I Can See Clearly Now

"The best vision is insight."
-- Malcolm S. Forbes

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There are two types of vision: sight and insight. Sight is physical. Insight is mental. Sight is the ability to see. Insight is the ability to know. Because insight is on a mental plane, one can always gain insight from sight. However, because sight is on the physical plane, one can never gain sight from insight.

Sight is limited to your field of vision and can only be enhanced by medical procedures and devices. Insight is limitless and is enhanced by knowledge. The more you learn, the more you know. The more you know, the better your insight. With insight comes the ability to discern thing in an intuitive manner. That which we see may not always be true. But, with insight, we are often able to come to know things that the naked eye is not able to reveal.

How do we acquire insight? Become a student; live to learn. You may ask yourself, "how much do I need to learn." The answer is, "as much as possible."

Remember there are a great number of people who can see, but do not know!
Study time anyone?

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It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!
MJD

The Power in Believing

To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will."
-- Sugar Ray Robinson

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When a boxer "throws in the towel," the match is over. The tossing of the towel signifies that boxer is accepting defeat. How many times have you accepted defeat when victory was right around the corner. You accepted defeat because you no longer believed you were capable of winning. You let the cynics, critics, and naysayers influence your thinking. You bought into their negative agenda and let them rob you of maximizing your potential. What would happen if you disassociated yourself from the cynics, critics and naysayers in your life and surrounded yourself with people who support you and want you to succeed? It's my guess that if you do, you won't be throwing in the towel anytime soon!

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It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!
MJD

The Fortune in Misfortunate

“The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.”-Voltaire

***POINT TO PONDER: It’s our own thinking that creates harm; not the enemy, not the event, not the circumstance.  When we allow an enemy, an event, or a circumstance to have power over us, we become a victim.  Hence, we create our own victimization. Instead of allowing misfortunes to take advantage of you, why not take advantage of your misfortunes.  Look for the lesson in misfortune and learn from it. Misfortunes should serve you, not harm you.  The root word in misfortunate is fortunate.  How fortunate you’ll be is totally up to you.  If you remind yourself that a misfortunate event is only temporary and carries with it the potential for development and growth, you’ll find that no time, you’ll be taking advantage of misfortune and not misfortune taking advantage of you.

Today, start dwelling on the fortunate from misfortune, you just might be amazed at how fortunate you really are!

***It’s your life; live it, love it, & celebrate it!

MJD

Did I

Did I make someone giggle, smile or laugh today?

Did I take the time to really listen to someone today?

Did I allow myself to focus on all the blessings in my life today instead of contemplating the things I don't have?

Did I let go today, let go of resentments and prejudices that I have been holding onto?

Did I keep my word today?

Did I make a conscious choice just to be happy today?

Did I stop caring about what other people think of me, and give myself permission to be who I am regardless of their opinion of me?

Did I contribute something beautiful to the world today? A new creation of some kind, a poem, a dinner, a dance?

Did I make it a point to be kind to everyone I came in contact with today?

Did I enrich someone else's life today?

Did I learn something new today, something about life, something about another, or something about myself?

Did I let go of my attachment to being right today, and open my mind to the possibility of another way, without judgement?

Did I help to answer someone's prayers today?

-- Adapted from In a Dream, You Can Do Anything by Veronica Hay
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How dramatically would your life change or how much happier would you be if "Did I" became your mantra? What would happen if you were constantly reminded of "Did I?" How about making little card/notes with "Did I" inscribed upon them. Put one in your wallet/purse, put one on your desk/workstation at school/work, put one on your bathroom mirror, put one on your dash/visor of your car, put one anywhere were you'll be reminded of "Did I." After a period of time, the visual reminders will give way to permanent thought and permanent thought produces likewise behavior. Once "Did I" I becomes a focal point in your life, you'll be able to answer the 'Did I" questions with "Yes I Did." Not only will you be happier but those around you will be happier too!

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It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!
MJD

Throwing Stones

We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.
-- William Arthur Ward

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Throwing stones causes damage and heartbreak,
Complaining about stones causes anxiety and negativity.
Stumbling on stones causes disruption and pain
Climbing over stones causes avoidance and diversion,
So, why not use stones to your advantage and begin building with them!

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It's your life: Live it, Love it & Celebrate it!
MJD

The Gift of Lessons

"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
~ 17th Century English Proverb

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Father’s day is soon to be here and this composition is a tribute to my father.

