Continue to be yourself because in the end that’s what people will remember about you.

-Author Unknown

What do you do when your voice is not being heard?  In an age where so many people can express themselves over the internet it’s easy to feel like your opinion and beliefs can be drowned out by the voices of a billion others.  And that’s a fair assessment.  With so many people finding the urge and avenue for self expression it’s hard to filter out all the noise.  With so many people, just finding any one single person that believes as you do may seem impossible.  So what should we do?  Do we give up, keep quiet and not bother?  Do we go along with the flow and just accept the loudest voice as the strongest belief?  Should we just accept it?

No.

You should shout like no one is listening.  Your opinions are yours, derived from years of experience, knowledge, dreams, and desires.  At the very least, they should mean something to you.  Expressing those opinions are an affirmation of those beliefs.  There have been plenty of times where I’ve felt completely ignored, rejected, and unwanted.  If you think about it, I’m sure most people have felt that way at least once or twice.  Heck if they haven’t I’d love to know what that feels like, but I digress.  So how do we get people to listen?  Well, you may discover that by examining your beliefs and opinions, I mean really dig deep into their meaning, that they aren’t as profound as you thought.  Maybe those beliefs and opinions need to have a few more experiences behind them to have more substance.  Reexamining your life should not be a onetime thing, it should be ongoing.

Feeling passionate about your beliefs is admirable, but it’s only part of the equation.  You have to have knowledge, experience, and wisdom to support your claims.  If you really know what you’re talking about and have facts and proof as support, you’ll have something that will reinforce your passion.  Then people will be forced to listen to your voice because it has so much profound resonance to it.  So, experience much, learn more, and speak up!

Do you think your voice would echo here?



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Adventure is not outside man; it is within.

George Eliot


Just like most guys my age, when I first saw Raiders of the lost ark, I wanted to be Indiana Jones.  Adventures of the mind can lead to adventures of the body.  Go for it!

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Explore the true art and mystery of self discovery.

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” -Albert Einstein

What does mystery mean to you? The greatest challenge of life is the unknown. For some people that is a scary, if not horrifying thing. Society in general seems to fear the unknown, taking years, if not decades or centuries to truly change their outlook and demeanor about certain issues. Religion, God, the meaning of life, abortion, sexuality, tolerance, all of these things are still hotly debated and argued about. But why? It’s the mystery of the future that’s the problem.

People fear what they don’t know, can’t predict, or don’t understand. It’s logical in a way to avoid that which could potentially hurt or destroy your accepted way of life. But the mystery of the unknown drives people to excel. It’s the intrepid explorer, the bold adventurer, the brazen challenger that drives society forward. Through them great accomplishments have been made such as exploring new lands, inventing amazing machinery, curing diseases, and cultivating new understandings of the mind and universe. The want to know drove those pioneers to achieve great things.

If there is a mystery in your life, you should explore it. A journey of self discovery is the greatest journey you can take. They only person you can never get away from is yourself. Wouldn't it be better to know that person as best you can right down to the core? I'm not saying if you explore your deeper soul you’ll find some kind of transcending enlightenment (but damn that would be cool!). Taking the effort to find out what your personal mysteries mean and where they can lead will enrich your life. Trust me, try it!

Songs of Inspiration

Music is one of the most motivating and inspirational ways for me to feel the creativity of life flow.  This first selection is just amazing.  Set to Rob Dugan's Clubbed to Death, the  Kurayamino Mix, ptxgarfield put together an amazing animation of the formation of the Solar System.  I can watch this one over and over...

This next selection is The Zephyr Song, by one of my favorite bands, The Red Hot Chili Peppers.  I've always loved this song, plus the video is pretty damn cool. 

Enjoy the selections.  I know I will. (just to note, all rights reserved to the original artists.  Thanks to Google and Youtube for letting me share!)

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We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.

- Harrison Ford

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine

I think this just goes to show you that even when you think you've totally lost, there's still a chance to start over.  You should make it your mission in life to improve yourself as much as possible.  At worst, you'll only get better...

Hang on a Second!

Dost thou love life, then do not squander time,
for that's the stuff life is made of.
Benjamin Franklin

Have you ever just felt like no matter how busy or pressed for time you are, you need to just take a second out and stop?  The world careens around us, seemingly out of our control or influence, which it is, but your life lies in your control.  You should take that control and use it to your fullest.  Don’t worry, the world will always command your time, demand your attention, and be a force you cannot deny or ignore. So if that’s true, why give it your undivided attention, 24/7?  The simple answer is you don’t have to.  Taking a few moments out and diverting your attention to something that Really, Truly matters is not a crime and you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.

