!

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Success is a Consequence of Your Actions, Not a Coincidence

9/19/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Most people who struggle to find success in life have one thing in common. Many people talk big, but don't act. Having big plans does nothing if you don't work at them.

 Good plans ensure you’re constantly taking action, not just continuing to plan. Effective goal planning means doing your research, improving your skills, and taking action. Yes, planning is great, but, don't just think or dream about what you want to do. Just do it.

Note taking is a useful exercise sometimes, as long as you then take action on those notes soon after. You can keep learning all the time. Constant learning is good. But, understand that some of the best learning you can have comes simply by doing.  Just start to do what you set out to do, then learn as you go.

Too many people get stuck at the learning stage. They read plenty of books and articles, listen to related podcasts and audiobooks, and watch related videos. But, effective learning involves continuously taking action on what you've learned. You must take action on what you are learning  to gain any momentum. Yes, highly successful people never stop learning. The key is to never stop doing, too. 

Make a plan that you can immediately  start doing. Then, win or lose, learn from the experience. Make a new plan to take a step forward. That's how you build momentum and work towards success!
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Stay Alert, Keep Moving, and Avoid Complacency!

9/19/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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You may have heard the saying ‘resting on your laurels’. It means settling for what you've already achieved. In other words, it means becoming complacent. Well, complacency is one of the worst mistakes that people make. But, how can complacency turn success into failure?

Let's say you've just climbed and scaled a large mountain. Now, you've reached the top. It feels pretty good, doesn't it? But, climbing the mountain is only half the battle. Unless you're wanting to stay up there, you are going to have to go back down at some point.

Despite gravity being in your favor at this point, you can't necessarily just slide down the other side of the mountain. There's work involved, and sometimes, it's even worse than you think. In some cases, the way back down can be more treacherous than the way up. Then, the momentum that gravity gives you may not be as much of a positive as you first thought.

Maybe you never make it back down. If you're not careful coming back down, a successful climb can then into a tragedy. At the very least, an overall failure is always a possibility.

Once you've enjoyed a major success, it’s very enticing to rest and reap the rewards of your achievement. Being content is OK for a moment and taking a vacation is fine. But, you have to get back to work at some point.

Sure, you might build a big garden on the mountaintop. You can sit back and enjoy it for a little bit. Then, you can even hire somebody to care for it for awhile. But, if you're not careful, the weeds can take over and the beautiful flowers can wilt.

Sure, you may get to the top of a great mountain. You may build something beautiful and want to just sit back and admire your handiwork. But, what if you do decide to go back down the mountain? You never know what awaits you on the other side. If you keep moving, you may find even greener pastures. Possibly, there could be greater mountains to climb. There usually are.

If you keep moving and stay alert, the reaches of your success can be unlimited. Let your success be not an end, but the beginning of something even greater. Always let your momentum carry you forward.

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Butterflies and Rainbows

9/10/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, Writer, Healer & Advocate
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Life isn’t always all butterflies and rainbows. Still, it goes on. Even when I don’t feel like it, I do my best to smile and make the best of things. That's really all you can do, right?

When I get down on Life, what I really just need to do is get back to appreciating the little beautiful things about life, such as butterflies and rainbows. It’s easy to become so overwhelmed with all of the negativity and disasters happening in our world.

Hateful people have a way of coming out of the woodworks this way and that. It's really horrifying how bad humanity really can be when you are faced with its uglier side. But, I must constantly remind myself that, overall, humanity is good and we’re all just trying to get by.

Sometimes, you just have to sit back and appreciate the butterflies and rainbows. Appreciate the sun and clouds, the colors, and the sweet smells of nature. Take in the wonderful grand design of the world around us. Believe that people have the chance to make a lot of good of themselves. Good can often come out of bad, but we don't focus on that enough.

Butterflies and rainbows, butterflies and rainbows, I just have to keep reminding myself of these things. There's plenty of beauty left in our world. So, it's in our best interests to remember it and appreciate it.

~ Phoenix <3 ~
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We’re All in This Together - Be Love & Spread Love!

9/4/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, Staff Writer, Healer & Advocate
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Let me tell ya sumthin': When life kicks you in the ass and leaves you in the mud, and people walk by and laugh and joke, pick yourself up and just smile and go on spreading love. That's the only way to fight hate, ignorance, and selfishness. It's the hard road a lot of times, but it's all worth the struggle in the end.

Life is a journey, and we're all in it together. I hope more of us come to realize this. We all need to come to terms with the fact that all it takes is focusing on the positive. Suddenly, things look a lot brighter. A lot of people's problems are beyond their control and have to do with people simply turning the other way. Even if you can't help, you can make the best of what you have and make it a better world for everyone!
~ #BeLove & #SpreadLove ~

~ Phoenix <3 ~
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The Beauty of Dreams

9/2/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

I think a lot about the future. It’s good to look towards the future. We all have dreams, some of them which seem incredibly outrageous and unattainable. So, I like to keep this Eleanor Roosevelt quote in mind.

Sometimes, I think of dreams as just that: things that we think about constantly, but simply use to inspire us to keep going in everyday life. But, believing in your dreams, actually embracing them and going full bore into trying to realize them… that’s a lot harder to do.

You have to create something. There has to be some way to make your dreams a reality. Finding that can be a major struggle. Sure, there will be many failures along the way. But, as long as you use each one of those failures as a stepping stone, eventually you’ll find a way to keep your dreams alive.

Perhaps we may never realize our dreams in the way that we first expect. But perhaps there’s something better, and more wonderful, that our lives can become if we just keep at it.

Dreams are beautiful. They are the stuff of imagination and spirit. Don’t ever let them be snuffed out. If you can realize any of your dreams, the future is waiting for you.
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How Do You Find Your Essential Purpose?

8/21/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Finding a purpose in Life is something every one of us strives to do. It seems only a tiny fraction of us ever find that purpose. But, it really shouldn't be that way.

More recently I've been looking for what I like to call an "essential purpose." All of us have an essential purpose we were born into this world to achieve. The problem is that it's not obvious. Each of us has something unique as an individual that no other individual can do. So, what I mean about an "essential" purpose is that there is something absolutely necessary for each of us to do in our time on this earth.

As I write this, I'm not even entirely certain what that is for even myself. Perhaps, some day, I'll look back on these words and thinking I was pretty dumb not to have figured it out sooner. But what I do know now is there are some ways you can find your essential purpose.


