" Wide To Receive … "

Download something 

Useful, or useless 

Because I'm lying here 

Wide to receive 

Almost anything 

You'd care to give ...

Turn on, plug in 

Then just walk away 

Unlock, process 

And then just go 

And I've never felt quite so alone 

As I do right now 

I'm lying here 

Wide to receive 

Almost anything 

You'd care to leave 

Wide, wide, wide 

~ Morrissey ~ Wide To Receive ~ 

***

Quite a few years back, I made a resolution to NOT make a resolution.  Mainly because I had such a hard time keeping them.  I would but my best foot forward, all my efforts, only to get discourage quickly and quit.  Sounds familiar?

And I often wonder why ... why resolutions are hard to keep.  Maybe because we carry around a lot of stress and burdens of life.  Maybe because our goals are unrealistic ... So then maybe it is about becoming more grounded and authentic ... where resolutions are not necessary because you are LIVING your truth. 

 ☯Trust a man’s behaviour, not his words ☯

In 2013, I had to shed a lot of skin to become the person I am today.  Peeling back the layers … physically, spiritually and emotionally ... letting go of the person I thought I should be in order to be the person I really wanted to be ... and ready to receive.

 ☯Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want ☯

In 2014, I am ready to ... become more empowered and strong, continue to pursue what I truly want to do, go past the fear of the unknown, accept me just as I am, follow my heart, believe I am exactly where I need to be, and let go of what no longer serves me.

I am tired of spending so much of my life thinking everyone else is happier, more successful or better off than I.  Within my core, I know that my journey is unfolding perfectly for me.  The new year doesn’t deserve to be cheated on with my past.  

It is time to move on and tell a new story.  

Get ready to receive … 

" New Year's Day ... "

All is quiet on New Year's Day

A world in white gets underway ...

Under a blood red sky

A crowd has gathered in black and white

Arms entwined, the chosen few

The newspapers says, says 

Say it's true it's true...

And we can break through

Though torn in two 

We can be one

And so we're told this is the golden age

And gold is the reason for the wars we wage ...

Nothing changes 

On New Year's Day

On New Year's Day

~ U2 ~ New Year’s Day ~ 

***

Happy New Year and welcome to 2013.  An opportunity to start fresh and possibly turn a new leaf ... depending on your perspective ... are you an optimist or a cynic?  

Well last night we had an opportunity to ring in the new year with many little ones at our house party.  So my perspective ... optimist.  Experiencing the simple joy of children, dancing and partying, uninhibited, is truly amazing.  I feel children provide a healing energy.  Pure love.

Now there may be some reading this rolling you eyes.  To each their own ... but I guess it is safe to say that the eye rollers are cynics?  

Cynicism stems from an issue of trustworthiness ... 

believing others are more selfishly motivated 

and less helpful than they really are.

I believe experience breeds optimism or cynicism.  Your positive experiences have to out weigh the negative ones.  And we all have negative ones ... betrayal tends to make you avoid trusting others.  But you never find out how trustworthy people in general really are.  As a result, our estimation of others is governed by fear ... we don’t want to be vulnerable ever again.

You know the saying ... what you put out there you receive ten-fold.  What is the energy you are giving off?  What are you attracting in your life?  If it is working for you, you are content and happy with your relationships, your career and the direction you are headed, congratulations you have figured it out.  But I think most of us are looking for improvements ... just take all the resolutions out there.  Are not some of them unrealistic though, setting ourselves up, knowing full well that they cannot be attained ... a self full-filing prophecy with the opportunity to say “I told you so, or I knew that would happen”.  

Maybe you know what is going to happen because 

subconsciously you already asked for it ...

For me ... I’ll try and try again.  Some may think foolish and others may think child like.  But after witnessing one of the best New Year Eve’s ever, I’ll continue to take my chances and put myself out there ... with hopes that another year's positive experiences will out weigh the negative ones.

" Resolution ... "

Nothing but an empty page

Breathing in an open space

Captured by your moment's grace again

There's so much I left behind

Even more that waits in time

Everything's so undefined

I'm standing on the edge of my fear

And I see it clear

Living life without a plan

Finding solace where I stand

And learning how to love again

And all I want is something real

That I can feel

Here's my resolution

I'm letting go

All I need to learn is along this road

And I just want to be the best man I can be

Breathe, it's my resolution

~ Nick Lachey ~ Resolution ~

***

As 2012 is coming to an end, this is usually the time most of year we reflect.  What did we resolve to do, to accomplish ... and were they met?

Resolutions ... a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit.  What sets apart a new year’s resolution from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of new beginnings.

The most popular new year’s resolutions range from drinking less alcohol and eating healthy food, to saving money, managing stress and volunteering to help others.  Sounds familiar right?  Yes, it's deja vu ... most self promises are the same as last year, and maybe even the year before.  So why do we fail?  Well one of the main reasons resolutions are so hard to change is that we come up against rock hard habits.  These patterns of behaviour have been built up over many  years.  

Yet it is natural to assume that we should consciously be able to make changes but we neglect to understand how habits work.  Habits live mainly in the unconscious mind.  These are things we do on autopilot without being consciously willed.  Good for habits that keep us safe, tough when we are trying to change bad ones.

Research has shown once we identify what trigger’s our habit, it is possible to make a change.  But one of the usual mistakes made is to suppress the habit.  This tends to backfire and unconsciously it comes back stronger.  

Instead try to replace the bad habit with a better one ...

First, start with a plan - link a specific situation with a specific action.  If you successfully repeat the new response in the same situation, your replacement habit gains strength.  One of the best ways of boosting motivation is to accentuate all the negative aspects of your old habit and all the positive aspects of your new habit.

Next, start with minor bad habits.  For big changes, think small.  Baby steps are likely to work better.  We are usually tempted to bite off more than we can chew.  Yet once we tackle the manageable, we can layer another good habit on top, and then another.

Ultimately the desire to change will motivate you to change.  If you find yourself revisiting the same resolutions perhaps they are unrealistic.  And if you aren’t motivated to make or keep them, don’t force it.  The best time to set a new goals is when you are physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally ready.  The key is to set your goals when you are ready to meet them and not someone else ...

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” 

~ George Santayana