Rearranging Your Boxes

I have had some items from my old computer sitting in my room on a leather chair for some time and they had become part of my room as a cluttered island unto themselves.  My mom who happened to be in town and had been staying with me at my house, kept passing by those items and she finally had enough of looking at them as part of this rummage that was taking up space.  One day when I got home from work, I noticed the chair was empty and did a double take as to where those items could be.  I did not notice right away, however, my mom had neatly rearranged the items in a stack placed behind my door where you could barely notice them.  I smiled for a moment as it came to mind that I never thought about rearranging these things that I still did not want to through away.  I just kept them in a cluttered pile and there was no thought put behind them about using that space more efficiently.  I kept thinking about this simple solution that was created when someone else looked at the same thing with a different perspective and was able to reach a welcome and desired outcome.  I find it amazing that one can contemplate solutions to something and you come up with blanks, while somebody else can see the exact same thing and are able to create a well polished answer.  As a result, I think it is a great concept when you think about how in your life you can think about how you would rearrange some your own life boxes.  Perhaps you have gotten into a routine of some sort that has become comfortable, yet also has grown a bit stale.  When you realize that many of the things that used to spark enthusiasm in you no longer generate the same feeling, then it is certainly worth your time to contemplate why that is and what you need to do in order to re-energize yourself.  Stepping away from things and spending some time meditating on where you are and where you want to be is also a good thing.  Many times we don't have the exact solution to everything right away, however, it is the beginning of that thought process that will eventually generate the answer that is needed.  If you have things in your life that resemble clutter whether they are actual boxes or other issues that are muddled in your life, begin to look at the possibility of rearranging all of it one box at a time.  Small steps toward your ultimate goal is often the best approach and will yield long lasting results.  The effort that you put into making these adjustments simply takes a beginning and some continued consistency in order to get there.  Remember that looking at an issue from a different view can change the dynamics of the problem at hand.  Therefore, don't be limited by your current view of things and think about the possibilities of what can be your ultimate and desired outcome.

The Crooked Path

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

“The Crooked Path”

By

Rob Claudio

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to someone whose wisdom I admire in every sense and has lived a much longer life than I.  During our discussion he was explaining his view about his life, as it has taken some interesting twists and turns in order to get to where he is at today.  First, he reminded me about having great intentions to do your own will and how those well intended plans can sometimes surprise us as they unravel before our eyes.  He gave me a great personal quote that will stay with me forever when he stated, "God writes with a crooked hand".  I knew exactly what he was saying and it made me laugh and smile at the thought of how the meaning behind those words related to my own life.  Many of us make great plans for our lives and then the reality of what actually happens as we go about our personal journey can change, impacting our destination of where we were headed.  It is even more interesting when you think about the people that have shown up in our lives and how they contributed to our growth, outlook or served as an example of what we don’t want to be like.  There is a lesson in everything that crosses our path, if you are paying close enough attention.  When I came home that night I ended catching a rerun of one of my favorite films, "The Matrix".  As I quickly immersed myself in the story of Neo and him finding out if he was the person that everyone had been waiting for, I received a separate reminder about my earlier discussion.  There is a part in the film when the main character Neo goes to see a lady known as the Oracle.  She is supposed to be all knowing and capable of identifying this person who is supposed to be their savior of sorts.  She basically tells him he is not the one, but he has to keep this information to himself as his peers don't want to know what was said to him.  Neo’s inner circle of peers simply believe that he is the one.  As a result, his immediate confusion is met with his own self-doubt and yet he ends up living up to his peer's expectations.  His crooked path was impacted by someone telling him they did not believe in him and through the power of believing in other people's expectations, he ends up surpassing his own. In my own personal journey what I have also learned is that you have to have fun and enjoy the crookedness of the path that you happen to be on, as it continues to materialize before your eyes.  The things that I have experienced and the people that made an impact in my life are as varied as the ingredients of a complex dish that takes hours to perfect.  Whether it is a splash of this or a sprinkle of that, we are constantly updating our own recipe for life.  Also, my appreciation continues for how different everything can be as quickly as the next day arrives.  Finally, I also learned to embrace how this celestial hand continues to write out a story for me with continued twists and turns, that like a good book, I want to keep reading to see what happens next.  Life would be a bit boring if things remained the same as always and one would never be able to appreciate the beauty that was created by the uneven and crooked journey.  My advice to you is to embrace and enjoy all of the things that are part of your wonderful path.  Although not all pieces of it may be pleasant, learn from it all.  In the end, you will most likely get the opportunity to share your personal words of wisdom with someone who will cross your path one day.   Your story can be another example for someone to realize that their apprehension about life is a common dilemma and there are people that will help you navigate it, if you are paying attention and willing to listen to them.   

