“Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself. You may be surprised at how easily this happens. Your doubts are not as powerful as your desires, unless you make them so.”  Marcia Wieder

In a recent bit of dialogue Kirk  heard this counsel being given to anyone who in amidst the sometimes overwhelming adversities of life were losing hope, losing perspective and even beginning to doubt their faith.  The counsel was simple.. “doubt your doubts, not your beliefs”.

Will adversity come?  I certainly hope so…it’s what pushes us to find our solutions, our resolve, even our purpose.  It refines us and our response to it defines us.  Adversity offers us many pathways.   Some lead towards bitterness some towards betterness.  The path to betterness is much easier to travel without the weight of doubts in our backpacks.

Will any single adversity last forever or do you in?  “I doubt it”

~Kirk Weisler

Blessings arrive unannounced, and are received, because I do believe….
I shall gift myself with an open mind, because I know wonderful things will follow.  Don’t lose your way in this life, focus on today and have faith that life is good and about to get better with each and every day.”One Day”, starts today.

~ Gigi Galluzzo

Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves,

for we shall never cease to be amused.

~Author Unknown

“Love comes to those who still hope even though they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they’ve been betrayed, to those who still love even though they’ve been hurt before.”

Just Believe

Always believe there is a light at the end of each and every tunnel. Believe in Hope and Faith as they transcends all. How you see your circumstance is all about a choice.

~Author Unknown

I’m riding on the train reading my book and all of the sudden I feel a pin or something sticking me in the middle of my chest.  I’m trying to be discreet and not go crazy but something is sticking me.  So I sorta look down my shirt, trying not to cause a peep show but found nothing.  I keep reading and there goes the sticking again.  This time I put my fingers slightly down my shirt to wipe away whatever is sticking me.  I am so ready to stick my whole hand down my shirt and scratch like a Baboon with fleas but instead I put my hand over my chest and press them with the expression of a grandma that would give you when she is pleased that you went to church “oh my babies came to church, praise the Lord”.  The sticking pain has gone away.  When I get home I had to find out what was sticking me, guess what it was?……..a little black ant.  That little son of a biscuit had me twisting and squirming, ready to go crazy!!  Now I feel like something is crawling on me every 10 minutes.  arrrgghhh!!

Do you want to be more productive? Maybe you do, but I’m sure you don’t want to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or unhappy – which happens to many super-productive people. But there is good news:

You can be insanely productive – and still smell the freesias, savor a Pinot Noir, or enjoy a languid hug.

A few weeks ago Leo Babauta said to me, “Mary – you’re one of the most productive people I know. And you still keep smiling and seem so relaxed. How do you do it?”

Most stuff I’ve read about productivity is about doing things differently. Like getting up at 4 a.m. each morning, or drinking eight liters of water a day, or keeping a notebook under the pillow. Sorry, folks – I don’t do any of those things.

High productivity isn’t about doing, it’s about being.

If you want to be highly productive – and still enjoy life – you need to look at how you live, and how you use your mind. Check out the following five suggestions:

1. Make peace within.
   Most people live in a constant state of inner conflict and suffer from a barrage of negative thoughts that sabotage productivity.

Here’s a scenario: Imagine that your car has landed in a ditch. A group of helpers gather, attach ropes and start to pull the car out. Unfortunately, they’re not all pulling in the same direction. Some try to pull the car toward the road, whereas others try to pull it deeper into the ditch. It’s absurd.

That’s exactly what happens when we’re divided within: everything is a struggle, nothing much happens, and it’s frustrating. But what if your mind, body, and soul are all aligned?

When our energy is aligned, we are in a state of flow.

When we’re at peace within, and immersed in the task at hand – without negative thoughts sabotaging our productivity – action becomes effortless. We’re able to achieve much more in less time. And with more enjoyment.

Tip: Wear an elastic wristband. Whenever you notice negative thoughts, change your wristband to the other arm. This will help you to create and maintain peace within.

1. Go to your edge. Regularly.
   Most people use only a fraction of their capacity and try to save personal energy. For example, we’re tempted to rest when we feel tired in order to recover our zest for life. Wrong move! The more energy you spend, the more you have.

Tiredness can signal many things. If you’re healthy, it may mean that you are bored, frustrated, lack movement, or need more oxygen. Or maybe conflict within has sapped your energy. It’s important to go to your limits regularly. Take up running, martial arts, swimming, or other activities – there are many way to exercise vigorously.

Tip: If you feel exhausted or lethargic, go for a brisk walk in order to rev up your energy and restore your spirit.

