Monday Mantra: Paradise Within

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: "The paradise you seek is within" - Unknown

Moorea, French Polynesia

At this very moment I am in a place that is as close to heaven as you can possibly get. At this very moment I am in a place most people would call paradise. At this very moment I am on the amazing and beautiful island of Moorea.

I've slept, sunned myself, and seen some amazing things. 

While I would love to tell you all about it right this second, typing this on my cell phone is a tad difficult. Therefore, I will keep this short and sweet today. 

Regardless of the fact that it's gorgeous here, I've honestly had one of the best times of my life by simply being with myself and letting the peacefulness of having nothing to do sink in. 

What I want you to take away from this week's mantra is this: No matter where you are, paradise lives within you already. It is the place of calm, of quiet, of stillness. It is the place where nothing can reach you, where no one can find you, where you - and only you - are in complete control of your bliss. 

It is reachable. It is real. It exists. 

Wherever you are - the office, home, your in-laws - you can find your inner paradise.

Go somewhere alone (even if the only alone place you can find is your closet) have a seat, and close your eyes. Breathe. Imagine the warmth of sunbeams on your body, of light all around you, of a soft breeze gently brushing past you. Focus on this and, as you do, place this image in your mind to come back to at any time you desire. This place that you've created will always be there for you because it already is. You just have to acknowledge it. 

Seek the paradise inside yourself.

Where do you go to get away from it all?

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Monday Mantra: Streamline Your Life

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: I will streamline my life and not feel bad about it

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Society 6

Hi, my name is Zack Morris. 

OK, not really. I didn't add another name for myself, but I have morphed into the female version of him recently. I skip class, show up late, and don't turn my projects in on time. And, to top it all off, I don't really care that I'm doing or not doing any of these things. Which is good, because the "normal" me would freak out and would never, not EVER, do any of this. Case in point: For Senior Ditch Day in high school I refused to ditch unless my mom called me out officially. I wasn't just going to ditch, me and my goody two-shoe-ness.

As you all know, I'm taking a pottery class. Mustache Man has become incredibly popular...I'm so happy for him. As you also know, I messed up my wrist and had to bribe people with baked goods in an effort to help me make my projects. 

Good news- things have gotten better.

Not because I now have the gift of making beautiful and perfect pottery. No, no. It's all because I streamlined my life. I took a long hard look at what I was doing each and every day, what I wanted to do, what I didn't (but was doing anyway) and why I felt the need to try and do all of it perfectly. I made a conscious decision to put my time and energy into the things I love, the things that matter, the things that must absolutely, positively be done. Then I made a decision to loosen my grip and to let go entirely, in some cases, of the things that didn't really matter. Like my grade in pottery.

I'm not going to lie, it feels good to be gangsta like that.

 All I ever wanted was for pottery to be a fun thing I did, when and how I wanted to. Not something I had to get an A+ in or that I had to be great at. So I let go of the A+ and I made it the hobby it was always supposed to be. Permanent record, shmermanent record. Or something like that.

Streamlining allows you to take a long hard look at what you really, truly want, not what you feel you need to want or do. The key is to not feel bad about it. Not for one second are you allowed to feel guilty for making the decision to simplify your life. You have to be proud of the fact that you realized what matters to you the most. That you cut through the red tape of everything else and got down to the heart of who you are and what you want. 

I actually enjoy pottery now, believe it or not. I'm horrible at it, but so many other good things have come from it. Like my friend, Abby, one of the most amazing and hilarious people I know. I never would have met her before. I never would have met Picasso (aka Brian...he does have a real name), and Matt, and Tim, and Valerie. I would never have known any of these really wonderful, fun people. That would have been a horrible loss, truly.

I even enjoyed making the treat for my class so much that I started bringing goodies in regularly. Banana bread, more brownies, kettle corn. I'm "The Girl Who Brings Food To Eat" now, not "The Girl Who Makes Things With Mustaches". I think that's a good turn in events, especially considering my recent creation, which I have dubbed, The French Ninja Turtle. Please take note of his amazing beret and fabulous mustache. I believe he's saying, "Mon awesome est dangerous" or "My awesome is dangerous." Yes, French Ninja Turtle, it is. It really is.

Go forth, my friends, and streamline your life. It's so much better to love what you live for and to leave the rest out. Or limit it, anyway. 

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Monday Mantra: Make New Friends

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Make friends out of strangers

I was recently reminded of the awesomeness of strangers.

The other day I was on a return flight home when the woman next to me started up a conversation. For whatever reason when I fly, I don't usually chat with the people next to me. Mostly because I'm usually asleep or engrossed in a book, but neither of these things deterred the woman sitting next to me. Not that she was being rude- no. She was just punctual as to when I was awake and available to chat.

As we sat there, Pat (as I would come to know her) told me about the book she was reading, her two daughters, and shared stories of her visits to Africa. I also came to find out that Pat is a well known neuroscientist who travels all over the world giving lectures on all brain related topics. Fascinating, if I say so myself.