“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.“

-Henry David Thoreau

Your Self Worth

I saw a great reminder today when I was looking at motivational signs and one in particular caught my attention.  It read, "Your value doesn't decrease based upon someone's inability to see your worth".  I absolutely loved this, because it prompted me to think about the times through out my life where someone underestimated me about one thing or another and I was able to rise to the occasion of not only exceeding my expectations but theirs too.  There are many times when we are faced with these challenges and it is not always the case that one gets the opportunity to redeem themselves.  Therefore, when their is an instance when one can achieve this, it makes the climb up a tough mountain that much more sweeter.  More importantly in the message, was to also take note that just because somebody does not see what you believe your talents and strengths are, to not take it personally.  Our personal self worth, is such a valuable commodity that we cannot afford to lose any ounce of it, as we have to wade through the seas of instances when we are challenged by the non-believers in us.  There are detractors and others who may feel superior to you, just because of a personality clash that you will never be able to fix.  This is were we get caught up sometimes, in trying to figure things out, so that someone will like you, despite what it can take to arrive at that desired outcome.  We must be mindful that we are not always going to be somebody else's cup of tea and when that occurs, do not waste a lot of your time in figuring out the right solution to a problem that may not have any remedy.  It is in our nature to want to be liked by others, however, as I have grown older, my focus has shifted towards being respected versus liked.  You see, like can be very subjective based upon the person making the assessment and there are any number of things that can change a person's viewpoint to be able to agree or disagree with you, just on the basis of their biases.  Rather than spending time on changing that circumstance, focus on what it is that you bring to this world, by your measures of talents, gifts and abilities which you could share.  Think about the amount of time that we all have on this earth and how quickly it goes by.  For some who do not get to live a long life, we have them as vivid examples of why the need to focus on the things that truly matter.  Therefore, do not worry about those that want to detract you when they focus on something negative about you, instead turn your head and face towards those that do want to be part of your existence as you add value to them, just as much as they do to you.

Inner Peace

It is a wonderful state of mind when in the quietest moments you can listen to the sound of your own heart beating and you realize that even for that short time, you can enjoy some moments of silence that are filled with peace.  Our lives are so busy these days that people have created businesses around the idea that you need some guidance in the form of meditation that essentially is the same quiet time that we all get in different parts of the day.  If you are religious, then those moments can be comprised of prayer, when you are connected to your higher power.  When I was young I learned to pray through my grandmother and mother and most of my prayers were short as they rhymed, which made it easier for them to became part of my daily rituals.  My grandmother had lots of these and she made sure they were ingrained in me, as it was an important lesson she wanted to teach me about our faith and being grateful to God.  Through her teachings I learned that you can pray at any time through out the day, as you gave your care to someone that was much more powerful than you could ever be.  Whether it was a prayer before a meal or a night time thankful prayer for the day I had been given, I learned to be grateful well before it became hip to have a gratitude journal.  I can recall asking myself what was I thankful for at a young age and my list was not very long.  I struggled to figure out why I did not have certain things that my friends had, which made my gratitude reflection somewhat fragmented as the detours of my mind made me a bit confused about what was important to be thankful for.  I was also more self centered, which brings all things to a place that are not the most ideal to begin with. Now as an adult, I find my list at any given time can be longer if I think long enough about what I have that makes me fulfilled.  Yet, interestingly enough, I find that being grateful for very simple things also condenses my list to a less lengthy itemization of things.  Whether it is in the early morning or late at night, I run through some of the things that I am so appreciate of having and I can feel how it even changes my breathing the moment I begin to go through that process.  It was a long time before I realized that inner peace can come from those specific instances, when you realize that you have so much gratitude for things that are not necessarily materialistic in nature.  The ability to get up, see and hear a new day, realizing that you have people that love you, while you have enough good health to realize that others may not be so fortunate, is reason enough for one to breathe deeply as you exhale in a peace filled state.  The next time you find your mind cluttered with distracting thoughts, think about all of the good that is currently in your life and don't worry about the quantity in which it exists.  Instead, be mindful that you have many things to be grateful for and pay attention as you breathe in with self realization, while as you exhale you can pay attention to the calming effect of realizing that you are more blessed than others.