What is Purpose?


By definition, a purpose is "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists." The word purpose can also be used as a verb, meaning "to have as one's intention or objective." So, purpose is two-fold. there are the reasons that the task you are performing is done for – those that may seem obvious. Then, there are your intentions or objectives you have in mind while performing that task.

Many tasks don't appear essential to the world at-large at all. But, if you really think about it, every action you take does have a significant effect on the universe. It may just not be  obvious. Then, you have the intentions or objectives you have in performing the task. Now, this is where finding an essential purpose comes in.

Even the most menial task has a purpose. But, if your only objective is a paycheck – that's not an essential purpose. It is an objective, not a purpose. The paycheck itself should never be the purpose of your work, even if it's a worthy objective. This is where I find it's helpful to break down purpose into a general purpose and an essential purpose.


What is Essential?

The results of the successfully completed task are the general purpose. But, the essential purpose is finding a way to perform the task most effectively, efficiently, and with the confidence to know that you can do it in a way  no one else can. If you can't find that essential purpose in what you're doing now, you're either doing it wrong or not doing the right thing.

Sometimes, you may think you're doing something just because you need the money. But, I've learned how even unpleasant or seemingly trivial tasks have more of an essential purpose than is at first easily understood. That purpose, in fact, is often to drive you towards your ultimate purpose.

Sitting down to write a blog post or an article, for me, lost its purpose to me for some time. My objective has always been to give people actionable advice through personal experience. Then, my intention is to lift others up. When my intention didn't seem to be working, I suddenly lost interest. The interest in my writing from others declined, as well.


So, Why Do I Even Care Anymore About Purpose?

It seems like common sense that if you stop caring about something, others will, too.   I thought I was well aware of this. Yet, I consistently go through periods of apathy towards my writing. During these times, it's as if each time I start again I have to start from scratch. I feel like I constantly have to change what I'm doing, even if what I was doing before was working.

Eventually, I get back on my objectives and rediscover my intention. So, I chug along for awhile. But then, I crap out again when I don't get much of a response to something I write that feels very important to me. The cycle of frustration that becomes really defeating to the point that I never want to post anything again. During one recent cycle of writer's apathy, I actually convinced myself that I was finished as a writer.

Clearly, that wasn't the case.


So, What Changed About My Intention?


This idea of essential purpose started grabbing at me. I never stopped reading thing or reflecting. I still jotted things down as I thought of them. That was the difference this time. I never stopped doing the act of writing even if nothing I would publish came out of it. It's essential to me that I put things in writing. Really, it is essential for every human being to find an avenue of expression.

I feel now my purpose is to help others find an individual avenue of expression that leads one to find their unique essential purpose. While it has always been one of my intentions to help others to express themselves, it's not ever been a clearly defined objective of mine. And, it's not just through writing.

Every constructive activity is inherently creative: from building houses, to fixing plumbing or electrical, to creating a spreadsheet that displays important information in a clear and concise way. These sound like totally different things, but they are all essentially creative. They all create something new and essential, which is what it means to be creative.

Writing and other art forms are only one creative outlet. There's rebuilding things, repurposing things, and reimagining ways of doing things. Every human being has a creative outlet. It's just not always obvious. That's why you try so many different things in life. You eventually find ways to do creative things, even if you don't at first realize how creative those things are.


Creativity Breeds Inspiration

When you do something creative that inspires another person, you create a ripple effect. Inspiration is a key part of finding your essential purpose. In a lot of ways, finding your purpose really is something you have to feel out on your own. Others can point you in the right direction, and often we may find our essential purpose with the help of others.

When you find your essential purpose, you will just know it. In finding my own essential purpose, I will help others find their own. In the long run, I will probably discover  the very journey I'm taking in finding my own essential purpose will be the very purpose I was seeking all along.

Life really is all about the journey, who you meet along the way, and finding your way to where you just know you belong. Your essential purpose is waiting for you somewhere along the way.
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We're All In Flux

8/21/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, The Perpetual Prose Machine
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
Every day is a new day. That may sound cliche. But it's true. Each day that we awake, there's a chance for something new. But for me, each day, I feel like what I’m trying to do is in flux.

I know what I want to get done. But, life tends to take you in directions you never thought of going. Many of those directions are scary at first. Often, I'll try to cling to a comfort zone. I simply can’t do that anymore.

My creative energy waxes and wanes. But, even when it's strong, then my focus tends to wander. This is a fairly common problem, though, as it turns out.

Human beings are always in constant flux, taking in new stimuli and forming new synaptic pathways… all of that scientific junk. No person is a static object. Each of us is constantly evolving in ways that we do not at first realize until we actually sit back and reflect. Most of us grow in ways that aren’t obvious to ourselves. Sometimes they're in ways that are sometimes more obvious to others.

Then again, we aren't always moving forward, either. Actually, many of us backtrack in ways that only those truly close to us will understand.
I’ll admit I’ve backtracked far too often. But I never stop trying, even when failure seems inevitable.

That’s exactly it, though. You can’t expect failure, or that’s all you’ll get. When will I finally get that?


Anyway, so often I feel that everything for me is in flux. That's when I need to step back and see that  I’ve got some good things going. But, I still have to decide where I’m going as a person.

So, when someone you love feels distant, this is probably what’s happening. When your loved one is feeling in flux, it can be immensely frustrating. But things almost always get worse before they get better. Sometimes, you truly have to watch someone completely fall apart before you get to see that person truly shine. That’s painful. But it happens.

We're all in flux in one way or another constantly. It doesn't matter how successful someone might appear or how confident that person may seem. There's always that little kink in the armor that only those that truly know someone can see.

I have a lot of kinks. I’m working on them.


It’s OK to be in flux. None of us is perfect and never will be. But we can work to be the best individuals that we can be. The world is always in flux. We just have to try and use our energies for the better.

Sometimes, each of us will fall short. But the whole “pick yourself up and keep going” bit is really true. We just have to constantly keep growing.

Are you feeling in flux? Are you not sure yet where you’re going. No one really does. But wherever it is, if you keep focusing on your own growth, you’ll get there - wherever that may be. I believe in you.

~ Phoenix <3


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Each of Us is Born for Greatness

8/21/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
"It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Aren't we all born for greatness?