We talked and talked and as we sat there getting to know each other, I caught myself wishing the flight could be a little longer so that I could learn even more about her. She was sweet, funny, and brilliant, to say the least. She was charismatic, caring, and quick. Pat was the best airplane friend I had ever made.

As the flight ended and we said our goodbyes, I wondered just how many other airplane friends I have maybe missed out on over the years. As friendly as I am with most strangers in general, being on an airplane is one of the times I just zone out into my own little world. But, had I totally zoned out this time, I would never have really met Pat. I would never have given her the chance she so rightly deserved.

Now, I'm not saying we all need to jump on a plane and start up a huge conversation with the strangers next to us who may or may not be trying to sleep. No. What I'm saying is that sometimes you find friends in places you least expect them to pop up. That stranger next to you might be more awesome than you could have ever imagined and might just have some of the best stories you've ever heard.  Sometimes that stranger could add value to your life, without you realizing it. And sometimes we just need to talk to strangers, regardless of what our parents once taught us.

What it all really boils down to is this: Sometimes we just need to give people a chance to become a friend instead of a stranger. Because sometimes, well, sometimes those people are remarkable.


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Monday Mantra: Open the Book

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Show me what's under the cover

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Last week at work I attended a training event around Diversity & Inclusion. This was by far the best thing I have ever attended in the 12 years that I've been here and, quite frankly, I'm impressed that we're taking the initiative to train all of our leaders with it. More places need it. More people need it. 

It touched on the more common things such as race, gender, and sexual preference, but it also touched on the smaller things. For example, how a person was raised or what they went through in life prior to you knowing them. It basically made you step back and give every single person another chance to show you who they are. In fact, it went along perfectly with last week's post about The 100/0 Principle. 

Anyway, along these very same lines is a post my friend did on his blog about Charlotte and Jonathan, two singers who were trying out on Britain's Got Talent. In his blog he says, "No amount of disfigurement, handicap, obesity, or even poor choices can remove a person's intrinsic value...every human being has an intrinsic worth that should not be overlooked based on their outward appearance or circumstance. "

I agree.

When I was watching the video of them singing, the first thing I noticed was the look on everyone's faces when they saw Jonathan. These looks of judgement and criticism before they even heard him sing. All because he was overweight. The moment he started singing, everyone in the crowd changed their own tune. By the end of it they were all standing, clapping, and cheering him on. Heck, people were even brought to tears by his voice! All because Jonathan, the person they had just judged on looks alone, could sing like it was nobody's business. 

I supposed this topic is near and dear to my heart right now because I just attended the training at work. Or maybe because in the training I realized I'm not so great at this non-judging thing myself. Even after studying mindfulness, I still mess this up sometimes. In ways I wasn't even aware of until recently. So really, this is as much a reminder for me as it is for everyone else.

Never go off of someone's appearance alone. Let them show you who they are in their thoughts, their actions, their personality, and perspective. I have met some of the most beautiful people outwardly, but once I got to know them, I saw how very unattractive they were on the inside. The inside is what counts. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Instead of seeing people with our eyes, we should feel them with our hearts. Then we will know the true person in front of us. 

Thoughts?

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Monday Mantra: Expect Nothing

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: I will give it my all and expect nothing in return

Sometimes I expect too much out of people.

I expect everyone to be good, kind, and honest.

I expect them to be open, real, themselves at all times.

I expect people to want more out of life than what life has given them, mostly because I believe they are capable of more than that.

I expect a lot.

The idea of The 100/0 Principle is that you take full responsibility for the relationship, whatever kind of relationship it might be, and expect nothing at all in return.

Nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

The first time I heard about it I struggled with it. How do I give someone everything, do everything, be everything, and then expect absolutely nothing back in return? Am I setting myself up for failure? Is it really wrong for me to want something out of all of my efforts?

Over the years, through trial and error and accidentally having no-expectations a lot of the time, I've learned that people will surprise you. Complete strangers will be more amazing than you could have ever imagined, while the people you think you know the best will often let you down. All because of expectations, or the lack thereof. What I've found is that it all really depends on the other person, which is not to say that I'm expecting them to carry the weight of the outcome. No, what I mean is that sometimes you get exactly what you expect.

Sometimes you get nothing.

But...

Sometimes you get more.

Sometimes you get everything.

That's the risk you take in life, though. That's the risk you take in everything you do. And sometimes that's the answer you need to let you know if you have the right people in your life, because the right people will be on the other end of this, giving you everything and expecting nothing in return.

Together, you will have gotten everything from nothing.

It's a simple, yet complicated, yet beautiful approach to life.

In all honesty, however beautiful this approach may be, I've adjusted this principal slightly for myself because I still struggle with it.

I've decided that it's OK to expect the basics in life: Kindness. Honesty. Respect. The other person not being a serial killer.

You know, the basics.

Outside of those, I am choosing to be surprised. I am choosing to let people show me what type of a person they are by what they're willing to put into everything. With what they do with the nothing I am expecting.

I'm anxiously anticipating nothing. We'll see what happens.


What do you think about the 100/0 principle?
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