Finding Personal Joy

Today I am sharing an article that will be published next month.

Inventing Your Life

“Finding Personal Joy”

By

Rob Claudio

Last week I was driving behind a car as we slowly made our way down a long avenue in stop and go rush hour traffic, down a busy avenue.  In front of me, was a car with a white and gray dog that that kept sticking its head out the back windows every time the car came to a stop. The dog would alternate between each window as it would look out and turn back at all of us driving behind it.  At times, the dog was looking back directly at me and it made me smile for an extended period of time, as you could see utter happiness clearly depicted in its eyes.  It relished taking in the sights and aromas all around, as we slowly crept up the street with all of the cars in tow.  Being a bystander and taking all of this in, certainly made my afternoon drive more joyful than I thought it would be.  Soon after I got home, I received some pictures from one of my nephews who had gotten married a couple of weeks prior and although I was unable to attend the wedding, I looked at all of the images that were sent to me that painted another joy filled event.  The photos got more and more vivacious as the celebration transitioned into the reception with lots of happy and silly images from family and friends.  Although I was not present, I could feel the happiness that was radiated by those that were there.  I again found myself smiling while viewing the images and had another recognized moment of joy that was contagious via these photos. In retrospect to my day, I contemplated how I have learned over the years that true happiness can be found almost anywhere, as long as you are open to receiving it in its many forms.  I know that some days it may be more difficult to find those moments, however, think about the residual effect from those instances where you are able to acknowledge it and make it part of your day.  When you forget whatever was troubling you and are able if only for a small juncture to snap out of your original thinking with a smile and proceed with a happier perspective, you become the catalyst for your own change.  Also, there are many things that can trigger a happy feeling, so it is nice to know that we have a long varied menu of things to contemplate that can change our viewpoint.  Whether it is the sound of a child laughing or a favorite song that makes you want to get up and dance as you sing along, the options for joyful moments are plenty.  Ultimately we must remember that the responsibility for the joy we want in our lives lies within us.  Consequently, if you wait for someone else to bring it to you or for the right invitation to arrive, you may be waiting a long time.  Remember to never miss an opportunity to be still and acknowledge a happy instance that you can archive in your memories, which you can access at a future date.  If you have the opportunity to rent a movie that perfectly illustrates this process, I highly recommend the Disney Pixar animated film “Inside Out”.  I can talk about this topic via my own experiences, however, there is nothing like a live illustration that can make it that much easier to fully comprehend. Ultimately, I am sure that you will find that many of life’s simple things, can create the greatest of joy filled moments.  Your strategy should be purposeful in creating that environment on a daily basis.  As a result, the things that make you happy and bring a smile to your face is what you should remember every night as you close your eyes and think about another fulfilling day that you had the privilege to be a part of.    

  

“Joy does not simply happen to us. 

We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” 