For many of us, it takes all of our lives to know what we were born to do. Some of us are born to simply be in the right place at the right time. Some of us are born so that someone else may be born from us, who in turn will give birth to an exceptional individual. It may be a Hercules or an Aphrodite - at least you hope. God forbid a Hitler or a Cruella De Ville… one day there may be those who will equate the evil nature of those names.

Others of us feel like we serve no real purpose at all. How can we live in a universe where a soul can come forth into being who can serve no valuable purpose? Yet, it seems we live in a world where so many souls become expendable. Why exactly has this happened? Well, it's nothing new.

It's important to me to remind people that each and every one of us had a reason to be born. For some of us, that simply means we have to make our own reason for being. While our purpose is not always  obvious, it is absolutely necessary that we are each born for greatness in our own ways.

Each of us are born for greatness - in some way, possibly not always recognized, but great nonetheless. It is our duty as human beings to find that one thing that truly allows us to be great.

Let’s help one another learn to be great in our own unique ways!
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Paper Tigers & Facing Your Fears with Tenacity

8/20/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, The Perpetual Prose Machine
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved, Edited in Pixlr
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” - Amelia Earhart

I read this quote a lot from the famous aviator when it comes to motivation. While this is a good quote as such, people really need to read the entirety of it.

As reads on BrainyQuote:

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”

Most of this quote is straightforward, but there is one phrase that particularly stands out. What are “paper tigers,” you ask? Wikipedia has an article on the subject of what a “paper tiger” means. Essentially, it is something that appears threatening, but that in reality isn’t. It’s a literal English translation of the Chinese phrase zhilaohu. Being made of paper, it won’t withstand real challenge.

What sort of paper tigers do you face in your day to day life? You can’t let fears get the best of you, even as much as you may rationalize them at times. Think through why you have certain fears. For example, say that you have a fear of heights. As long as you practice safety, that fear is a paper tiger, right? That fear of heights could prevent you from doing a lot of things, especially flying… I’ve always wanted to fly, myself.

Yeah, I’ve collected quite a few paper tigers over time. My paper tigers? It’s the fear that what I do will never be enough. I just want to work at something all of the time. But, there’s the fear that my work won’t be consistently productive. It’s the fear that the words I write won’t resonate in the way I might expect them to. It’s the worry that I will make decisions that will be financially disastrous in the hopes that they will pay off, eventually. All of these paper tigers have held me back, and these are paper tigers that I know other writers and artists keep staring at day after day.

Fortunately, I do keep deciding to act, pouring out all the words I can as they will come. I have never given up on getting my words out there. But my tenacity has often wavered in the face of these paper tigers. Fortunately, as Amelia said, “You can do anything you decide to do.” You just have to find a way to challenge those paper tigers and blow them away. The process of defeating them and taking control of your own life, as she says, is its own reward.

What paper tigers are staring you down right now? Things have a way of looking bleak and unable to be overcome at times, but there is always a way out, even if it’s not obvious. But the first step has to be to recognize the real impediments to your success, and how to overcome them. After all, most fears are simply paper tigers.

~ Phoenix <3

You can read lots more Amelia Earhart quotes here.

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How to Gain Momentum in Life & Get Things Done

5/14/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved
You may have read a lot about how we need to build up momentum in our lives in order find success. What does it mean to gain momentum? What benefits does having momentum give us in life?

Why We Need Momentum in Life

Think of momentum this way. Say you're riding a bike. If you pick up lots of speed early on by pedaling harder, you build up energy. This energy, known as momentum, allows you to maintain a certain speed while having to actually pedal less later on.

Momentum is particularly important when you're biking uphill. It's also the key to long distance bike riding. You can do something similar with driving a car, speeding up fairly quickly then sort of coasting. This saves on fuel, too.


The beauty of concepts in physics is that the ideas can be applied in other forms. You can actually build momentum mentally and emotionally, as well. Say you have a big project coming up. It doesn't matter what it's for. If you get started on it right away, you have a much higher chance of seeing it through to completion.

Momentum Can Get You Ahead in Life and Keep You Ahead

One of the beautiful things about momentum is you can actually conserve energy if you build it up correctly. The longer that you put off a task, the more energy you'll have to burn later to get it done. It's like you're pedaling casually, even knowing that a steep hill is coming up along your way. Once you get there, without the proper momentum, it's going to feel like you're going uphill both ways.

When you put off a project, something similar happens. You have to use a lot more energy to make up for lost time, even if there isn't a specific deadline. Sometimes that thing doesn't even get done.

So, how do we find the momentum to get something done and done well? There are a few ways to gain momentum without going overboard. If you get just the right amount of momentum in whatever you're doing, you'll find yourself not only seeing things to completion more quickly and effectively, but that momentum can carry into other things you have to do, too.

Ask Someone to Help You Get Started

It sounds like common sense to ask someone to help you with a task. But, this isn't always the case. People might not think of asking for help to start on some things. Having another person or persons help you get started is the best way to pick up momentum. For some tasks, the more people involved the better the momentum becomes.

Start Work at a High Energy Time

Know yourself and when you have the most energy. Trying to start something when you're feeling sluggish or not at your best often keeps you from gaining the proper momentum. If you have some choice when to get started, if you do, start when you have your best energy. Then, picking up later will be a lot easier, as you already have momentum going with the task. You may not always have this choice, but when possible, keep this in mind.

Avoid Distractions Whenever Possible

One of the biggest threats to productivity is distraction. Email and phone are two of the major ones. You also want to keep your working area as clean as possible. Then again, you may be one who loves to work in chaos. Still, in general, get started when you can have the least amount of distraction. Distractions kill your momentum by dispersing your energy in multiple directions.

Put a Time Limit on Your Task

Even if you only have twenty or thirty minutes to dive into something, that's enough to get something at least underway. Actually, it's better to spend even just twenty minutes completely focused on a task than three or four hours of constantly being interrupted and having to keep refocusing. By setting a short time limit, you can allow yourself to take short breaks without losing your momentum.

Visualize the End Result

One major hurdle to clear in making progress with a task is not keeping the end goal in mind. “When is this ever going to get done?” you may ask yourself. Even with something as mundane as sweeping the floor, visualizing the end result helps you stay focused on the task. You'll feel a lot happier when you realize the end result if you were keeping it in your mind all along.

For bigger projects, visualizing the realization of your goals is especially important. One of the keys to building momentum is focusing your energy. Visualization is one of the best ways of doing just that.


