Blog

Writing is part of my meditative process to clarify my thoughts, to align my actions and to focus on my purpose. I write about my emotions, my shortcomings, and my ideas for a better world through poetry, prose, and what I call rantifestos every day, some of which I post here on my blog and on social media. I share them to help others move along their paths to live and lead with compassion.

The Regret Matrix

We all live in what I call the regret matrix. A parallel universe of existing and former regrets that can swirl in and out of your consciousness. Sometimes you visit it and sometimes it visits you. Something reminds you of a moment that was not your best or even something you have been trying to forget. Out of nowhere a feeling of great loss and emptiness comes over you like a ghost visiting you with a regret or two. Parents are frequent visitors to the matrix of regrets. Parents always teeter on the edge of guilt across the street from regret. So many things that they could have done, things they should have done in hindsight.

But regrets are not all bad. They are benchmarks that you have carved in your timeline. You know why they are there. They remind us of our darker moments and can push us to be a better human.

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Failing Up

Most of us are grateful for the privilege we have. The sacrifices that have been made for us to be here. We must appreciate all that. So, privilege and gratitude require us to be grateful for everything that got us here. The successes and the failures.

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Milo and the Meaning of Life

It is more important to prevent animal suffering,
rather than sit to contemplate
the evils of the universe
praying in the company of priests.
Buddha

We tend to think that we humans are the only ones here, Masters of the Universe, trying to pave our way through the chaos of “lower forms of life”. We forget that we were born from nature and are part of it. 
We forget about the other sentient beings we share this planet with live with and depend upon. We live amongst all sorts of creatures and beings. Our focus on our selves makes most of them subordinate at best and irrelevant at worst. 

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What is Your Minimum Salary?

Money is multiplied in practical value depending on the number of W’s you control in your life: what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.” – Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek

What’s your formula for calculating your value in the marketplace?

How much should I be making? How much is enough?

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Is that My Smile?

As we are emerging from the isolation of the pandemic we are starting to come to grips with our ability to socialize, to present ourselves in real face to face situations. We are pretty rusty! We all need a tune-up. Amazing what we have forgotten or don’t want to remember.

“Business casual”. Yeah your cutoffs and T-shirts are going to have to make way for whatever fits or a whole new wardrobe.

I think most of us can cleanup pretty well to comply with the dress codes.

But your social graces may need a real honest to goodness makeover!

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Advance the Assets by Decreasing the Deficits

We are all trying to solve problems, and the negative lens dominates. We see the negative and then we’re going to fix it. If we have visions of something more positive, we get criticized for blue sky ideals. We have to be problem solvers. We have to be fixers. We adopt a mindset that characterizes things in the most negative light –so that when we fix it–the bigger difference we can make. We always seem to be incented for short term wins over longer term successes. 

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How Humility Flourishes

When we pursue something because it makes us feel and look virtuous, we lose the virtue. Humility is not an effort or mindset. It is like a beautiful flower that just grows and blooms without regard to others expectations. It just is. But pride can be pretentious, and ego can be excessive. So humility really cannot be considered a virtue. Humility is being yourself as part of the world. The need and pursuit of credit is the antithesis of humility.

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Say something delicious

What if the words we say were delicious? What if we curated words so that we consciously uttered tasty syllables? Words with fiber, complexity and real flavor. 

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We Will Not Be Silenced

I am so inspired by the next generation who are empowered to break the silence. The silence that allows hate to fester. Silence that tacitly condones racism. Silence that makes us complicit.

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Accidental Mentoring

The worst way to get a mentor is to go find one.
The best way is to see the one that’s already there.
Jeff Goins

When we look for mentoring in a single person, it’s like going to library wanting knowledge and looking for a single book of answers.

You looking for a mentor? A better mentor? You need one!
Why? What do you need?

Answers to the secrets of life. It doesn’t work that way.

You need to surround yourself with and seek truth tellers versus cheerleaders.

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Additional Tools & Resources

Self-Assessment Tools

Books & Stories

Helpful Videos

Useful Websites

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