Tag: Michael Franti

WHY YOU MUST WALK THE TALK ðŸ‘„

Several years ago, Margie and I discovered a musician we both really enjoyed. Not only was his music fun to listen to, but his lyrics were both meaningful and positive. They encouraged social change, acceptance of everyone and loving those you are with. Ideals Margie and I also do our best to live up to. As he released albums we purchased them and listened to them on repeat. We went to saw him in concert a few hours away and even had the chance to meet him.

Fast forward to today. That artist is now standing accused of grooming a young musician he was on tour with among other things. Whether he is guilty or not is not for me to decide. The sad thing is that he admitted having an affair with this woman, claiming it was consensual. Whether it was or not, I am sure will be decided either in the courts, or the court of public opinion. What is sad, and by his own admission true, is that he had an ongoing affair with this woman while his wife and kids were supporting him at home.

This is not a point a finger and judge type post. What happened is between him, that woman and his wife. The creator has not put me in a position to judge others actions. The sad part of this for me is that his lyrics, that are so powerfully written fall flat listening to them now. Preaching about loving those you care about while having an affair seems rather hypocritical. It also gives the cynics and the people who want to convince the world how bad things are more ammunition. Where this man once stood as a beacon to prove that there is a human who is loving, accepting and a model of what is decent as a human being, now there stands a man who has given into pleasure over promise.

What happens next in this situation is certainly up to this musician. We all have flaws. None of us live in glass houses. The danger lies in projecting an image you are not true to yourself. Not only is it a disappointment for all who look up to you, but it is terribly self-destructive in the quite moments when we are alone with our conscious. Before you think that you are immune to this because you are not rich and famous, not so fast. Many people still look up to us. If you are a parent, you have your children. There are your friends and family. Your coworkers often rely on you for inspiration. Maybe the stranger that takes your order at the coffee shop admires your patience and compassion. It could be you that gives a server in a restaurant hope that not all people are demanding, entitled fools.

We all slip from time to time. I do you, you do and so did this musician. What is a real test of our character is what we do after we slip. Will we own up to our mistakes and use them to make us a stronger more resilient soul? Will we deflect blame and try to lie our way out of it? This man has sure lost a lot of respect from many people. His message seems a little harder to believe. What he does now can either further erode that reputation, or help to gain it back. The same is true when we do not live up to the standards we put out and hold ourselves to. It is my sincerest wish for not only this musician, but for all of us when we stumble, that in the grace given by others we will find the strength to rise once again and learn to be an even better version of ourselves.

STAY HUMAN 😃

I love this quote by Carl Jung. As much as we work to better ourselves on this site and wish to help others on their journey, it is important to remember to convey compassion and humanity. Especially to those we disagree with and to those who… shall we say, are not as far along on their self-improvement journey.

I often wear a hat that says “Stay Human”. It is from the singer Michael Franti, but I wear it as much for the message. It is a good reminder that for all of the reasons out there to divide us, in the end we are all just humans. Yes, even those you might have doubts about.

This hat is also a good reminder for me everytime I look in the mirror. That you must connect with others on the basic human level, soul to soul. When you make a connection like this, that is when real change can take place in the world. How do you best connect with others?

A GREAT SECRET OF LIFE ðŸ¤«

Today’s post is a combination of a lot of great sources. It also contains one of the great secrets to turn your life from one you just have, to one you love. If you are looking for more of these, my book Living the Dream, is full of them. I will leave a link for it at the end of the post. What is great about this strategy is that it is free, anyone can do it, and the more upside down your life seems to be, the better it will work for you. All that is required is a single change in perception. While this is certainly simple, it takes a bit of practice to get the hang of.

The first source of inspiration was my mother. After a nice 3 mile walk through the park, as seen above, we stopped to enjoy an iced coffee. While relaxing and taking in some sun, she mentioned this plaque she had seen. It mentioned something about turning your challenges into blessings. I fail to remember the exact words. This is the great secret. Do not be tempted to discount such a powerful tool. By seeing what we often think of as challenges in life as the blessings they often are, it can change our entire emotional state.

As we discussed this subject, more examples jumped into my mind. This also shows my interest in a vast amount of subjects, but that is for another post. First was Bishop T.D. Jakes. I enjoy a lot of his thoughts, and am currently in the middle of reading one of his books. He said that a lot of people do not open the gifts God has given them because they do not like the wrapping paper. Ponder that for a second. How many times in our life do we reflect on what seems to be a challenge, or even a tragedy, and realize without it, we would not have received some very important good things? To further accent the point, some lyrics also popped into my head. Michael Franti sings a great song called Work Hard and Be Nice to People. One of the lyrics from that song states, “Take all of the lessons, add a little love and turn them into blessings.” With a little love, any situation can be used to help both us and the world around us.

