Tag: pandemic

CORONAVIRUS TAUGHT ME ABOUT LAW OF ATTRACTION 😷

I recall the first time that I had the corona virus. I was one of the first people in my area to get it. I was on the news, I made YouTube videos and helped bring a little calm to a world gripped in fear. What I wasn’t prepared for, or I guess didn’t expect was the stigma that I received from some people. When I returned to work, after the designated period of time, people would go out of their way to avoid me. Even though at that point, I was the safest person to be around. I had natural immunity.

Throw in the fact that I have seasonal allergies and you can only imagine the fear that brought out. Every sneeze sent people running in all directions. It wasn’t just me. Anywhere in public, when people coughed they were glared at or moved away from. There are lots of reasons that one can have a tickle in their throat. Here in the colder part of the world, dry air from heat can make you cough. As mentioned before, allergies could do the same thing. You could simply have a cough. Still, none of that will ever be the same for some.

This got me thinking. What we focus on really dictates our state of being. After the pandemic, everyone is acutely aware of every cough, sniffle or sneeze. For many, this is a legitimate concern. Especially if they, or those they are close to, have health concerns. When it comes to focus, we often let outside circumstances dictate what we focus on. This can be one of the most costly mistakes we make on a daily basis. Those sources we come in contact with, do not always have our best interest at heart. Rarely do they. Their interest in the bottom line. What drives sales and increases the bottom line? Fear. The news, Social media, coworkers, even our well-meaning friends and family can share how the world is going to hell in a handbasket. That is what we are sold. We are told how the economy is out of control. every time the price of gas goes up, we say to ourselves, “Yep, there is proof that things are getting more expensive.” What to we tell ourselves when gas goes down? That it will go up again? That is still more expensive than it was 2 years ago?

How about the attempt to divide us against one another? We are told that all of the evils of the world are the fault and responsibility of one group. We are told that we must vote a certain way or communities, countries and even the world will fall apart. Think again of the pandemic. How did it spread? Did a certain group get it all at once? No. It spread one person at a time. Day in and day out. Soon, it was an out of control spread. Soon, we were sensitive to every cough and sniffle.

What if we were able to apply that same sensitivity to words of encouragement? Acts of kindness? Opportunities to serve? What if we chose to spread a pandemic of kindness one person at a time? What if we did that day after day? We can see how it works in a biological virus. What we may not see if the ideological virus that is being spread the same way. One person at a time is convinced that the sky is falling. One person at a time is convinced that it is us against them. Before we know it, we have a pandemic of hate and divisiveness. Instead of droplets of saliva or mucus, it is spread through news stories and social media posts. We can’t protect ourselves from the fear and hate with a medical mask, but we can with masks of kindness, compassion and gratitude.

The virus taught me that the world can be made hyper-aware of many things. What happened if we decided, as a global community, to place that focus on the things that make the world a better place. I am not advocating becoming ignorant of the struggles we all face, but to question what we invest our focus, our energy and our time on. Tony Robbins once said, “What is wrong is always available, but so is what is right.”

Today, let us take the lessons we have learned from the pandemic, and apply them to create a pandemic of our own choosing. One of love, inclusion and working together. Let us grow the symptoms of kindness, compassion and mutual respect. As businesses begin to reopen, let us do the same with our hearts. Do not catch the ideological virus that many in power are trying to spread. Just like the Covid-19 virus changed the world one person at a time, we can do the same.

DO IT NOW!!!

I am about to go through some intense personal issue. More about that in tomorrow’s post. To help my thinking through this challenge, and to help those who may share the same challenge behind me, I am writing a book about the entire journey. While doing so, I recalled something that got me through some of the toughest periods of my life. It wasn’t so much one thing as several things that could be included under one major activity. That one activity that helped me more than anything was working on improving myself.

If 2020 taught us anything, it is that the world can be turned upside down in a second. It can also do so with little or no warning. Take having to quarantine. Early in March of 2020, Margie and I had to spend 14 days locked in our house together. At that point, they knew little of the pandemic that was to sweep the nation and the world. It was fortunate for us that we had worked on our relationship non-stop up to that point. In doing so, we were able to enjoy the time we spent together and it felt like one big sleep over. In fact, we were a little sad to have it end and have me return back to work.

The sad part of the story is that many couples were not this lucky. I personally know of a few that ended up splitting up after being forced to spend more time in close physical space together than they were used to. These couples never spent the effort to continue to work on their relationship and help it to grow and evolve. Things such as working on healthy communication, conflict resolution and just really listening to your partner can come in handy in situations like this.

The same can be said for a health challenge. If you are faced with a needed procedure or surgery, it is a little late to worry about whipping yourself into shape. When the doctor tells you that your arteries are blocked and you need emergency surgery, it is a little late to think about eating more oatmeal and less burgers. There is a quote that says “It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, than to have one and not be prepared.” The same is true with a challenge. That is why I encourage you all to work on improving yourself and your life today. Find fun and enjoyable ways to become the best version of yourself. Even if your world doesn’t turn upside down, you will still be better prepared for any opportunity that comes your way.