The English Proverb, “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters” speaks volumes. The lessons that a father teaches his children become lifelong lessons; some good, some bad; some intentional, some unintentional; some by discourse, some by observation. It’s these lessons that his children will use in formulating their paradigm of values. Unlike a schoolmaster, children have an strong emotional connection with their father. Hence, the lessons learned from a father through what he says, does, and feels, have far more of an impact on a child than the wisest of all schoolmasters.

To my dad, I say a heartfelt thank you for the following lessons:

Thanks for teaching me how to be a Christian.
Thanks for teaching me how to be a father.
Thanks for teaching me how to be husband.
Thanks for teaching me how to be a sibling.
Thanks for teaching me how to be a friend.
Thanks for teaching me how to be an employee.
Thanks for teaching me how to be an athlete.
Thanks for teaching me how to be a coach.

Thanks for teaching me the value in honesty.
Thanks for teaching me the benefits of humility.
Thanks for teaching me the significance of a strong worth ethic.
Thanks for teaching me the value in giving.
Thanks for teaching me the worth in kindness.

Thanks for teaching me about honor and loyalty.
Thanks for teaching me about confidence and self-respect.
Thanks for teaching me about determination and discipline.
Thanks for teaching me about sacrifice and perseverance.

Most of all, thank you for always being there for me!

A lesson is a gift! And so, I’ve been blessed abundantly. The lessons from my father are gifts of character. Unlike material gifts, which I've received far more from my father than I've deserved, the lessons my father have taught me can never be broken, destroyed or taken away from me. The lessons are mine for good. It’s now up to me to make the best use of the lessons my father has given to me.

Perhaps the greatest tribute I can give to my dad is a quote from an unknown author. The quote says, “The greatest gift I ever had came from God; I call him Dad!

Happy Father’s Day Dad!

To all you father’s, enjoy your special day!

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It’s your life; Live it, Love it & Celebrate it!
MJD

Give Me Liberty...

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
~Patrick Henry

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Patrick Henry will forever be remembered for his speech before fellow colonists that ended with the passionate proclamation, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Patrick Henry was steadfastly opposed to Britain’s governance over the colonies. Considered one of the most influential leaders of the American Revolution, Patrick Henry had a vision of a better America. He believed that America would become a great nation, but not until the colonies were free from British Rule. British rule was too oppressive. America could never reach its full potential until the colonies were free from British governance. For Patrick Henry it was far better to die fighting for freedom than to submit to a life of oppression.

Patrick Henry’s made his famous speech in 1775 before the Virginia House of Burgesses. Although he was specifically addressing the colonies revolt against British rule, he was speaking to heart of what it means to be liberated. Liberty is freedom; freedom from control. It’s the ability to make choices; choices free from influence.

The opposite of liberty is constraint. Are you experiencing liberty or constraint? If you're experiencing constraint, what oppressive influences are in your life: negative friends, family members, coworkers and/or neighbors? What about self-imposed contraints: negative thinking, negative habits and self-destructive behaviors. Are you allowing these oppressive influences to control your life?

You’ll never be all that you’re capable of becoming if you allow yourself to be controlled by others. Controlling people will rob you of your uniqueness and will shape you into something they desire you to be. If you have controlling people in your life, now is the time to disassociate yourself from these people. If disassociation is not possible, limit your association with these people. If limitation is not possible, stand up to the person and let them know that you want to be loved for who you are and not what they are trying to make you to be. You see, if you try to be something you're not, you'll make two people unhappy in the process: yourself and the controller. Best to make only one person unhappy instead of two. Make it a point to associate with people who accept you for who you are and will support your hopes, dreams and goals.

You’ll never be all that you’re capable of becoming living with self-imposed constraints. Negative thinking produces negative behaviors; behaviors which lead to negative habits. Habits are often unconscious behavioral patterns. A habit once formed is difficult to break. The good news is however, you can break any habit. Because habits are learned through repetition, they can be unlearned through the same process. Don’t allow negative habits to control your life any longer. Since you’re the one that created them, you’re the one who can break them. Don't allow these negative habits to control you any longer. Rather, develop good habits that will assist you in living a happy, healthy and productive life.

Just as Patrick Henry longed for the colonies to be free of British influence, you too, should long to be free of all the negative influences in your life. To Patrick Henry, a life without liberty was a fate worth than death. Patrick Henry recognized the fruits of liberty would be worth the toil. Henry, the revoltionist, fought fiercely for colonial independence. Now is the time for you to put up a fierce fight for yourself. Fight for a life free of controlling influences and start enjoying life for all that it has to offer and enjoying yourself for all you have to offer life.

Its your life: LIVE IT, LOVE IT, CELEBRATE IT!

MJD
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