The last example that came to my mind was that of David Blair. He was a British merchant seaman in the early 1900s. He was going to get a big pay day by being part of a crew on a new ship’s first voyage. At the last minute, another ship owned by the same company was held over for repairs. The crew from that ship was transferred to Blair’s ship and our good friend David was told to stay home. He was very mad that he was going to miss the prestige, the pay day and the experience of sailing on this ship. He was stuck on land. The ship he got kicked off of at the last moment? The Titanic. 1500 people lost their life on that ship and no doubt David Blaine would have been one. What looked like bad luck ended up saving his life.

As we can see in these examples, what often seems like misfortune can turn into some of the greatest blessings in our life. We cannot often see it at the time, but it pays to ask the question, “What is the blessing in this challenge?” it can turn the event around, turn your day around and turn your life around. Here is one final example about how bad luck can be good fortune generations later. My Great-grandmother was scheduled to sail over to America on the Titanic. For some reason that has been lost to time, she was unable to. No doubt disappointed at the time, it saved her life. That in turn allowed my life to be and you to be reading this post right now. How many challenges in your life have turned out to be blessings?  

CLICK HERE TO READ THE AUTHOR’S BOOK

LIFE LESSONS FROM A CONCERT ðŸŽµ

If you did not read the last post, let me fill you in on what we are discussing. Margie surprised me with tickets to a Michael Franti concert. He is one of our favorite singers that we discovered together. It was in a city that was a little over an hour away, but she made it happen. If you are a fan of this blog and the motivational and inspirational material we discuss, I highly suggest you check out Michael Franti’s music.

We left shortly after I had gotten off of work and Margie had finished the cake she was creating that day. After the drive, we parked and wondered to a park nearby the concert area. Michael was taking time to hang out with fans. Sitting in the grass, playing his guitar and just enjoying a chance to meet people that would be going to the concert later. Not many musicians make such an effort to connect to the fans. He was also kind enough to take a picture with Margie and me, which you can see below. This was just the first of many good things that was conveyed during this experience.

The show had Stephen Marley, son of the late Bob Marley, as the opening act. Most of you know that I am a HUGE Bob Marley fan. Not only do I enjoy his music, but more importantly, the message that both he and the music convey. His son had that same great message as well as the same infectious spirit. Promoting a feeling of love and unity, he had the crowd singing along with his songs, as well as his fathers. This was impressive to me because his father passed away 43 years ago. This was longer than many of the concert goers had been living. Yet, they all sang along word for word. Proof that people gravitate towards messages of love and that our legacy can live on long after we do.

When Michael Franti was due to start, the show opened with a brief film recalling his challenging childhood and path to self-acceptance. Even better, the film wrapped up reminding us that not only are we 99% the same, but that the 1% difference we do have is something to be celebrated, and not something to divide us. This message was relayed many times during the show. It was best described by a personal example he gave. I think it rings true for many of us. See if you can relate.

He relayed that there are days he becomes so wrapped up in technology and social media that he ends up feeling drained. What he reads has him feeling as though the world is divided and full of hate. When he goes out and spends time with people, such as he did in the park before the show, he realizes there are plenty examples of people standing up for and loving each other. As he so wonderfully quipped, “We need less scroll and more soul.”

There were many lessons I walked away from after this show. Not only a feeling of a large group of people dedicated to love and acceptance of one another, but so much more. It was great to see someone who values those that support him in his creativity and allow him to tour the world. It is great to see a celebrity display both humility and well as gratitude. Not to mention the positive messages conveyed in both his music as well as that of Stephen Marley. Proof you can be both inspired and entertained at the same time.

SCHEDULE IT!

Today I saw that one of my favorite musicians, Michael Franti, released a new single. I checked out the video and was inspired with a thought. I would love to share that thought with you today. I am also going to share the video with you in a link at the bottom of this post. The song is called Good Day For A Good Day. After listening to the song, which I suggest you do to get the most out of this post, it struck me that we seldom decide for ourselves that today would be a good day for a good day.

We schedule lots of things in our lives. We set an alarm clock for going to work in the morning. We often plan what we are going to have for dinner. We plan our vacations. How often do we plan to have a good day? Often times, we allow far too much of our days to be determined by outside circumstances. Did we have a good commute to work? Did work go well when we were there? Traffic ok on the way home? Everything good with the spouse and family at home? Then we can have a good day. There are even some of us who let circumstances halfway around the country or even around the globe determine what kind of day we are going to have. Political strife in the Congo, then we are going to be upset. Crime spree in London? We are going to be upset at how terrible people can be.

