Reframe, Rethink

I’ve been thinking about those ghosts of the past again lately, and just how much they interfere with our becoming fully realized, how much they shadow us and many times even unbeknownst to us lead us into decisions that we later regret, or wonder how we got there. For me one of the great shadows is anger. At times I can find myself getting angry at the simplest of things. Luckily, I also quickly acknowledge it and get over myself, but it’s that initial jolt that I have trouble bypassing…it’s kind of like when you see a snake and your first thought is to jump and scream, but then you want to go back and try to see it up close.

I’ve come to understand that those anger issues are fear based, that whatever it is at that moment I am scared that either I’ve failed, I’m not good enough, smart enough, cute enough, etc., etc. Kind of like thinking “oh, they don’t like me.” So I’ve been working hard on reframing my thinking, and consciously looking for those triggers so that I can see them differently. It has helped me let go of a lot of crap that was bogging me down and holding me back from real enjoyment. What I’m realizing is that all those ghosts from the past don’t get to define me today – actually, they never really got to define me, I just let them. But today, I get to decide what’s right for me, I get to see myself as worthy of love, getting and giving it, I am the one manifesting my destiny. And when I think about those ghosts, I wish them all well and send them on their way with love.

It’s the same with those I now encounter. I have not control over what they think. It’s for them to work on. All I can do is wish them all the best, and send them on their way with love. In doing so, I find the fear goes with them, and what a wonderful peace that comes over me, and I believe even emanates from me. It sure feels good.

So when you find something or someone getting under your skin and raising your blood pressure, turn it around, and ask yourself what is it within you that is causing that response, and change that – it’s all we have. I guarantee you that you will find yourself much more at peace and things just won’t seem so bad. Peace.

Fay, Fay Go Away!

Tropical storm Fay just wont go away! The weird part is here in St. Pete we've gotten virtually none of her, just breezy winds and an occasional squall...while the rest of Florida is getting inundated. I recently attended a business conference mid-state and got to experience her wrath a little more than I cared, but here's some pics of her beauty..and a little old Florida.

I’m Not Who I Was

I’ve been going through AFGE – Another F#@king Growth Experience - since my sister-in-law passed away in April. Sheila was one of those extraordinary people that hopefully we’re all graced with once in a lifetime. She was the kind of person that made you just want to do good, be better; to make the world a little better place for having been in it (thanks Edward Bok).

In my early 20s, I had a spiritual awakening that transformed my life. I began to explore all the great spiritual philosophies, found meditation and yoga, and lived a peaceful, fulfilled life filled with the energy of the spirit. But like learning anything – a new language, playing an instrument – it takes practice to get good. Somewhere along the way the pressures of the world walled me in and I forgot. And it made me angry. I became resentful, at everything. In hindsight, a lot of it had to do with my own issues about accepting I was gay. But, consequently, my ire was raised especially by those judgmental right-wing Christians. In time, I lost my faith. It died – or so I thought. Instead, I found out it was just buried, deep.

Well, something has been resurrected with Sheila’s passing. My partner E’s family members are all very devout and full of faith. Even though I saw how richly this filled their lives, I still rejected it. But cliché as it is, death makes one reflect. And reflecting on how much faith helped my family cope with the loss of our dear sister, well, it brought me back to the spirit. I say me, because the spirit is always there. It’s our choice to connect to the power and manifest its energy in our lives. You may notice I say spirit because I’m not saying what that power is – some call it god, my family call it Jesus, I’m happy with spirit, the spirit of the universe.

So, getting to the point, in the words of Brandon Heath – I’m not who I was.

Gone are the judgments. Gone is the anger. Gone is the fear.

Back is a concern for others. I’ve gotten better at listening and observing, instead of trying to get my point across. Because, you see, it really just doesn’t matter all that much anymore. Back is the Golden Rule.

And most importantly is the renewed appreciation and love for E. All this renewal has brought back the romance to our lives. It is so important that we live a life filled with romance – stick a love note in his wallet, or under the pillow. Spontaneous dancing when a great love song comes on. Write a poem, not worrying about whether it’s good or not – fill it with your words of love. Do it now before you’re forced to do it later. Don’t end up feeling that you loved better after they’re gone than while they were here.

No, I’m not who I was.

The Number 1 Beach in America

My niece and her good friend visited with us this past week and we managed to visit the beach every day for an hour or two...it was pure heaven.

We're very fortunate here to be living in an area that boasts some of the prettiest beaches in America, including the number 1 beach (as ranked by by TripAdvisor, the world's largest online travel community, and Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach http://www.drbeach.org/).

Fort De Soto is a pristine area unencumbered with the dense development along most of the rest of Florida's western coastline, and is one of our favorite places to visit early Sunday mornings before the crowds show up.
With its spectacular combination of soft white sand, calm, clear water and a laid-back atmosphere sans the crowds found at our other popular beaches like St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Sunset Island (the gay beach), etc. Here you can walk for a couple of miles and only encounter a few folks along the way. There is even a stretch of folks who we call the "thong cult" that probably wish it were nude, but patrols keep them minimally clothed.

If you're ever down this way, you must check it out. It's definitely a piece of Florida we who grew up here remember as the way it used to be. Peace.

Getting Out of Our Own Way

Recently a friend and I were discussing relationships (now there's a life adventure, huh?) and dealing with the emotions of others, let alone our own. It brought up the reality that we all have ghosts from the past that haunt us, and have helped us to build those big, sturdy walls that keep our emotions guarded. Sometimes we let the ghosts have too much power instead of thinking about the possibility of the future. But if we focus on them too much, we miss out on really getting to know someone, and kind of keep them pegged into those silos from our past experiences.

When things get tough, chucking it can be the easy thing to do, but sticking around and working it out makes it so much stronger and worth it. Remember, it's all about intent- what your heart tells you in all this, not our thinking, analysis, and especially (ugh) our egos. Lord knows how many times I've had to"swallow my pride" and just shut up and listen before things made sense to me. And you know, even today, 14yrs later, there are times I still dont know what's going on with my guy E or where he's coming from, but I know all I need to do is listen, get out of my own way, and just accept. Acceptance for me today is the key to everything.

So, I encourage you to "get out of your own way," and just keep your thoughts focused on your intent - what is it you mean to induce. The rest the universe will take care of. Peace.

Doing What's in Front of You

Today as I was headed to the gym, after struggling to go, a sense of joyfulness washed over me for just getting out the door (and my behind to the gym). I know, sounds lame, one would think I would jump at the chance to do something healthy. It's not that I'm lazy, honestly, just a little scared. This is my first venture back to a gym in many years, and I can get a little overwhelmed..what should I do, am I doing the right thing, will I look like a big overweight slob, will it make a difference? These are the thoughts that run through my head. So, before digressing, as I was scootin down the road, I saw a a few things that helped propel me: someone out mowing the yard, another sweeping their front porch, a lady hanging laundry...these images made me think about doing what's important, and sometimes what's important is simply doing what's in front of you. Life can be full of so many things that need doing that it can get a bit overwhelming (like going to the gym). But if you just do what's in front of you, one thing at a time, do it, finish it, move on to the next (like going from one machine to the other at the gym) - well, next thing you know you've done them all, and...you're done! So, dont let things overwhelm you or cause unnecessary anxiety. Just get out the door, remember to do what's in front of you, and not worry about the rest, because ultimately you'll have it all done. Peace.