ARE YOU A LIGHTHOUSE?

Miwaukee lighthouse

Are you a lighthouse? Seems like a dumb question. You are certainly not a tall cylindrical building. I would go as far to say you do not have a light emanating from the top of your head. Although I have seen some interesting hats in music videos recently, but they are generally the exception and not the rule. So why would I ask if you are a lighthouse? This idea came from the tag on a cup of tea I was enjoying. I usually drink Yogi brand tea for the reason that they contain some inspiring bit of information on each tea bag. Today mine read “Spread the light; be the lighthouse.” Certainly they were not advocating some sort of strange form of reincarnation.

I began to ponder what the job of a lighthouse really is. Certainly it spreads the light. It does so to help safely guide ships through obstacles and dark weather. That is very helpful to the sailors trying to navigate the waters. How can we be a lighthouse? We certainly are all like the sailors. No, I don’t mean we are the captain of a large yacht sailing around the sunny Caribbean, although that wouldn’t be a bad situation. What we all are is captains of our own ship of life doing our best to navigate the waters of life. I don’t know exactly what your life is like, but I would imagine it has its share of obstacles and dark weather. We all appreciate the lighthouses we have in our lives. The warnings and guidance that we receive that make navigating our troubled waters a little easier.

What exactly does ‘being a lighthouse’ mean? How can we help each other navigate the troubled waters of life? We can mimic what a lighthouse does for ships, by doing the same thing in the lives of others. We can warn them of obstacles that they may be approaching. This isn’t necessarily yelling at someone not to do something you don’t think they should, but more being a sign of caution. One of the great ways to do this is by telling your story of obstacles you may have faced and overcome or are overcoming. We all have faced challenges in our lives. Sharing our stories is one way to be a beacon of light to others. Maybe you have survived an abusive relationship or a in the process of doing so now? By sharing that story you cannot only give others going through the same thing hope, you can also let them know they are not alone. When we are in the middle of our own struggles it can be hard to understand that there are others facing the same thing. Just to know we are not alone is reassuring. Helping others to see the warning signs that we may have missed is a great way of being a lighthouse. We may have crashed onto the rocks of life, but if we help others avoid doing the same thing, it will serve a positive experience.

Think of the other job we mentioned that a lighthouse does; help others navigate treacherous and dark weather. When someone is facing a dark time in their lives, such as a break up, job loss or loss of a loved one, their world can be devoid of light. When you find yourself somewhere dark it can often be difficult to see where to go, or even how to go forward. That is where having a friend who is a lighthouse in our life comes in handy. We don’t have to give them directions or tell them where to go, we just have to be a light to help them keep sailing along. That may be offering to listen, sharing a smile, doing something kind and thoughtful or a host of positive things that bring light into someone’s life. We may not be able to rid them of the darkness, but even offering a little light can go a long way.

Whether you are warning others of obstacles you may not have navigated well in the past, or just shining a light in the lives of others to help them get through the dark and stormy periods of life, being a lighthouse can be a great thing to do. With the global pandemic as well as the start of the winter season, many of us could use light in our lives now more than ever. I encourage you to discover ways in which you can be a source of that light. If you have ideas we did not mention here I ask you please leave them in the comments below so we may all bring as much light into the world as possible.

GET THE ANTIDOTE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!

There are plenty of toxins floating around today. I am not even speaking of the covid-19 pandemic we are in the middle of. No, I am talking about emotional and spiritual toxins. There are news stories about violence in your city and throughout the world. There are demeaning and disrespectful political comments. There is even the sad news about this corona virus and how many lives have been lost. Somedays we are exposed to more things that are hazardous to our emotional and spiritual well-being than we can handle.

I have a suggestion that can help us be proactive and save us from a good deal of emotional and spiritual suffering. You know how it feels when after a hard day at work you come home to see climbing death tolls on the news or hear some elected official calling other people names. It is a anchor to your already sinking soul. You see the fear in the eyes of people on the street about a virus that seems to be growing stronger by the day. Even little things that used to lift your spirits such as the smile on the face of a stranger are now hidden beneath a mask. The world can seem to be growing darker by the day.

What we need is an antidote. What do I mean? While an antidote is something taken to counteract a particular poison. We are familiar with being bitten by a venomous snake and then having to get a dose of antidote. What about the venomous people and things we encounter everyday that poison our spirit? Is there an antidote for them? There sure is! Much like each poison has its own antidote, so does each spiritual poison. They also vary from person to person. This is where you get to be an explorer and discover antidotes for you. This is an adventure you should undertake without delay. You certainly wouldn’t want to wait until after you get bit by the snake to start looking for an antidote. While we all may not be exposed to venomous snakes, there are a few snakes in the grass in every community. We all are vulnerable to certain toxins depending on our particular situation.