How often do we decide and say to ourselves, “Today is a great day to have a great day!” Often, just placing that declaration in our minds before venturing out can do wonders for setting us up for success. Naturally, this brings up the question, what happens if I say that and circumstances are not those of a good day? You wake up, stretch and say to yourself, or better yet out loud, that it is going to be a great day. Then you walk outside to discover a flat tire, or the fact that your car won’t start. I have even had the experience, after little sleep, going into Starbucks on the way to work to be informed they were out of coffee. This is chronicled in my first book, A Happy Life for Busy People.

These situations happen to us all and we have little or no control over them. What we do have control over is what we decide they mean to us. ‘Waking up in neutral’ and letting life determine our emotional outlook is not only dangerous, but foolish. If we have no control over what happens to us, we do have control over what attitude we approach life with. If we start the day determined to have a great day and we meet challenges, we are less likely to be knocked down by them. I have personally got to the point where I find myself saying, “Ok, I am determined to have a great day and now I have to deal with this flat tire/no coffee issue. How can I work my way around this?” I speak from experience in both of those challenges. When you are determined to accomplish something, obstacles become stepping stones and not barricades. In the case of the flat tire, once I met a nice man from the tow company and he now follows this blog. As for the no coffee at Starbucks, I discovered a few new drinks I enjoyed and expanded the way I can enjoy a stop there.

The other option is to do what is advocated in the first picture, plan a good day. This may sound like a foreign concept to many of you. Take a second to ponder this. If we spend time to plan a vacation, plan what we are going to wear to work the next day and a host of other mundane activities, why not plan to have a great day? It could involve a list like the picture above, a mix of obligations and enjoyable activities, or you could do a complete 180 degree turn and plan an entire day of things you enjoy. This can be a fun activity just to plan! Pick what time you would like to wake up. Maybe have some things ready for a healthy quick breakfast, or maybe even meet a friend at a local brunch spot. You could follow up that with a stroll in the park or some fun window shopping or real shopping if your budget allows. You could meet a friend for coffee, or just schedule an appointment with a good book and a cup of coffee. Have an enjoyable movie and some fun dinner options picked out. Maybe even a glass of your favorite wine to enjoy with it? A nice relaxing bath listening to some relaxing and enjoyable music? These are just some options you could have on your list. Schedule a great day for yourself today!

Whether you are scheduling what your great day will include or if you are just determined to have a great day no matter what life may throw your way, pick a day this week and start now. Start with one day a week and build from there. Your great day is as unique as you are. Our friend in Italy I know would enjoy a day with his wife, a glass of wine and listening to the band AC/DC. Personally, I would like my lady, rum (or some good coffee) and this new Michael Franti song. That is what makes to so fun and so customizable. Feel free to share what activities you are going to make a part of your great day in the comments below and please check out the new Michael Franti video in the link below.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE NEW MICHAEL FRANTI VIDEO “GOOD DAY FOR A GOOD DAY”

THE VACATION YOU SHOULD PLAN NOW!

Ah.. vacation

Ah vacation. Who doesn’t love a good vacation? I have been longing to travel to a tropical destination to perfect different expressions of repose. With the current pandemic and travel restrictions, I find myself stuck in the less-than-tropical environment of Wisconsin where I live. In this post we are going to explore a different kind of vacation and how to prepare for it.

Fun in the islands

Before we get to that, let’s look at your typical vacation. 2 long years ago, Margie and I traveled to Jamaica. It was our first international vacation together and we had a blast! We met so many wonderful people and ate some delicious food.

I love the sun and the water. As you can see in the pictures above,there was plenty of both. To plan this vacation we took our time. We visited a local travel agency. We compared resorts. We looked at prices verses amenities. We organized our schedules to have time free from our many labors and Margie being Margie, we also did a lot of shopping for things we needed and even some we didn’t. All this planning and activity took longer than the actual vacation, but was certainly enjoyable.

You simply must purchase this album

Last post I mentioned during my employment as a telemarketer, I often listened to Bob Marley as a stress relief option. Fast forward 27 years, or so, and we find myself listening to Michael Franti for the same reason. Today I was listening to his latest release Work Hard and Be Nice to People.

There is a wonderful track called daycation that mentions taking a one daycation to get your head on right. How many of us have felt that way a time or 500? I know I have. (Did I mention I work for the Post Office?) How many of us have really acted on that thought? Not many I would venture a guess.

