Author: Jim Gohrick (Page 56 of 159)

Boy, I can be a real “ungrateful” person sometimes.

I have done it before and more than likely, I will find myself doing it again. I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth. We’re human.

In addition, I have found myself becoming a bit cynical as well. Not a good combination. Most importantly however, is the fact that I’m able to recognize my short-comings and get back on tract being the person I intend to be and focusing on the aspects of my life that bring me back to a state of grace, bewilderment and gratitude.

We all will fall off the wagon eventually. Getting back up and moving forward is probably the most important choice I suppose.

Maybe one perspective to take as we approach our day is this: Expect nothing.

This way every breath you take is a miracle. Gravy. Golden. It can be a challenge to keep this view of the world as we all get caught up in the day to day tasks of our schedule, but maybe – just maybe, we will begin to appreciate the small and (otherwise defined as) mundane things that show up in our day.

Once again, it can be distilled down to a choice. Our choice. And how we choose to view the world we live in.

It’s such a simple concept and yet can be so very powerful.

Are we a victim today or are we grateful to have another moment on this earth.

We get to decide.

Aristotle said, “You are what you do repeatedly.”

That seems to simplify the question, “Who am I?” fairly quickly and simply.

I have often pondered that question and no doubt dove deeper into the existential layers as well, but this seems to cover a whole lot of ground.

Maybe we don’t like what we see. Maybe we do. Or in most cases, there’s a little of both.

The beauty of it is this: we can choose what we do in a day. Therefore, would it be too much to say, we have the choice of deciding who we are?

Now I’m no expert, but I’ve come to find that you can discover a lot about people by looking into their eyes.

When speaking with someone, connecting with their eyes helps me know a bit more about the person’s state of mind. And I’ve found the calmer the eyes, the more grounded the person. Not always, but more times than not.

It can be challenging for me not avert my own while speaking to others, but if one is willing to lock-on, it can be a powerful and vulnerable way of letting them know you’re present and ready to listen and engage in the communication process.

Next time you’re in a conversation with someone, become aware of your eyes and how often you look into the other person’s while speaking with them. It may be less than you think and wonderful opportunity truly engage with someone else.

We live in an invisible world most of the time when we believe we’re in a physical one. What does that mean?

We are creatures that place our beliefs in what’s in front of us at the moment whether that’s positive or negative.

Ads on TV tend to sway our thinking about food and other products. Social media is candy for our eyes and gives us immediate gratification in some sort of not-so-healthy way. Watching TV shows and movies fills us with intoxicating feelings of fantasy and wonder while watching a story unfold about someone else’s dreams. But, do these activities help us to learn, grow and evolve?

It’s much more difficult to conjure up the energy to go for a run or workout. To sit down and do the homework, create the painting or write the thank you note. No one is showing us a film or ad to get us motivated to do so. We are in the silence of our own minds and what we tell ourselves. These are the moments that are challenging. This is where the we make progress.

Once we get right spiritually, mentally and emotionally, the physical changes will eventually take place. As long as we have patience and keep showing up.