Let me share some personal examples of toxins in my own life and the antidotes I have put in place to counteract them. My day job is at the United States Postal Service, my night job is DJing. Although there are plenty of nice people I consider friends at both locations, there are also those who may call my faith in humanity into question. Add those to the inevitable sunshine challenged individuals we all come in contact with and you can find yourself feeling rather antisocial. That is the effect of the toxin of unpleasant people. What is my antidote? I have a group of people that always do a great deal to restore my faith in humanity. Here in West Allis Wisconsin, where I live, there are 2 options I use. (there are more, but for sake of brevity we shall stick to two) My friend Curtis at Urban Joe’s café is always full of good humor and serves amazing food and coffee with a smile. If I need an emotional lift, not to mention a great breakfast or lunch, I stop at Urban Joe’s and see Curtis. The same is true of my friends Ricky and Jodi at Peak Physique. It is a local gym that can help find ways to keep you fit during quarantine. Both of these folks are great at bringing a smile to your face. Ricky and I have had great conversations exchanging information on sources of self-improvement. Just a few stops around the neighborhood and I have an antidote for the poison of unpleasant people.

What about all of the stressful news we are exposed to on a daily basis? Hard to avoid seeing less than inspiring items on television, online or even to some extent on social media. Luckily for us, there is an item that can be a great antidote for the toxin of negative news. It is the show Positively Milwaukee. I have written about this show before when I was fortunate enough to be invited to be a part of it. For those of you who may have missed that post, allow me to share a brief description of the show. It is a show that highlights some of the most positive people, places and events in the city of Milwaukee. It is hosted by a young lady named Carole Meekins. She is passionate about sharing positivity and it shows. Every Sunday morning she is there supplying an antidote for all of the negative news we may be exposed to. What if you do not live in Milwaukee? You certainly can still benefit from this show as the episodes are all available on YouTube as well. I will share the link to the episode I appeared on at the end of this post. I encourage you to check out as many other episodes as you can. Each one will bring a smile to your face and joy to your soul.

Whether it is finding people like Curtis, Ricky and Jodi in your own community or discovering a wonderful gem like Positively Milwaukee, I implore of you to find your antidotes today! Some other suggestions are things like joining positive pages on Facebook, following positive people on Twitter and just finding other things that bring us peace and happiness. I would love to get more ideas of antidotes from you. Share what you do to counteract the negativity in your life in the comments below.

SEE THE EPISODE OF POSITIVELY MILWAUKEE I APPEARED ON BY CLICKING HERE

AN IMPORTANT ELECTION DAY REMINDER!!!

Let us all remember this

In the United States, today is election day. It seems every four years when we choose the leader of our country things get more tense and divided than the election before. Civility and respect tend to disappear and are all too often replaced by things such as insults and in the worst case violence.

Win or lose, this last year has been tough on all of us. There has been,of course, a terrible pandemic that has affected everyone in the world in some fashion. There have been losses, both financial and of life. Dreams have been shattered and lives turned upside down.

With all of these trying circumstances, you would think it would help feed feelings of compassion and a desire to help each other. I believe that is yet to come. Although we may differ greatly on the paths to take, I believe we all want the same things. We would like an end to the pandemic. We would like an opportunity to pursue our dreams and see our friends and family again. We would like to see the smiles behind the masks once more.

Our plan forward

While we cannot force things to change, there are certainly things we can do until that happens. We can fill our hearts with hope for s better future and for it to arrive sooner than later. We can pray, whatever our faith may be. We can pray for the health of the world. We can pray for the healing of our, and other’s hearts. In the meantime we can fill our lives and our world with as much joy as possible.

It is our love and compassion for each other than has not only helped us get through the most difficult times, but has lead to the greatest breakthroughs and advances in history. In a world that often seeks to divide us, let our love be stronger than their division.

DAY 1 OF THE 7 DAY JULY CHALLENGE!

Our first day! 7 days, all positivity, no negativity!! Giving our souls a little vacation. If you are just joining us, for the first 7 days of my birth month we are going to 1.) Cease from posting anything negative and 2) post one thing positive each day. By the end of the week we should have raised our vibration and begun to not only change ourselves but the world around us.

Here is mine. It is my sincere desire these 7 days begin to change the narrative. The more we change the focus to that of love and gratitude, we will inspire others to do the same. In turn, perhaps they may go on to share a smile or kind word to another. Thus, creating a ripple effect of kindness.

Can you ‘catch’ love from another person? I think you know the answer to that is yes. How do you feel when someone pays you a genuine compliment? Let’s you know how proud they are of you, or best of all, says they love you. You chest swells a little and joy seems to radiate from within.

The great thing about love, the more we share, the more we create! Putting more love into the world not only creates a more loving world, but a more loving you! Thunk of how you feel when you tell someone how wonderful they are, how proud you are of them or how much you love them? You feel better inside!

That is my positive thought today let us start a pandemic of love and let us share it wherever we can!