Mind Like a Child

News
No new updates for this week.

Quote
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
-John Wooden

My Thoughts
When you want to try something new do you think of all the reasons you can't do it? Or do you think of the reasons why you can? Many people tend to think of why something won't work and then usually give up before ever trying. Yet we weren't always this way. Most people when they were younger believed anything was possible.

I'll share a story with you.

Over the past week, I was fortunate enough to work with a lot of children. They were aged between 6-13. I've never really worked with children before so it was a new experience for me. Most of the younger children were so full of energy and enthusiasm. So many of them were smiling and laughing. It was so great to see. They were curious and asked a lot of questions. They freely shared their dreams of wanting to be athletes, astronauts, doctors, lawyers, etc.. and nobody in the room laughed at them. It was beautiful.

We often forget that we were all once like them. We could be anything we wanted. Then somewhere along the way, we ended up becoming conditioned. People start judging us and we start judging others, we may even make fun of their hopes and dreams.

Imagine if you had the fearlessness of a child. Imagine if you had the curiosity of a child. What would you be doing differently?

I encourage everyone this week to try and open your mind. Attempt to experience life as though you were a child.

Have a phenomenal week.

Studying Harder?

News
No new updates for this week.

Instead of a quote and my thoughts I wanted to share a story for you to think about.

Story

A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it." The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."

Have an awesome week.

Banishing a Ghost

News
No new updates for this week.

Instead of a quote and my thoughts this week, I wanted to share this Zen story with you. I suggest you spend some time this week pondering it's meaning.

Story
The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."

For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.

Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."

That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."

At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.

Have an excellent week.

Uncertainty

News
No new updates for this week.

Quote
“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.
Delicious Ambiguity.”
-Gilda Radner

My Thoughts
Have you ever tried something over and over again and no matter what you do it doesn't work? It may feel like you are banging your head against the wall. It can happen in any or all areas of your life: relationships, finances, education, work, etc...

Sometimes life doesn't cooperate like we want. It doesn't always work out according to our plan. We think we may have something figured out and life surprises us. I've learned that having a vision of the future with goals is great, but being able to adjust to the flow of life is also essential. I recently have experienced some huge changes in my life which I'll write about in detail sometime in the future.

How can you handle the uncertainties that pop up in life?

I know I've said this before, but meditation. This is what has helped me tremendously. Just sitting there alone with your thoughts and feelings can help you become more aware. Eventually with practice you will be able to become more present. If you are more present you have less fear. With less fear comes more clarity.

It doesn't really matter if you sit for five minutes, ten minutes, or one hour. Especially in the beginning, just spending some time meditating everyday will help you develop it into a habit.

I encourage everyone this week to spend a few minutes each day meditating.

Have an excellent week.