a full on month? fail.

man i suck at this.

i didn't realize that i never posted since i first created this blog...
a month ago.
goal set for at least a post a week. yippy skippy.

in the mean time.

don't you just love grammar?!

something philosophical.

ever wanted to go back in time and talk to some of the greatest minds in history? well, hate to break it to you. you can't. unless you happen to be clairaudient, then go right ahead. just make sure to get a hold of me. otherwise, for the rest of us, we can always refer to the words these geniuses left behind. :)

these great teachers may have passed on, but they didn't do so without leaving us a bit of their knowledge. lessons to the world if you will.

in my young life i've encountered certain quotes that everyone should at least read. and i've decided to compile a few. i believe these are some of the greatest lessons from some of history's greatest minds.

being it thanksgiving, i'd like to start off with a quote of thanks.

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1. gratitude

“So much has been given to me, I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied.”
- Helen Keller

ya, ya, ya. hellen keller jokes. save em for another time, ha. because you can't deny the wisdom this woman possessed.

how many times have we counted our misfortunes rather then our blessings? plenty, at least i know i have. we tend to take the simple things in life for granted. when we stop and take time to open our eyes to the joys and miracles of life, we can see the many gifts we've been given. i'll tell you right now, remembering all the beautiful aspects in life, little or small, can change that damp in your day. it's amazing how you can move from sorrow to hope in a matter of a thought.

action: stop. think. you are grateful for what you have. if you're not, then you're not doing something right. each time you find yourself complaining think of what you're thankful for. and if you can't, then put yourself in someone else's shoes. things honestly could be a lot worse. make a habit of transforming your awareness of all your troubles into an awareness of abundance.

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2. realizing your dreams

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
- Lawrence J. Peter 

oh man. this one is amazing. i wish i could have followed this a lot earlier in my life, but hey, it's never too late.

in order for you to achieve your dreams, you should have a vision of your goals. this doesn't stop at any point in your life. make a goal for it, and watch it happen. obviously it's more complex than that, but it's a definite start. as it's said, "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it." (mind out of the gutter please, ha) when we turn our goals into measureable actions, we gain clarity.

action: be a kid. literally. remember those days where you were a child who wanted to be everything. personally, i wanted to be a power ranger. broke my heart when i found out they weren't real. visualize a life of your wildest dreams. create a vision of your goals and start to break them down into manageable actions that you can take on on a day to day basis.

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3. fear

“It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson  

if you think about it. fear has to do with so much.

dive into the things you are afraid to do. it's one of the best ways to learn. fear can prevent us from living a life full of love and fulfillment.

action: i'm not telling you to go jump off a bridge because you're afraid to do it. that's r-tarded and unreasonable. i'm telling you to enjoy life. you must define your fears in order to conquer them. acknowledge your fears and take them on one at a time. make a commitment to yourself to not let fear rule your life.

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4. intentions and desires

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.”- Guatama Buddha  

the truth in this one amazes me. actually, the mind. period. amazes me. it's so powerful.

if you think about it, our thoughts can literally determine our reality. think you can't do something and you won't be able to do it. instead of working against our intentions and desires, we should move into alignment with them. and when you do that, watch your life transform. quite amazing.

action: create a list of things you want in life; your intentions and desires. in this way you're constantly reminded of what you want out of your life. lists aren't my thing personally, i'm horrible with organization and things along the lines, but i'm told they help a lot. mostly from my perfectionist mother, lol. if you aren't a list person like i am. then make a mental one. wake up and think about what you want out of your day.

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5. happiness

“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”
- Benjamin Franklin

happiness comes in many forms. least in my opinion. it's such a grand concept to grasp if you think about it.

but with this quote, i'll agree that much of happiness comes from within. inner peace, understanding and acceptance of life; a perspective of truth that opens your eyes to the beauty of life all around us. the other end of it is materialism and i personally don't think true happiness can be achieved by your external status.

action: find your peace. realize that happiness really is a choice. once you find it, other things will come and aid that happiness.

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6. self-acceptance

"If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Jesus

ya, i brought the big guy into the mix. but i'll save faith for another day. this one could be translated in so many ways, but there's the beauty of it. then again, i guess all of these could.

in a nutshell, we all should be true to ourselves. it's amazing how you realize your authenticity when you decide to stop being someone you aren't. take down the facade and you'll find yourself to be one peaceful, self-accepted human being. many of us believe in the lies of our imperfections, but when we realize our true nature, we reclaim a certain truth within ourselves. self-acceptance. and with it, boy can you do so much.

action: make yourself a commitment. don't go against who you are. don't go against yourself. try to practice non-judgement and realize that the same part of your mind that condemns you can also set you free.

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7. the art of simplicity

“I made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short.”
- Blaise Pascal 

how poetic and beautiful is that?! i mean...wow.

perfection is not when there is nothing to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. Bruce Lee once said “the height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.” enjoy the simple things in life. it's that...simple. true mastery of our lives is taking time to enjoy the simple things.

action: sometimes we spend too much time on things. take time to appreciate the little things. the simple things.

this list is by no means done or...exhaustive? (probably a better word) there's so many great teachings out there. keep an open mind and you'll learn from everything. great minds aren't just those who've made an impact in history, but an impact in general. that includes friends and family.

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happy turkey day and i'll try and keep this blog updated more.