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

Stand Up Strong

Many times through out our lifetime we are tested to the point that we think that there is no more strength left in us. I am always amazed that as tired and exhausted as we may have fallen asleep as a result of one's circumstance, with the morning sun comes some energy that we did not know was still in us, as you hear the early chirping of the birds singing a new song for the day to come.  When I walk out of the house at the beginning of the day, I usually listen intently and try to be as observant as possible in what my eyes take in and what my ears can hear. I try to keep my thoughts centered on being grateful as I say a prayer acknowledging that I am still here, as I open up my mind to the harmonious sounds that seem to be orchestrated by nature around me.  I usually drive by the same places through the same path on my way to work, however, I always look for something new that catches my attention while I am en route.  With the changing days and years, every little thing around us that has life in it changes along with us.  Similar to how we all pay attention when we look at ourselves in the mirror in the morning and notice new wrinkles that were not there previously or perhaps your hair turning a different shade of color, none of us is immune to this occurrence.  What I appreciate is that I have lived long enough to be able to sustain these changes and I think about the many who did not have the privilege that we sometimes take for granted.  Our path to where we are today and where we came from is always interesting to reflect upon as well.  When I think about my childhood and what I said I wanted to be when I grew up or where I wanted to live, my recollection of that visualization is not necessarily where I am today.  As much as I enjoy where I happen to be today, I could not have conceived of a lot of this in my youth.  It is very interesting to be a witness to all of this as we could not have written it as a story or a great movie with all of the twists and turns that happen throughout our lifetime.  What I do know is that through every different challenge or new era that I came upon, I had the fortitude and strength to survive and be able to tell the story later.  We all have great strength in us that was inherited or developed as we transitioned from youth to adults.  The great legacy of survival is to not only overcome a challenge, but also to become even stronger as a result.  With our ability to continue to learn from any error that we experience, we are usually able to figure out a better equation to the potential problems that existed.  So, what will our legacy be as a result of this great growth?  Well that answer lies in all of us, as we continue to unravel and develop further and we simplify what the true meaning of life means to us.  Remember that you are still standing as a result of what you have learned and even if you take an occasional tumble, you are capable of dusting yourself off and getting back on the right path with an even stronger outlook and determination.  While we don't know what exactly lies in our future, we can be firm in our belief that we will continue to remain standing strong as we continue to persevere in our efforts to reach our ultimate destiny.

Spring Awakening

If you take a look outside these days, you may see that there are lots of flowers currently in their blooming stage that are painting a dazzling array of colors as far as our eye can see.  The rains that came previously during the winter months did enough to help those seeds that were sown some time ago in helping them come to life with the changing of the new season.  Although my favorite time of the year is Autumn, I have to say that watching new life spring forward after the winter months comes a very close second.  For me, I really do enjoy watching brand-new things come to life right in front of my eyes.  It is a beautiful reminder that time and change is constant while nothing ever stays the same.  Very similar to our own lives, I have felt that nature always provides a great analogy for how our own lives go through this metamorphosis that keeps peeling away the layers that are on the outside, as we get closer to the real person that is at the core of who we are.  When I look at the trees that have grown yet bigger and wider through each passing season, I am reminded of the majestic connection of life on earth as we pass by each year.  I think about the trees and the many long living plant forms that have seen us as we have grown over the years.  I often wonder with a smile, how it would be to have a conversation with a product of nature that could talk back to us and let us know how proud they are of how they seen us turn out, as they witnessed first hand our own personal growth.  I actually think that it would be a very cool and fascinating conversation to hear nature tell us what they have been a witness to and just imagine what type of feedback they could share towards our continued personal development.  Hopefully, most of it would be positive.  With each passing year, our age marks the years that we have survived on this earth along with the many positive and negative curvatures that are indented in how our life has developed.  I rarely thought about as a young person that something that was a negative experience could turn into a positive one, however, this is how life is and we just need to be reminded of this when things don't go in our direction.  I know that at times, the season of challenges can seem like the longest lesson ever learned, yet, we must be mindful that our true season is coming and keeping a positive outlook while it arrives can be the best arsenal to combat those feelings that are less than positive.  One of the difficulties in keeping this perspective is when you see others around you having the best outcomes and worse yet, is if they do not appear to be remotely grateful.  Trust me, having been a witness to this in my prior years at first frustrated me and then I learned to let go of those things that I cannot change, accept what is and keep waiting for my Spring season to make its appearance ahead.  Another word of advice is to wish others well, especially those that may visibly appear to need your good thoughts.  Always remember that as quickly as a bountiful season appears for some, circumstances can drastically change that landscape and those people will ultimately need your well wishes if they were not as resilient as you are.  When you take a break from your fast paced life and walk out into the open air, take a look at what nature has brought you this year.  Feast your eyes on the beauty and magnificence that the earth is reminding you of, as you await to reap from your own bountiful harvest in the near future.