Being Prepared Keeps You Focused

There's nothing more frustrating than not being prepared when you're setting out to work on something. If you go to get started and you're missing just one tool or don't have all the info you need to get started. These moments drain momentum. Even if you have to take some extra time to get what you need set up, it's worth it to set yourself up for building the right momentum.

Whatever You Do, Just Make Sure You Get Started

It's common sense that the only way to get something done is to get started. But sometimes, you can't choose when to do something. Many times you have a certain deadline. Even when there isn't a set time, you can't get any momentum if you don't just get started. While high energy times are best for doing anything, you can only put off doing something for so long. Even if you're not at your best energy level, if it's on your mind, and you have the desire to do something, just set yourself to get started. Whatever momentum you can build is worth it.

The key to building momentum is to make progress every time you put yourself to a task. If you don't have to, don't try to finish a task all at once. There's great benefit in having the end in mind but also knowing that you don't have to finish all at once. It's very possible to spend too much energy at once and actually lose momentum.

The key to momentum is not only gaining it, but maintaining it. The trick is actually stopping when you're ahead. The gaining and maintaining of momentum is different for everyone. Your set limits and tolerance for distractions will be different than another's. But once you find a balance between energy level, desire, motivation, and momentum, you'll find yourself getting things done a lot faster and better.

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Becoming Better: 5 Pointers to Make You the Best Version of You

1/29/2018

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by Kara Masterson, Motivational Friends Contributor
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On the journey to and through adulthood, many individuals wonder what it would take to become the best versions of themselves. Following some advice can help you to tackle these existential questions and to bring that person into fruition.

Know What Your Goals Are

Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in what other people think about what you should do. For example, maybe you showed artistic skills at a young age and your parents have encouraged you to pursue a career in the arts. However, perhaps you’re more interested in finance but have pursued art to please your parents. On the other hand, you may have friends who dissuade you from living in a certain neighborhood or going on a particular trip because they had a negative experience. Get these other people’s voice out of your mind. Determine what it is that you want.

Sleep Enough

When you’re exhausted, it’s difficult to know what you want, and even if you can figure out your goals for the day or week, you may feel too drained to pursue them in any fashion. Aiming for around seven or eight hours of sleep per night is a smart move. Still though, different people have varying needs. An example is if you have a certain medical condition; you might need more sleep. Speak to your doctor to determine what the best amount is for you. You should also articulate any troubles you have with sleeping to your health care professional.

Balance Your Life

Having too much of anything in your life can lead you to get lost in that one area. For example, if you spend virtually all of your time working and miss out on many social opportunities, you essentially become the job. On the other hand, you may surrender valuable possibilities at work if you are more concerned with going out most nights of the week. You also need to find time to prepare healthy meals, get in exercise and pursue hobbies. Planning out a schedule can help you to fit in these assorted tasks.

Set Actual Goals

Saying that you want to become the best version of yourself is a goal, but you need to make your plans more tangible. Once you have decided what the best version of yourself looks and feels like, write down those goals. For example, you may want to return to school to obtain a graduate degree, or you may want to purchase a new home. Once you have your goals written out, you can start to make a list of steps to take to achieve your goals. While harsh deadlines can impede your progress, setting reasonable ones encouraging you to move forward.

Seek Guidance

When you’re working on yourself, you may feel as though you have to pursue this path without assistance. However, plenty of professionals are available to guide you through the process. If you are trying to lose weight, you can work with a nutritionist and a personal trainer; if you are trying to save more money, you can speak with a financial adviser or an accountant.

On the other hand, when you want to get back to going to school, you could speak with an admissions representative. Talking to other people gives you a sense of what you need to do. You also have support when questions come up. Instead of just imagining what the answers are in your mind, you can get real answers.

Dallin Larsen said “A life of significance is a byproduct of making the ‘best’ choices”. Becoming the best version of yourself is a task that you can achieve by striving to make those same choices. When you want to improve who you are as a person, you can implement these steps and work toward a more fulfilling existence.

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Author Bio

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.

More from Kara:
The Power of Positive Thought: 5 Points Everyone Should Read
Bringing Out Your Best: 5 Ways to Unlock Your Inner Potential



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The Beauty of Everything

1/29/2018

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by Phoenix A. Desertsong, The Perpetual Prose Machine
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Sometimes, you just need to take a step back and breathe. As you're doing this, you want to recharge yourself by putting your mind in a positive frame. One of the best ways to do this is to try to appreciate the beauty of every little thing. I mean EVERY little thing.

Appreciating the little things in life is how you get through some days. When everything seems to be falling apart, be grateful for what you do have. Even something that you take for granted, like your internet connection, is a beautiful thing to be grateful for. Even your water bottle is something to be grateful for, because it helps remind you to stay hydrated.

Being grateful for the things we take for granted is good for a couple of reasons. First, it helps remind us that we have plenty of things already. These are things that we must treasure because any one of them could be gone at any time. Secondly, you learn to appreciate each individual thing more closely. You have to take in the beauty of everything, no matter how simple or utilitarian or seemingly unimportant it seems to be.

There's beauty in everything, no matter what it is. Even when you are going through a tough time, there are ways to reframe your circumstances. Don't think “it could be worse,” though. Think “I'm here right now, so what's the next step to get into a better place?” Don't try to improve things all at once. Identify just one thing you could do to better yourself and your situation. Preferably, find something that allows you to do both.

I'm not selling magical cures here, just some simple advice. Just step back and appreciate the beauty of everything. Take a walk in nature. Really look around and keep an eye on things that stand out to you.

Maybe you're not in a bad situation at all, yet you feel like something's missing in your life. The same advice applies. Even if you're in a situation that seems hopeless right now, you can find something that's beautiful to appreciate.

Try it. You'll be in a better mood for it. Things will look up if you do.

~ Phoenix <3
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Marcus Aurelius and the Good Life

1/26/2018

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by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner ofIntent-sive Nature & theBrand Shamans network
Life is Good
Individuality is the most important thing in leading the good life. The greatest step is finding people who accept you for what you are and can live with both the good and the bad things about you. The opinion of others should not matter all that much.

While it's wonderful for many people to have a good opinion of you, it's important that others not be the most important factor in living your life. Who should be most important are your friends and family. It is imperative to have good friends, true friends. It is in choosing your friends carefully where you will find the most happiness.

Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations wrote, “I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.”

Aurelius made an excellent observation. American society, in particular, is quite concerned with how you look to others, and very little emphasis is put on understanding your individuality. When someone breaks the norms, many people seem to think that person is being anti-social and rebellious.

However, society should not be what tells you who you are. It is with friends that you really learn who you are. They are who you have the best memories with, but also the worst, as well. True friendships are those that can survive the worst times and flourish in spite of them.

The world is full of adversity and it is impossible to live an absolutely “good” life. The closest you can ever get is living it with a few best friends who understand you and appreciate you who for you are and are not worried about what you’re not. The opinions of your friends, as well as your own of yourself, are the only ones you should really heed.

Above all, the only way to live your life is to be as positive as possible about everything you encounter. Life is not long enough to remain negative for too long. Living the good life is in finding what you like to do most and trying to make a living out of it.

There are so many ways to be successful. You just have to be creative, and work really hard at it. A good life is worth the hard work. As long as you have true friends, you will always pull through.

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Talent is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

1/22/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." - Stephen King

Many human beings are blessed with one sort of talent or another. Some are great at public speaking. Others are great at composing music. Others are very good at writing essays; some are  even able to write entire novels.

Yet many so-called talented individuals have their talents consistently go to waste. Why is this? Stephen King once said the difference between a talented individual and successful individual is a lot of hard work. You can be exceptionally talented at one or more things. But, if you do not put the prerequisite work into growing your skill with your talents, you will not be able to succeed without a hell of a lot of luck.

You may have seen individuals that don't seem to have great natural talent sometimes succeed at very high levels. Granted, this is often done through the work of other talented individuals, You don't always know who's working behind the scenes, directing almost every step. But these not as talented individuals are willing to put the work in. Their successes aren't always sustainable, but they do happen more than you would think they should.

It turns out that far less talented individuals can succeed if they're willing to put in an incredible amount of work into what it is that they love.  You also need to have passion, and lots of it, in order to succeed. Yes, some people seem to have the ability to get lucky and have their talent lead to immediate success. But, that's extremely rare.

Talented or not, reaching success involves a lot of failure first. Having natural talent can make some tasks easier. But many talented individuals do not seem to understand what effort is needed to translate their talent into skills that will bring them success. Plus, when putting in a lot of effort, you might discover another talent you didn't even know you had.

But without the effort, your talent is basically worth table salt, as King said. People might smile at the sprinkles of talent you display occasionally. But you're not going to live your dreams without truly living and breathing your passions. Let your talents complement the efforts, not replace them.

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Knowledge vs Discovery

1/22/2018

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by  R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network
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"The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us." - Paul Valery, French poet and essayist. (Source)

We human beings like to know things. Oftentimes, we believe that we know more about a particular topic than we actually do. No one person can know everything about a topic. That's why you must always educate yourself.

Always try to take in new information every day. Make it a point to learn as much as you can every day, in as many different topics as  you can. Having a breadth of knowledge in a wide array of fields can come quite in handy no matter what you're doing.

The French poet & essayist Paul Valery was talking about how sometimes knowledge is not exactly what we think it is. Life is full of many paradoxes, but the mere discovery of these paradoxes is not enough to truly understand what the paradox actually means. So many things in life seem to contradict each other, and there are many Catch-22 situations that exist within our society. Sometimes, it's very hard to put a finger on why exactly these paradoxes exist.

For example, you must have a college degree to get particular jobs. But to get that job, you also need prerequisite work experience that you lack from the time and effort spent to acquire that degree. If you spend all your time getting the degree, you'll most likely lack the job experience.

Of course, it's possible to try and work internships at the same time as getting a degree. Still, internships rarely pay well, if at all, and the debt incurred from most degree programs is mind-numbingly large - not to mention the burn-out factor. And you wonder why people wash out after intense programs...

Then, you have those with the work experience but no degree unable to land jobs. But even then, those with degrees can't get the jobs because they don't have the work experience. And, even those that get the jobs often have the piece of paper saying they're qualified, but then can't do the work.

This is because practical experience in most lines of work beats book knowledge any day. We’ve created a generation or two of memorizers. Critical thinking isn't taught nearly as much as it once was. It's a really messed-up paradox: you need the schooling, but with the schooling you lack the necessary experience, and vice versa.



Confusing Metaphors for Proof

Just because you read something in a book does not mean you understand something. You might know something's individual parts. But, when asked how and why they work together, you will find those that supposedly have the qualifications to know these things get stumped. They can memorize facts and figures and know how to sound intelligent when drafting papers and taking tests. But in real life applications, there are so many supposedly well-educated folks who fail. This is, of course, partly the fault of the education system for not allowing as much on-the-job training as there should be - because of that whole not having the job experience required to get the on-the-job experience.

So, what happens? You get lots of graduates getting degrees that they aren't truly qualified to have, go into the job market, and fail at doing their jobs properly. Some will eventually succeed, of course. But more often than not, they don't and find themselves job-hopping. That degree doesn't mean as much as you might think it does.

As someone who has worked in recruitment research, I know this to be absolute fact. Most of the best candidates don't have degrees or went to school a long time ago. A lot of the more recent candidates sell themselves as intelligent workers until they get to the interview. On the day of the interview, they reveal that they don’t the first thing about the job, despite trying to convince others that they know it and that they are seemingly qualified to perform at it.


Confusing a Torrent of Verbiage for a Spring of Truths

So, we get into the third part of Valery's quote: confusing "a torrent of verbiage for a spring of truths." Just because a professor might be a great orator and make things sound engaging and educational does not mean that professor knows what he or she is talking about. People like to talk, and many have the assumption that they truly do know what they're talking about.

From my own experience, I can't tell you how many teachers and professors I've had that had no true understanding of what they were actually teaching. There were also others who did, but didn't know how to teach it properly. Others seemed totally apathetic to the idea of actual teaching methods. This is why so-called “talking heads” are rarely the best sources of knowledge. Many of them are simply getting paid to talk and making people think that they're learning something and being informed.


On the Folly of Mistaking Oneself an Oracle

The last part is the saddest part: "the folly of mistaking... oneself an oracle..." Many human beings are convinced that they know all that they have to know about certain things. The way to acquire true knowledge is to question your assumptions and understand why what you know is actually what you know.

