Thursday, January 31, 2008

Make Your Own Luck

Sometimes, you just have to make your own luck and your own opportunities. Opportunities will present themselves to you, but sometimes, they wait around for someone to stumble over them or to dig them up. And sometimes, you just have to make them.

Was there really a lack of burgers in the pre-McDonald’s world? Was there a craving, a need, for a quarter pounder with cheese? Probably not. That didn’t stop McDonald’s from growing into an international fast food chain currently worth no one knows how much money.

Weren’t there enough books to read, enough authors already published, before Stephen King came around? Was there a hole in the universe the precise size and shape of a rabid St. Bernard? Or a man-eating car? Or a recurring killer who took the form of a demonic clown that prowled around in the sewers? I doubt it. But how many of you recognize all three of those things?

Sometimes, there’s a niche in the world just for you, a place or action that only you can fulfill. And sometimes, there’s not. Sometimes, you make that niche anyway. The world is big and beautiful place, and there’s room enough for all of us and all of our dreams. Make some of yours come true.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

One Year Anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of when I became cancer-free. January 30, 2007, I had surgery that removed the portions of my body that were or perhaps were infected, and they all came back benign. This was wonderful news.

Over the past year, I spent 6 weeks off work, recuperating. I had numerous set backs and phone calls to the hospital, and even one trip in an ambulance to the emergency room. I still have problems sometimes with my scar.

But I’m alive.

My life is different now than it was then. I dumped the secure but lousy job. I reached out to other women, including family members that I had allowed to become estranged. I learned I was very strong and that I could reveal weaknesses without being weak. I learned a lot about humility and about allowing others to do what they need to do to take care of themselves. I learned that a healthy friend was worth more than my pride. A lot of things are worth more than my pride.

I also learned that taking care of my health is an ongoing process, that it’s never “over”, much like dishes or cooking. I have learned a lot about my body and how everything is interconnected. I learned how lucky I was to have caught it as early as I did.

I also have a lot more to learn. How to relax, how to take the time for myself I need, how to fill my life with things that nurture me rather than pass the time or merely entertain me, how to stand up for myself and my needs. I’m still learning those things, but I am learning, and I am living, and that’s what’s important.

Happy anniversary to me. Thank you for sharing it with me.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Inertia

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers

Dictionary.com defines inertia as the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force, also known as one of the three big laws of physics – an object in motion tends to stay in motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest. It’s also, human-ly speaking, the force that makes you want to keep your butt in your chair once you got it there. It’s why it’s that much more difficult to get up and do the dishes after you’ve sat down. “I’ll do them later” is a whole lot tougher than “Let’s get it done now”.

There’s a way to beat inertia at its own game, though. You get started. And once you’re started, you are now “in motion”. And it feels good, and you figure “I may as well wipe off the counter tops since I just did the dishes. It won’t take long.” Getting out of the chair and away from the TV or computer to wipe down the counter tops is difficult. Wiping off the counter tops when you’re standing there having just finished the dishes is much easier.

And it works for dreams, too. You can stall on a dream and let it stagnate, and the longer you go without making a move, the harder it is to take the next step. But, if you work on it, even a little, every day, then it’s weird, even hard, to go a day without doing something about your dream. Exercising is the same way. It’s a lot harder to exercise the first day of your routine than it is the second.

The big thing about the “every day” things is that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t swear to jog three miles every day when you know that you’re going to Grandma’s on Saturday and won’t have the time. Better that you promise yourself you’re going to walk or jog every day, three miles when you have the time and the weather cooperates, around the block if you don’t. Or if you can’t go outside, find some inside thing you can do to keep up the habit of exercising every day. That’s the key – don’t make the habit “jog three miles”; make the habit “exercise”. That way, you keep the habit going.

And if you do skip a day, don’t beat yourself up. Just pick yourself back up and get back to the habit. One cigarette after three months smoke-free doesn’t mean that you can never quit. It means you had a cigarette. Go back to being a non-smoker as soon as you stub it out. One piece of cake does not break a diet. Throwing out all your healthy eating habits because of one piece of cake will break a diet. And why are you on a diet that doesn’t allow cake? Moderation over deprivation.

Put yourself in motion towards your dream, and make it a habit to move in that direction every day, even if it’s just a little bit, even if it’s just thinking very hard about it for five minutes. Make inertia work for you, and you will create your Future.