1. Take action.
   Most people aren’t productive because they don’t take action. They have dreams and even plans – but they don’t follow through. Negative thoughts can derail action. It may be that you have doubts about your ability, or that you listen to others who doubt you.

Tip: Look at what you would like to achieve and ask yourself, “What is the smallest step in the direction of my dreams that I can take right now?” Then take that baby step. Now.

1. Do what you love.
   Think about how you spend your time. Do you enjoy your work, or is it a grind? I’ve changed my life, and what I’m passionate about has now become my work: I teach my Zen students, and also work together with Leo to mentor bloggers in the A-list Blogger Club .

A few days ago my partner David knocked at the door of the little cabin in the garden where I work:

“Mary,” he said, “ do you realize it’s 10 o’clock at night – and you’re still working?”
“I’m not working!” I shot back. “I’m enjoying myself!”

Yes, when the boundary between work and play gets blurred, you may actually work more – but it feels like you’re just having fun.

Tip: Follow your dreams – even if it’s only for ten minutes a day.

1. Love what you do.
   We can’t always do what we love. But we are free to love what we do. From a Zen perspective, there is a way to turn even the dullest chore into pleasurable activity through mindfulness.When we pay tender regard to our present experience – letting go of all thoughts and judgments – even the most mundane action can become pleasurable. Mindfulness doesn’t mean watching yourself, it means being fully present, moment by moment.

Tip: In order to become mindful, notice sensations of the moment. What sounds can you hear? How are your feet connected with the ground? What does your skin feel like?

Finally, a key question you need to ask …

If you want to be productive and still enjoy life, there is a key question you need to answer: why be productive?

I mean, why not just chill out on the couch, eat potato crisps, and watch TV reruns? That might be fine. But what about the oblong box we’re all going to end up in?

I remind myself every morning that life is short and mine may be over by nightfall. That gives me the the desire to taste and enjoy each moment. It also adds a measure of calm urgency because I want to leave a mark upon the world. Do you?

If so, mindful productivity will help you create a life that offers both pleasure and productivity. You’ll achieve more, and you’ll still keep smiling. That smile will light up not only your own life, but also the lives of those around you.

You don’t have to be a super-hero. Simply make peace within and live each moment fully. That’s all.

Mary Jaksch is a Zen Master and blogger. Head over to Goodlife Zen for more of her articles. And visit the A-List Blogger Club.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,

When 24 hours in a day is not enough;

remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class

and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly,

he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar

and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured

it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again

if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand

and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything

else

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded

With an unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table

and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively

filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the professor, as the laughter subsided,

‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things – God, family,

children, health, friends, and favorite passions

Things that if everything else was lost

and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else —

The small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued,

‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,

You will never have room for the things that are

important to you.

So…

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children.

Take time to get medical checkups.

Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time

to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

‘Take care of the golf balls first —

The things that really matter.

Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.’

One of the students raised her hand

and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

‘I’m glad you asked’.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,

there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.’

Please share this with other “Golf Balls”

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars see if They Slow Down.
2.   Page Yourself Over The Intercom.   Don’t Disguise Your Voice. !
3.   Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something,   ask If They Want Fries with that.
4.  Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks .  Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine addictions, switch to Espresso.
5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ‘ For Marijuana’
6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.
7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is ‘To Go’.
9.   Sing Along At The Opera.
10.   Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can’t Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.
11.   When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream ‘I Won!   I Won!’
12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling ‘Run For Your Lives!  They’re Loose!’
13.   Tell Your Children Over Dinner, ‘Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.’

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity
14.    PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

After losing his parents, this 3 year old orangutan was so depressed he wouldn’t eat and didn’t respond to any medical treatments. The veterinarians  thought he would surely die from sadness.

The zoo keepers found an old sick dog on the grounds in the park at the zoo where the orangutan lived and took the dog to the animal treatment center.

The dog arrived at the  same time the orangutan was there being treated.   The 2 lost souls met and have been  inseparable ever since.

Friends for Life

The orangutan found a new reason to live and each always tries his best to be a good companion to his new found friend. They are together 24 hours a day in all their activities.

They live in  Northern California where swimming is their favorite past time, although Roscoe (the orangutan) is a little afraid of the water and needs his friend’s help to swim.

Together they have discovered the joy and laughter in life and the value of friendship. They have found more than a friendly shoulder to lean on.

Long  Live  Friendship !!!!!!!
I  don’t know……some say life is too short,  others say it is too long, but I know that nothing that we do
makes sense if we don’t touch the hearts of others .

“Don’t get so caught up in making a living that you forget to live your life.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Vr3lWTlPI