Questioning what we understand as truth is the only way that we can truly develop intellectually. Gaining knowledge through books and the like is fine. But, we have to remember how to think critically about things. People have just become information sponges due to the massive overload of information available to humanity nowadays.

The last thing you want to do is consider yourself an oracle. But it's okay if you didn't realize it. Most people don't. These follies, as Valery says, are inborn within each of us. We are all curious creatures, after all. Sometimes we mistake our own assumptions as universal truths, not bothering to question why we do it.

People like to use metaphors to sound more intelligent and like to talk and talk to make it sound like they have plenty to say. Some people do indeed use metaphors cleverly and do in fact have a lot to share. Yet, you have to be sure to ask yourself is true knowledge is coming from someone's mouth.

Valery said these things in the late 1800's, but this quote is more relevant than ever now. People need to realize these common follies. Hopefully, you can recognize these follies in those you deal with daily, as well as seeing if you commit any of them yourself. You will very likely discover most people don't know as much as they think they do. In fact, you might even discover you know more than you think!

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The Skittering Escape of the ‘Alamihi Crab:  A Meditation on Self-Care and Weathering the Storm

1/22/2018

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by Sharon Sherbina, NYR Organic
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It’s a dark and stormy night on the island of Oahu.  The surf breaks harshly on the plank of a pier jutting out determinedly into Maunalua Bay.  The dark clouds overhead eerily reflect the light pollution of the nearby shopping districts of Honolulu and Waikiki, where the conversion of paper dollars into stuffed, plastic logo bags is in full swing.  In the distance you can hear a gorgeously wrought cover of Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole’s, “Maui Hawaiian Sup’pa Man”.

When you get to the end of the wicked finger-like pier, it feels as if you’re at the end of the universe, looking out into the dark expanse of the unknown, the peaked and turgid waters all around you.  And, if in that moment, your spirit happens to be troubled, look no further than the ‘alamihi crab skittering purposefully out of your way.

The ‘alamihi crab (metopograpsus thukuhar) is worthy of watching and reflecting upon, although maybe under safer circumstances.  The ‘alamihi keep to the low-tide shallows, much like humanity, and clambers about on the exposed rocks, stones and piers.  They are quintessential self-preservationists.

Is your self-care actually self-preservation, instinctive and reactive?  Or, do you practice it with intention and reflection?  Are you actively planning on how to weather the next storm?  Are you in the middle of a storm now?

It’s anecdotally shared, that when faced with the imminent threat of a collision in a moving vehicle, you clench every muscle you have including the tongue.  This leads to more sustained injuries, and a lengthier recovery time, if your situation is recoverable.  Life is filled with collisions.  There are minor ones like disagreements at work over processes or miscommunications on the homefront with partners and children.  Or there are major ones like the sudden loss of child, getting an unexpected diagnosis for a serious health issue, and losing your job.  What if you could live life unclenched?  Would it matter?

It’s important to be of a positive mindset, but it’s of even greater importance to be of a realistic mindset with a positive response.  The shock is greater to your being, when your first response is, “I never thought something like this could happen to me!”  Why not?  Why, based on all the evidence around you, the rise and fall of civilizations, the ebb and flow of humanity, would you sail through this existence unscathed?

We have a cognitive capacity that way exceeds the ‘alamihi crab.  We can do more than furtively scramble out of the way in the darkness.  We can plan, conditionally, lest Robert Burns’ words come back to pinch us.  We can form intention now.  We can unclench.  We can know for certain that the storms are coming, but that they can be faced.  And some storms may even be dissipated with the right actions.


*This piece was written in the aftermath of the “false alert” January 13, 2018, where thousands of people on the island of Oahu received notification that there was an incoming ICBM missile, and to take shelter.  The beach where the ‘alamihi crabs were observed was the same beach that had hundreds of screaming people running anywhere they could to find shelter, under lifeguard stands, in bathrooms.  In many cases mothers and fathers had their children lie on the ground and they covered their children with their own bodies.

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Author Bio:

I’m opposed to author bios, for much the same reason that I’m opposed to framing artwork. Intellectually we know that art goes beyond the frame, and that the frame is an artificial construct.  My husband says that I “sure am a piece of work”, but he has never, (nor has anyone else) ever referred to me as a piece of art… 

So, right now I am bouncing back and forth between the beautiful and troubled island paradise of Oahu, and our home base in deep rural Missouri.  Subjects of interest for contemplation and writing include nature, sustainability, primitive skills and traditions, kindness, unconditional positive regard, all the big whys and hows, movement disorders, the juxtaposition of science and religion, education, second language acquisition, holistic skin care, and cats.  I fail to practice much of what I preach, and greet each day as a challenge, and consider each night before I go to bed an exercise in self-grace.


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A Meditation on the Papaya Heart: Building Resiliency and Shaping Your Own Scars

1/21/2018

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by Sharon Sherbina, NYR Organic
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Oahu is beautiful.  There are sunsets that will suck the breath right out of your chest.  The massive banyan trees look like they could pick up root and lumber down the way if you took your eyes off of them.  Sometimes you startle a flock of yellow-fronted canaries, and then they startle you with their breathtaking upflight into the sunlight.

While walking one afternoon, I stopped and looked closely at the trunk of this papaya tree.  All around the trunk, every foot and a half, are a half dozen heart-shaped scars.  I looked fifteen feet above me to see what might be making these beautiful scars on the tree.  At first observation, it appears that when each generation of fruit comes to bear, the large leaves that nestled that fruit begin to wither and die.  Eventually the heavy, dead leaves drop off to the fertile ground below.  They decompose into the soil and cyclically nourish the tree in their demise.  When the leaves drop off, they leave behind the mark of a heart on the trunk. Every.  Single. Time.

The papaya (botanical name, Carica papaya) is a powerhouse of nutrition and medicine.

See here  for the full break down (PDF).

And like most plants and trees, every single part of it is useful.  It’s a perfect tree to use to illustrate a life of intention and purpose, a life with ruts and hardship, a life with joys and mountain-top experiences.  It’s also an ideal cosmic model for resiliency and adaptation at the personal level.