Monday, January 14, 2008

How not to commit suicide

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. – Nietzsche

I used to be suicidal, when I was a kid. Home life was hell. School life was hell. I lived in the middle of nowhere with no friends around, so my entire life was encompassed by home and school. I thought about it a lot, tried to figure out a way to do it that was guaranteed. I didn’t want to just injure myself. I didn’t want to end up a vegetable or dependent on my family for the rest of my life. I couldn’t figure out a way. So I lived. In time, home life became better. I changed schools. I made friends who didn’t betray me. Life improved.

My “why” to live went from not wanting to only injure myself to getting out of grade school so that at least half of my life would get better. I have a lot more “why”s to live now. I love my life. I believe I can make a positive difference in this world. I love to create, and I really don’t know if I’ll be able to on the other side of death. I have the “why” to live now, ones that are positive and energizing.

If you’re suicidal or depressed or just can’t bear to live like you do any longer and yet you don’t know how to change your circumstances, you need a “why” to live. Not just exist, but to live. Existing and living are two different things, though it’s difficult to live without existing. Though some people do “live on” though the changes they made in the world.

Some people live “for others”. Their “why” is to serve those others or some cause. This can be a good start, but it’s rarely a good end. The best “why” I can think of is because you want to. Next best, because the world is a better place with you in it. Those are two of the best “why” reasons to live that I know. If you have other really good ones, feel free to comment.

If you don’t have a “why”, then get one. Start contributing to something. Volunteer, pick garbage off the street, say prayers for people. Give to someone else. Or create something that you refuse to leave unfinished. A masterpiece of some sort. If you have to, tell yourself that you can kill yourself later, but only after you finish this. Buy yourself a little time.

So many people kill themselves because they believe they have nothing to live for. Give yourself something to live for. Even a small something. It probably won’t be your destiny, your purpose in life, or even something that you’ll still want to be doing in five years. That’s okay. It’s a start. It’ll keep you living until you can work through what’s wrong and get to the other side of the problem – the side where even if it isn’t fixed, at least it’s resolved.

Give yourself a why to live, if you don’t have one right now. And if the one you have isn’t working, get a new one. You deserve to live.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Commitment

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genus, power and magic in it.” – W. H. Murray, the Scottish Himalayan Expedition

“Unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance” is exactly what you need to complete you destiny and create your Future. Someone once said that success is when opportunity meets preparation. Be prepared.

For those of you who do not believe in a Higher Power who will move Heaven and Earth in order to provide you with the opportunities to do what you want, think of it this way. There are opportunities around you constantly. There are people who are looking for skilled people, hard working people, people willling to do certain things. Are you the person they’re looking for? Maybe, but how will they find you unless you have the right connection? How do you get the right connection? By meeting people and knowing people and being the type of person who they would recommend.

For example, let’s say someone needs a band to fill in last minute for tonight at their bar. Are they going to ask you? Not if they don’t know you. However, if you’ve prepared enough – asked and gotten an audition, been good enough to be considered – then, they might ask you. You don’t even have to have played for the bar owner. They might ask one of their other usual bands or even the band that couldn’t make it. Do you know other bands? Do you know other bar owners or managers? Has anyone heard you play other than your other band members? Are you ready for the gig? Are you prepared enough?

If you are good enough and have gotten word out that you are a good band, then the opportunity could lead to success. If you aren’t good enough or if you haven’t bothered telling anyone that you’re in a band, then the opportunity will pass you by. Your preparation won’t lead to there being more opportunities in the world, but it will lead to there being more opportunities in your life.

Who would you rather hire, someone who’s thinking about changing careers or someone who’s been getting a degree in a new field? Someone who has written (though not published) many things and has been able to hone their skill, or someone who has been thinking about writing a novel someday? Someone you know is interested because that’s what they talk about and that’s what they’re doing with their life, or someone that you might not even know exists because they’re never at the business conventions or the free seminars or the open mike nights or anything else connected with the opportunity? Be the person they see, be the person they know about, be the person who’s good enough for the job.

Even if you don’t know what kind of Future you want to create, begin. Boldly. If you pick the wrong one and in five years you have to start over, that’s fine. If you hadn’t picked at all, in five years’ time you’d still be trying to figure out which path to take. If nothing else, you eliminate some of the clutter in your life and are able to focus more keenly on what you really want, what is really important.

