Visiting Others Versions of Reality (post by Kirk Weisler)
“Only in an open space where we’re not all caught up in our own version of reality can we see and hear and feel who others really are, which allows us to be with them and communicate with them properly.” –Pema Chodron
Kirk Out
Wade with Enthusiasm (post by Kirk Weisler)
When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to our ability and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen. — Arland Gilbert
And you can lose your life or a limb….so balance that boldness and temper that enthusiasm with just a bit of wisdom.
And if it’s Sharks…go wade somewhere else. 
Dogs at the Diner
I know it’s Monday but hopefully this video made your smile, I know it did for me!!
A Glass of Water
A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!
(Thanx Asha Littlejohn for posting and now I am passing it on)
Get your Greeter a Coffee (post by Kirk Weisler)
You just have to appreciate this one. People sometimes forget that old people had a career before they retired……
Charley, a new retiree-greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp-minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their “Older Person Friendly” policies.
One day the boss called him into the office for a talk.
“Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang-up job when you finally get here; but your being late so often is quite bothersome.”
“Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it.”
“Well good, you are a team player. That’s what I like to hear.”
“Yes sir, I understand your concern and I’ll try harder.”
Seeming puzzled, the manager went on to comment, “It’s odd though your coming in late. I know you’re retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say to you there if you showed up in the morning so late and so often?”
The old man looked down at the floor, then smiled. He chuckled quietly, then said with a grin, “They usually saluted and said, ‘Good morning, Admiral, can I get your coffee, sir?’”
Loved the story – it may or may not be true (my experience with retired service men and women is that they are always on time). But my point in sharing the story is that it may serve as a reminder to us all that we are generally surrounded by more real world wisdom than we may ever find with a search engine. Google seems easier to ask than the elderly, and I love Google, it is wonderful in so many ways. Yet, there is also something wonderful about this story to me. I feel it inviting me to take a closer and more reverent and respectful look at those who have been traveling longer on life’s road than I… and maybe inviting me to get them a coffee as well.
Quote from my Rebecca “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”
Kirk Out
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Do you want to be scared (post by Kirk Weisler)
Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile… initially scared me to death. –Betty Bender
I don’t know about “scared to death” but the truth for me is… that I was scared before my first real ‘industry related speech’ and I was scared about leaving the security of a corporate entity and trying to provide for my then young family on my own. I was scared about everything I didn’t know about publishing a book …and I was scared about the cost of putting together my first book just to get it ready for the printer. Then… the printing costs were scary . I mean what if no one really wanted to buy a book about Poop and Initiative?
I can make a list of the most worthwhile things in my life… and trace almost all of them back to a moment of uncertainty or fear. While, ’scared to death’ sounds a bit dramatic…. it is reflective of a reality. Fear of the new and unknown is natural… overcoming it is needful. I’ve been taught that “faith is the moving cause of all action” and that “fear robs faith”. So if we let fear paralyze us, and stop us from going it will also stop us from growing. We’ll just stay stuck in the muck scared to make a move and take a risk.
But if we will face our fears… with faith, courage, determination and some degree of preparation and planning… AND THEN we act… we move, we begin to work towards our goal…we grow more and become more…and are scared less and less. As our faith, confidence and courage grow, there is less and less room for our fears and doubts.
Soon, almost before we know it …our fears have fled and we’ve done that scary thing. We got married, quit the job or applied for a new one, write the book, called someone to apologize and begin again… we’ve chosen to Act Courageously and so we’ve become more courageous. Or as my Rebecca says to our kids…..
Act the way you want to be and soon you’ll become the way you act. ~ Rebecca Weisler
Reminds me of that line from the movie “WE Bought a Zoo” – “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage”
Paper Boats Won’t Hold Much Gold (post from Kirk Weisler)
“You keep sending out these little paper boats, and hope that someday one will come back laden with gold.” ~Glen Hansard, principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group “The Frames,” born April 21, 1970.
Ouch! Sometimes, guilty as charged. Why is it we are always looking for the easy way out? Why do we hope we can get rich by buying a lottery ticket? Why do we think that we can have a great relationship without working on it every day? Why do we think we can get that job promotion when we are disengaged in our current position? Why do we think that we can get more out of life than we put into it?
If you want your ship to come in, you’ll have to invest in something bigger, stronger and otherwise more reliable than a paper boat. Invest in yourself — your education, your community and your attitudes. ~ Annette Lavigne
Thank you to Annette Lavigne who shared this with me nearly 2 years ago. I hope it floats your boat.
Kirk Out
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