Where is your life at this moment?  Where is it in the life cycle of the papaya?  Is it fruitful and protected by stalwart leaves, and safe from the buffeting of strong tropical winds?  Have you just made it through the most difficult ordeal of your life, and are shedding the dead leaves of your experiences to the ground below you?  Will your hardship nourish and benefit the next generation?  Or are you still somewhere in the middle of the storm, with your desiccated leaves hanging all about you, a semblance of protection until the storm passes.  What shape are your scars?
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Author Bio:

I’m opposed to author bios, for much the same reason that I’m opposed to framing artwork. Intellectually we know that art goes beyond the frame, and that the frame is an artificial construct.  My husband says that I “sure am a piece of work”, but he has never, (nor has anyone else) ever referred to me as a piece of art… 

So, right now I am bouncing back and forth between the beautiful and troubled island paradise of Oahu, and our home base in deep rural Missouri.  Subjects of interest for contemplation and writing include nature, sustainability, primitive skills and traditions, kindness, unconditional positive regard, all the big whys and hows, movement disorders, the juxtaposition of science and religion, education, second language acquisition, holistic skin care, and cats.  I fail to practice much of what I preach, and greet each day as a challenge, and consider each night before I go to bed an exercise in self-grace.

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Wishing for Miracles

1/15/2018

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by  Phoenix Desertsong, The Perpetual Prose Machine
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Nature's full of little miracles like Double Rainbows. And so are we.

Have you ever sat around or laid in bed wishing for a miracle? Many of us certainly have. But, I wish for miracles not just for myself, but in general. The world at large has become so overwhelmed with negativity. Too often, we go to jobs we hate, just to still come up short with what we need. Many of us don’t feel “pretty enough,” “thin enough,” or "good enough." A lot of us feel like miracles are just wishful thinking.

But, it dawned on me that all human beings are full of miracles. For all the bad mankind has done, we have to focus on the positive things humanity has done, too! See how many diseases we have conquered. Witness the beautiful music that composers create. Marvel at the beautiful artwork that artists draw or paint, or create in Photoshop! Think of all of the great literature you've read in your life, and those great authors you wish you could write like.

Remember those that know how to take the little things in life, even the bad things, and turn them around in a way to make you laugh. Life is full of all of these little miracles of creativity. So, why do we focus on only the negative things so much of the time?

Don't Let Negative Influences Drag You Down!

It's easy nowadays to become discouraged. There are so many negative influences out there to make us feel things that we really don't need to feel. It also seems that to become a productive member of society that we must live up to unreasonable expectations. A lot of us have to become what we’re not in order to please those that only live to cheat us out of discovering our true worth.

No, Life should be about finding what we love to do and making a living out of that. For many, this seems incredibly unrealistic. No, you're told, you must find something that already exists and do that to make ends meet.

But, time and time again, especially recently, I've been finding people whose job it is to simply do what they love. And they make money at it! It may not be a lot. But all it has to be is “just enough” to get the bills paid and keep the dream alive. Plus, if others enjoy what you're doing, human generosity has a way of donating just enough to keep the dreams alive, as well.


Still, no matter what it is you do, struggles happen. I see so many times that people humbly ask for donations. Many of them have full-time jobs on top of side work, and still can't make what they need to keep a roof over their heads or food on the table.  They aren’t looking for handouts. They just need a little boost. Then, they never receive anything and become frustrated. Worse yet, people begin to mock them. Have people just become selfish and uncaring?

Actually, the trouble really is that we live in a society where it seems we must be selfish in order to survive. But, that's quite untrue. The majority of human beings do want to help others. Still, many feel powerless to do so. Giving is always better than receiving, because there are always those less fortunate than ourselves.


We Need to Make Our Own Miracles


Every human being deserves to have the chance to create their own little miracles. The more little miracles we have, the brighter the world becomes. Even now, even as people find themselves more and more depressed each day, seeing no light at the end of what seem to be endless tunnels of mediocrity and melancholy, there are still plenty of miracles out there. We have to start focusing on the positive things about life. We need to accept the negative things for what they are, but not let them stop us.

There may not be enough money in your bank account. There may be so much pressure on you to go out and get a "real" job. But life is not worth living unless you find what it is that you can offer to the world in a way that only you can.

Each of us was born into the world with the opportunity to create miracles. Life itself is a miracle that so often goes to waste. So many days pass by when we wonder if there's any hope for not only ourselves, but humanity in general. I say, yes. I have seen enough miracles in my life to believe in the better side of humanity.

We must remember that in the face of negativity, most who are being negative towards us don't actually realize it. Some of them actually think that they're just "doing what's right" in trying to force us into the awkward molds that society tries to jam us into.


Keep Your Spirits Up!

Still, there are actual evil forces at work in society at large which are trying to crush spirits. Unfortunately, they're doing a good job at it. These evil commercial masterminds are playing off of our dreams. They tell us that we need to mortgage away our futures with expensive college educations and find a lucrative career, oftentimes in something that we really don't want to do in the first place.

But these worldly material issues can't stop you. You can't let anything get in your way. You just have to make your own way. It's hard and most people are going to say you're crazy. But, I really have found no other choice for myself. You just have to do what makes you happy, but use what makes you happy in a constructive and creative way. Then, share it with others to enjoy, as well.

You never know how much your enthusiasm for something may inspire someone else to embark on a similar journey doing what they love. The human spirit is the most valuable thing in the universe, not money, and certainly not material wealth. The spirit is what must be fed, not those who would only take advantage of our creative energies.

I may come off as a kook to some. But that's okay. I'm speaking my mind. It's the only thing I can do. I have met so many people recently who have inspired me to realize it's okay to just be yourself, even if others may see you as a complete wreck or failure. It's society that fails you, for the most part. You just need to not fail yourself.


Keep Going Until You Find What Works


Keep picking yourself up and trying new things until you find something that works. That's the way to live. Perhaps taking a job just to have a little money is okay. But I have seen people take lousy jobs that cripple their ability to have any time to do anything creative just in the name of income. I'd rather be barely making ends meet financially while being high in spirit than miserable in the same position. This sounds insane to some people, but it's how I feel. Once your spirit is broken, there's no reason to continue until you can find a way to get your spirit healed.

My own spirit has been broken multiple times. Too many times, I have felt hopeless and beyond any sort of help. Yet, I press on. There are too many miracles left to see. I know that I have the potential to create many more of my own. So I wish for miracles for every one of you that read this. I also wish for miracles for every one of you that never read these words.

I wish that I can help others make miracles. That in itself is a miracle. Even if you don't believe in wishes, go out into the world and appreciate the little miracles of life. There are plenty of them, and you just have to know where to look.