Begin, and the universe will reward you.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Destiny

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. – William Jennings Bryan

A lot of people believe that they are destined for something greater than what they have in their lives, but few of them get off their butts and do anything about it. Don’t be one of these people.

They go through their lives, waiting, expecting something to happen to them or near them where they can be the hero – an accident where they pull the baby out of the burning car, a brilliant idea that launches them into the vice-presidency of their company, a song or band that gets them fame and fortune and plenty of roadies, something. But in the meantime, they wait. And life keeps ticking away.

So much of their focus is on what they’re going to do after this thing has happened. They think about how great it’s going to be, how they’ll blow all their money or not squander it like all the lottery winners you read about, how people will respect them and they’ll be able to do anything they want. They aren’t just tied up in the future; they’re tied up in the part of the future that happens after the event – just one portion of the future, over which they have decided they have no control. Inspiration will strike from outside. Or someone else will cause the accident. Or a recording agent will happen to be driving past their garage while they practice. Something. They don’t know when, but it will happen. Someday.

Don’t be one of these people. Don’t live in an uncertain future that hinges on something you don’t control, that will happen at a time that you can’t anticipate. Will things happen to you that you can’t control? You bet. But you don’t have to give up control to the whims of chance, expecting that destiny will do everything. If you do your part, you can shape your destiny and perhaps help it happen a little sooner to you.

Are you destined to come up with the brilliant solution at just the right time? Foster your creativity. There are plenty of ways to improve your creativity, help you think in new ways, see solutions that others do not.

Are you destined to be the roadside hero? Do you know CPR? Do you know the signs of shock? Do you know the numbers for the police and fire department? Can you swim? Can you swim well enough to help a drowning person? Are you nimble enough that you can dodge an out-of-control car? Can you fight well enough to scare off a mugger? Take a CPR class. Take a lifeguard class. Take a fighting class. Keep yourself in shape. Be prepared for the emergency in which you will be the hero.

Are you going to be the hottest musician since Elvis? Can you sing? Can you play an instrument? How many hours a day do you practice? How many songs have you written? Not just started, but completed? Even if that particular song is not the song that will make you a household name, it can be good practice. How many demo tapes have you sent out? How many have you made? How many people in the recording industry do you know? Practice your music. Practice your writing. Go to open mike nights and get used to playing in front of an audience. Even if they don’t deserve your talent or don’t recognize it, it’ll be good practice, and it’ll make for great stories when you do hit it big. Get to know people in the recording industry. Not just the big people, but the little ones. Little ones know small ones, know medium sized ones, know big ones, know the ones that can make you rich. And they also know the opportunities that you may otherwise miss, not being in the industry yourself.

There are a lot of things you can do to shape your destiny or at the very least be ready for it when it happens to you. You can shape your Future. Do the things that give it the shape you want.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Appreciation Day

One of the things I want more of in the Future is kindness, “thank you”’s, and appreciation. From here forward, I am going to have the 7th of the month be Appreciation Day on this blog.

There are many people that you can have appreciation for and show your appreciation to. Teachers, writers, actors, directors, cops, firefighters, librarians, coworkers, bosses, family, and many others. There most likely is someone in your life who has done good things for you either directly or as “just part of the job”. Was there a teacher that helped you? Is there a writer whose books bring you joy? An actor who moves you no matter what you see him (or her) in? A director whose every movie is on your book shelf? Cops and firefighters keep us safe. Librarians manage the source of wonderful free items. Perhaps you have a coworker who always has a kind word for someone, a boss who has helped you in your career, a family member who has always supported you, or someone else who has improved your life in some way.

If there is no one in your life, then think about history. There are many freedoms that I would not experience if it were not for numerous historical figures. What about in your country? Or researchers who have done great things for medicine – Louis Pasteur, Jonas Salk, and many others. There are also great organizations that have helped improve the world, if no individual captures your fancy.

Write this person or group your thanks. If you can and are willing to, send them a note. If not, then keep the note or toss it away, knowing that even if the other person doesn’t feel appreciated, you feel the appreciation. Sometimes, it’s difficult to express your thanks, but there are ways to feel appreciation without leaving yourself vulnerable.

To kick off this Appreciation Day, I have just written to a pair of authors whose joint works are some of the best I read. Virtually anonymous, yet sincere. Let me know who you thank. You could even thank them in the comments section, letting everyone know what they’ve done for your.

Happy Appreciation Day.