Today is a great example of this.  I was dropping my little one off at school.  She has been having a bit of trouble the last two weeks getting it in gear in the morning despite my prodding.  We were a bit late but I just had to stop and give her my total attention, look her in the eye and ask what was wrong.  We both needed that.  Now we agreed to talk about it more later, but that moment of shutting the world out was important.   Not only does it show my daughter she is important, it shows I know how to prioritize and give attention to what I value.

Sometimes recognizing what we really should be giving our attention to can be difficult.  There are clues and warnings, signs and symptoms, but if we don't take a moment out every so often, you'll totally miss those signs.  It might take a conscious effort at first to make yourself pause fo a moment and just look at what's going on around you.  You know there's an old saying, "if you don't look up once in a while, the world will pass you by".  It's true, what's even worse is the things you care most about will also pass you by.  And the people and things we truly care about make life worth living in the first place.  Don't let them slide through your life unnoticed!

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Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.

Pablo Picaso


Nothing gets the inspirational energy flowing like motion of the mind!

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Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness.

Dag Hammarskjold

There’s something about a true friend that is more valuable than all the money in the world.  A true friend will not only be there when you need them, but also tell you the things you need to hear when you’d rather not hear it at all.  True friends know that friendship isn’t all about happiness and smiles, it’s about integrity and respect.  If you’ve ever know someone that never bothered to tell you the truth, or shied away from the hard issues, or maybe they were only around when things were going well for you, they might just be ‘fair weather’ friends.  We’ve all known the type.  They’re the ones that ask for favors, only tell you things you want to hear and don’t seem to contribute much to your wellbeing. 

True friends are there through the worst parts of life.  My best friend helped me out when I was really in a bad spot.  At the time, I was literally homeless, and although he was 3000 miles away, I at least had someone to talk to on the phone.  It might not seem like much, but when it seems all is lost, a voice of encouragement can be priceless.  It’s been a long time since I slept on that street corner, but I’ll never forget who my real friends were then, and now.

Sometimes it’s hard to develop real and true friendships.  Make no mistake they can be hard, but real friendships are always worth the effort.  Those of you who have a true friend know exactly what I’m talking about.  Those of you who don’t have a true friend are really missing out.  I realize developing a lasting relationship takes time, but truly, the payoff is so worth it.  Getting out and getting to know new people is the first step.  If you feel closed off and disconnected from the world, get out, start talking to people and open yourself up t o the idea that having a friend can make life So much better!

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A man must be master of his hours and days, not their servant.

William Frederick Book

Often times it seems like we're slaving away to pay our bills, work for the boss, do other people's will when what we really should be doing is living our lives for Our purpose.

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Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

- Oscar Wilde


Have you ever known someone that is always a fun time to be around?  I have and it's great to have them in your life.  But we've all probably known someone whose company to absolutely dread.  That's unfortnate, but hey, there's no  law that says you Have to be around those people, right?!

It's Friday, let's have a great weekend!

MyEccentricTees

Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit

- Vince Lombardi

I’ve talked about Potential before, but right now I feel there’s merit in discussing it once again.  You see, personally, I feel I’m at a crossroads.  There are times in every person’s life where things must or need to change.  This change could be caused by external forces or internal desires.  For me I think it’s a little of both.  Change can be good, especially if you’re ready for it.  That’s where Potential comes in to play. 

What are you capable of doing?  What can you accomplish or achieve?  Well if you even for one moment believe you can get close to your goals, let alone reaching them, well that’s Potential.  It’s not only what you think you can do, but what you think you can push yourself to do.  And the task or goal can be almost anything, whether it’s changing your mindset and perspective, or learning to play an instrument or earning a higher degree.  And that leads me back to my situation.  I recently finished my Master’s thesis and earned my Master’s Degree.  It was a long time coming, but I did it.  Believe me, when I was finished I felt a mind drain that was palpable.  But you know what, shortly after that I realized that I wasn’t relaxing after a hard fought achievement, I was feeling malaise because I needed a new challenge.  And that’s when it hit me.  I had more to offer, I had more Potential to live up to. 

Now maybe I push myself a bit too hard, maybe I am too critical.  Or maybe I know deep down inside, somewhere in the back of my mind behind the memories of T-ball, learning to ride a bike, Swedish Fish, Yankees baseball games and muscle cars, is the long-ago learned lesson that I CAN achieve great things, so long as I never give up trying.  Because as strange as it may seem, I don't have to succeed to reach my Potential, I just have to ensure I make the Attempt!  Will you give up, or will you Try?

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