Smile and remember that even in the face of so much ignorance and greed, there are still plenty of good people out there. Most of us just need a pick-me-up and someone to give us a kind word and a little bit of encouragement. Those little miracles go a long way. For my part, I want to see that they keep coming. Find your own path and help others find theirs. It's the best way to live.

Photo credit: Pixabay, Public Domain
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Bringing Out Your Best: 5 Ways to Unlock Your Inner Potential

1/5/2018

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by Kara Masterson, Motivational Friends Contributor
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It’s no secret that many if not most people want to be their very best. Yet in many cases, these individuals lack strategies regarding how to unlock their inner potential in ways that help them cultivate a more productive, positive lifestyle. If you’re ready to start operating more effectively in your personal and professional life while also maintaining the high level of self-regard that makes life an enjoyable experience, this is the article for you. Read on to learn more about strategies you can implement to begin unlocking your inner potential now:


Meditate

One of the best ways to unlock your true inner potential is by developing a strong meditation practice. Meditation is the foundation of helping you make the most of yourself because it grants you deep, ongoing access to your inner thought life. Once this happens, you’ll be able to consciously, continually redirect your thoughts in a manner that is conducive to productivity and positivity.

In addition to helping you use your mind in a manner that promotes healthy, happy living and productivity, meditation is known to limit the subject’s experience of stress. Meditation can also increase self-awareness. Once this happens, you’ll be more empowered to make the lifestyle choices and behavioral changes necessary to unlock your inner potential.


Develop an Exercise Routine

In addition to cultivating a strong meditation practice, make sure that you develop an incredible exercise routine. This technique is beneficial for many reasons. First, regular exercise ensures that you will attain the mental and physical energy necessary to be productive and clear-headed throughout your day.

Once this happens, you’ll be able to make prudent choices that lead to progress in your personal and professional life. Another great benefit of exercise is that it almost always results in aesthetic improvements. Some of them can include clearer skin, a more toned physique, and better posture. All of these positive aesthetic outcomes can enhance your self-esteem and confidence when interacting with other people.

Set Smart Goals

Another strategy you can deploy to unlock your inner potential is setting SMART goals. Goal-setting is important because it provides you with a clear understanding of which improvements and lifestyle shifts you’re attempting to make for the purpose of taking your life to a new level. Without the goal-setting process, your work of unlocking your inner potential may become disorganized and happenstance as your purposes and plans remain in half-baked, ambiguous form. Note that your goals are SMART when they are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic
  • Time-Specific

An example of a SMART goal will be “I will lift weights for 30 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday to lose four pounds per month.”

Find a Mentor

One of the best ways to really unlock your inner potential so you can lead an extraordinary life and give back to the world is by finding a mentor. This technique is helpful because it enables you to attain feedback, knowledge, and motivational support from an individual who understands who you are and what it will take to help you grow spiritually, emotionally, cognitively, etc. Mentors can provide you with a wide range of strategies and services to generate growth, and one of them would include helping you complete a mock interview in preparation for a big job interview.


Take a Leadership Training Course

One final strategy that can help you make the most of yourself is taking a leadership training course in strategic alignment or something similar. These courses are important because they can help you develop skills that make you a more marketable candidate when you’re ready for a promotion or to apply for a new job. Some of the benefits you may attain by taking a leadership training course include impromptu speaking skills, conflict resolution strategies, and the ability to develop authentic relationships with individuals from other cultures.

If you’re serious about becoming the best person that you can possibly be, know that you can realize the goal. Five strategies you can implement to realize the objective are outlined above. Start making these lifestyle changes immediately so you can take your life to the next level soon!

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Author Bio

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.

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How to Deal with Difficult Thoughts: Mapping the Unconscious Mind

12/14/2017

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by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner ofIntent-sive Nature & theBrand Shamans network
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Constantly, I wonder about my motivations for writing. It's when I reach these crossroads about my intentions that I find myself dealing with difficult thoughts to express or articulate. There are questions that I find myself asking that I don't feel qualified to try and answer in any sort of meaningful way.

In recent times, I've been retreating to safe topics writing about various amusements. It's as if I'm unwilling to truly unearth anything that could be particularly dangerous to my sanity. But now, I find myself particularly fascinated by one of the difficult thoughts that have crossed my mind.

The thought in question deals with a particularly interesting topic: mapping the unconscious mind. Sometimes, I find that my mind gives something a name before I truly understand what it is that I am naming. I don't think this is an uncommon practice when it comes to creativity. Although there is often at least a bit of forethought involved in assigning names, sometimes there isn't.

My poetry often  involves taking some difficult thought, giving it a name, and describing it in some way. It's often inspired by the echoes of my unconscious mind upon waking. People seem to enjoy the fruits of these exercises. Honestly, though, most of my poems were simply my way of dealing with thoughts I couldn't otherwise express. I never really considered myself a poet.

So, my poetry has been a way to sort of "map" the workings of my unconscious mind. It's one way that I try to hit on characters, concepts, and settings that my brain conjures up while I'm sleeping.

There are many interpretations of dreams and studies on the workings of the unconscious mind. But I believe it can be extremely dangerous to read too much into dreams. What we actually remember from dreams upon waking is often greatly distorted or is so strange and paradoxical. Because of this, it's difficult to frame it in any meaningful way to explain it to others.

The difficult thoughts that I often find myself harboring upon waking each morning I do not believe are fully formed. We all awake with difficult thoughts at one time or another, I'm sure, some more than others. Some are more troubling than others,. With the many stresses I've weathered at times, they can become far more troubling and much more difficult to express.

Rather than focusing on writing about amusements just for the sake of being able to write something easily, I should instead be focusing on "mapping" my thought process. It's even more important when it comes to dealing with difficult thoughts. I don't really want to do it so much for myself or even my own edification. It's more to find some sort of way to release the frustrations I've had about not writing anything much inspiring in such a long while. I feel at times that my work gets awfully dull and I need new sources of inspiration.

Perhaps by mapping the journey that my mind takes in dealing with difficult thoughts, I can finally feel a bit more settled. So many of these thoughts  often spring from my unconscious to my conscious without warning. Indeed, trying to reason through the workings of the unconscious while conscious can be dangerous. But, it's as they say: if it's dangerous, but it has a potentially huge reward, then it's probably worth doing.
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