Keep Swimming

Today I am sharing a column that will be published next month.

Inventing Your Life

“Keep Swimming”

By

Rob Claudio

A few days ago in the midst of reading and checking emails in the early part of the day, I ran across a small picture on a random website and it had the picture of “Nemo” from the famous Disney film from a few years back.  It had a smiling picture of this now legendary fish with a caption underneath it featuring one of the iconic lines in the movie from the co-lead character “Dory” and it simply read, “just keep swimming”.  The picture made me smile right away, as I remembered the movie very fondly and how like so many other great animated films, had a great message relating to life and perseverance.  This brought me to further contemplation about how we are always swimming in one direction or another, in this vast ocean that we call living life.  For some people at times, it may feel like they are really tired of paddling in the water and perhaps they are losing ground and not moving in the direction that they would like.  I have been there many times where I just wanted a life raft to be thrown to me so I could just rest my weary arms and let the current take me to where I needed to go.  None of us are immune from having our own life struggles at any given time and yet as tired as we all sometimes feel about the great swim voyage that we are all part of, we still get up in the morning and continue the journey.  I know that everyone has their our own key motivational factors for getting up with a purpose each day.  I have found over time that beginning each day with a grateful perspective about how far I have already swam during the course of my own life, can be reason enough to feel re-energized about what the day holds in store for me.  If you find yourself in the middle of a difficult or trying period then perhaps finding gratitude in that you are no longer where you used to be, even if it is one day ago, can be enough of catalyst for propelling you forward.  One thing to help you look ahead is in having an optimistic approach while you look for some beacons of hope that may come in the form of other human beings around you, that will provide you with the encouragement you need to hear.  The right words at the right time, can lift anybody up from where they happen to be. Here is another thought about getting past a particular difficult period and that is to be reminded about how others may be going through much harder and more difficult situations than your own.  You don’t have to look very far to hear about another individual who is facing such harsh circumstances, that can immediately provide you with perspective about your own status. When you think about what should be the next step(s) in your life and you find that you may have lost your sense of order because of what has or is occurring, take a moment to pause and remember how far you have already traveled to where you are today.  Where ever you happen to be in your current journey, remember to make it a practice to begin your day with a grateful heart.  You may not be at your desired destination as of yet, however, you may also be unaware of how close you already are to achieving your next big breakthrough.  I have found that if you are thankful for where you happen to find yourself at the present moment regardless of where that is, you will be wonderfully surprised when everything else falls into its rightful place in the imminent near future.

"While I'm swimming, I sing songs in my mind."

-Alexandr Popov

Filtering For Good

I always admire the stories of people who persevere over their life hurdles, especially when you hear about how much they were able to overcome. These stories help inspire me to believing that there are many examples of the good that is still part of our world today.  It is one of the reasons for which I am selective of news on television, as we are inundated with so many stories that incite fear and are tied to oppresive circumstances.  Personally, I like to make time to hear the good news story that is usually buried at the end of a newscast.  On ABC television news, I enjoy their Friday segment that picks the person of the week.  When I get to this segment at the end of the broadcast, I find that whomever they end up selecting is worthy of the praise and recognition, as they tell the story of somebody that has had a great positive impact on others.  We live in a world these days where good news is not typical at the forefront of our media and information outlets.  Although I do enjoy websites that are tailored to highlight these type of stories, I find it disappointing at times when I think about the fact that a website had to be created in order to be able have a mechanism for things of a positive nature to materialize.  Filtering has played a large part in my adult life as I am very purposeful in what I want to receive and view, while not being a bystanding witness to news stories that are mired in negativity.  For example, if you happen to glance at most reality television that exists today, there are far too many instances of how sensationalized the poor actions of others are now taking center stage.  I simply change channels and record only those things that I would rather spend some time on, rather than have to listen to even a commercial about some of these shows.  The internet also offers its shares of web based episodes that also cater to their unique audiences in their unique environment.  I know that we are only going to be diving deeper into some of these media sources in the future, as technology continues to evolve and creations such as the new Apple watch continue to change how people receive information.  I have to remind myself about my ability as a consumer to be able to dictate what it is that I find worthy and I am hopeful that others realize their buying power as well.  It is only when the power of the consumer speaks that the world bends to accommodate their needs.  Conversely, I also am grateful that the web has allowed for the creation of virtual communities that bring together like minded people who share similar values.  While the rest of the world spins into a frenzy of wanting to figure out what the next hot commodity will be, I am comforted by the fact that some things still remain.  In particular, the need to be able to tell a good story about something or someone that had a positive impact on others.  I will continue to challenge myself and others around me to look for the opportunities in our communities to be able to do good things for people and do so with humility along with a state of grace.  There are many positive stories around us that are waiting to be told and it is only through banding with other like minded individuals that we can strive to make those continued changes in order to arrive at a better place in the future.  The next time you are faced with a choice whether it is in person or a media outlet, make a calculated effort to filter only those things that come from a good place and help that energy multiply in your surroundings.