The question is, why not? Taking some time off can reduce stress and even increase productivity once you return. Is it a question of feeling guilty for not being at the office? Trust me they would feel no guilt in replacing you. That’s why you must take care of you first. Make sure your physical and mental health are doing great. It will help you be more productive at the office, but more importantly, it will help you enjoy your free time more and live longer to enjoy it. Don’t believe it? Look up scientific evidence for the benefits of vacation. Print one out for your boss too.

My quandary has always been how much can you really do in one day? The answer is plenty, if you plan it right. On my days off I am usually involved in a literary pursuit, doing a project at home or, like today, having my car repaired. It will not shock you to know this does not feel like a vacation.

What we should do is develop a plan for several one daycations. Whether that is a fancy dinner out followed by a trip to the spa or a day at the water park with friends followed by a nice hotel after. Maybe a picnic in the park with the one you love? The important part is to plan this. Write down your itinerary. This can be fun. Usually it helps to make it away from the house if possible. This way you will be free of the many distractions that await you there.

Taking several of these one daycations can help you unwind and recharge. It can help you return to be more productive at the office and at home!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SONG THAT INSPIRED THIS POST

WORK ON YOUR DIET AND CHANGE THE WORLD

Here is one of those fabulous things I happen across on my social media viewing. I was blessed to have many friends who shared this exact picture. More importantly, I believe they also genuinely feel that way. Once again, I must mention how grateful I am to have people in my life that feel and act this way.

In a world where many people may feel confused or concerned how to speak to and treat one another, there is one guiding principle that can make things a little easier and a lot less stressful. That principle is to have a genuine love and appreciation for all of us sharing this planet. It can be a hard thing to do at times, but if you can show love to everyone, including those who may seem not to deserve it, you will have a truly amazing life.

I know you might be thinking, “That sounds great Neil, but how can I learn to do that?” A first great step would be to watch your diet. You might be wondering how watching what you eat can help you to become a more loving and compassionate individual. Your diet is not only the food you consume. Your diet also consists of the music you listen to, the books you read, the people you hang out with and everything you consume not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. At the end of this post I will give you a little healthy treat for your diet. Make sure you read on for that.

If you spend your time in fear of what words or phrases may be acceptable these days, or you just are concerned with saying the wrong thing, there is a simple solution to that as well – become an encouraging. This world that can seem crazy and chaotic is woefully short on reasons to be encouraged. Help someone heal. Help them believe in themselves. If this is your intentions, your heart will guide you to the right words.

By having and more importantly showing love for each other, we do something wonderfully important – we help people believe in themselves. There are many great agents of change, spiritual and cultural leaders that have doubted themselves at some point. Without their contribution, the world would have been a darker place. The great thing about this is that there is always opportunities to help someone believe in themselves and in turn help them change the world.

Don’t believe it? Think of some of these examples. You encourage a young lady who is learning the art of cake decorating. Instead of giving up when her wedding cake looks more like abstract art than a culinary masterpiece, she tries again. She remains confident and goes on to create edible works of art. How does this change the world? Imagine the joy that adds to every special occasion her cakes are a part of. They will add something special to every event. A heart-melting sigh when the bride and groom see their cake on their wedding day. The ear to ear grin on the young child when they see their favorite character sitting right on top of their birthday cake.

Perhaps it is a young writer? Maybe pondering if the words he shares truly impact the lives of others. How would an encouraging word help this young fellow and how would it then change the world? Perhaps it would encourage him to continue to develop his craft and keep sharing his words knowing someone is listening. Then those words could reach a lost and lonely soul halfway across the world and bring them joy. Those words could then be shared from Armenia to Zimbabwe. Changing the day for many.

These are totally random and hypothetical examples, but they hold true just the same. We never know what someone is facing in life or where their heart and mind may be at. Maybe it is encouraging someone singing on a microphone for the first time, or the lonely kid sitting by themselves at lunch. Just letting these people know that you have love for them will make their world brighter, the world as a whole brighter and just might save their life.

As promised I am going to give you a little something good to add to your diet and will help you to remember to encourage and have love for people of all kinds. If you click the link below you will be treated to a great performance by the artist Michael Franti. Not only is Michael a great ambassador for love and peace, he represents a lot of us. He was adopted as a young child. His mother was European and his father a mix of African and Native American. He has a sister who is a lesbian and a brother who is a police officer. Well-rounded you might say. I strongly encourage you to click on the link below to listen to this song for yourself. Feel free to leave your comments and suggestions for encouraging and having love for each other below.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND LISTEN TO THE GREAT MICHAEL FRANTI SONG