Minding Your Mind: Recent Episodes
William
Minding Your Mind is a weekly show for those looking for new thinking about old knowledge in the areas of Time, Living, Success, Health, Love, and Happiness. In it, I share my perspective about the essence and enigma of time as it relates to these and living in the Present Positive Tense. What you will learn gives you a fresh sense of being in the Now. After some practice you will see your life change for the better being inspired to become a better You living a better and happier life being a better You. Be curious and keep an open mind. You don’t want to miss anything.
Living along is what we are all doing, day in and day out. Now getting along, well, that is another thing.
There is a very useful tool most of us have been developing throughout our lives; a tool it seems, is becoming less and less necessary.
How long have you known the person you most love? How long have the person who loves you the most, known you?
I remember my mother saying, “what people say about me behind my back, is none of my business”.
Do you care if you make a positive difference in the world…, or not? I pose this question to a certain group of people, and not necessarily you.
I may be paraphrasing here. But who was it that said, “You don’t miss something until you lose it”?
I live by these words every day, and I share this quote every chance I get. However, I will be the first to admit that I do not always do my best. Most of the time I do just enough to get by, to get things to work, to live along. I’ve always been this way. Don’t ask me why. I don’t have a good answer.
Belief in myself is another thing; a thing I do. It is what moves me to do the things I have done, this that I am doing right now, talking to you, and who knows what else I may get into.
How was your day yesterday? How is today going so far? Do you think about how tomorrow will be?
Is it true that experience is a dear teacher? If it is, what does the teacher require of us?
It is something you hear at a funeral. He or she would want you to go on with life and be happy. What you don’t usually hear, is how. Is there a way?
You know, it is easy for us to think of Life as being too short. But how do you measure short? Is ten years short? How about 40 years? How about 65?
Here is another question. When are we likely to say Life is too short? For me, it is when I am having fun. On the other hand, when does it seem life is too long? Again, for me, it is when I am bored, in pain or just having a bad moment.
Granted. We all want to, at least, be ok…, and when we are not…, time could not fly by fast enough, right?
There are good memories and not so good ones. Good memories are wonderful thoughts about the good times, and it is all I want to talk about for now. I want to keep it positive. Reminiscing about a happy time can put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.
“I wish I had thought of that” or, “why didn’t I think of that” or, “it just didn’t come to mind”. Have you ever thought of, or said these words?
Now, why is that? Is there a way to be more thoughtful when we need to?
When bad things happen to us, they get our full and present attention, and that is to be expected. We want the bad thing to go away, like… right now, this instant.
But in some cases, it is not so simple, right? Sometimes we must prepare to endure the long haul. But, that does not mean however, that we must carry the weight for the long haul. As difficult as it may be, and at some point, letting go is the best way to go.
As you know, Time is the main theme throughout what I write and talk about. I also talk a lot about presence; a co-theme, so to speak. But most of the time, we talk about Time in terms of what we do in our daily lives, and for good reasons. This brings me to the quote of this day.
We are here on this earth to live in harmony with each other and mother nature. But over centuries it seems as though, harmony is no longer a worthwhile cause.
I don’t know about you, but it is clear to me that we, as humans, are turning our backs on mother nature and relying more and more on unnatural ways to live; Modern ways, as they are called.
To start, let’s get another obvious out of the way. Tomorrow is not going to get here any sooner than it will, regardless how you may want to make it so.
Like most of you out there, I have been wronged by others and felt deeply about whether to forgive or not. Especially, when asked for forgiveness, it made my decision that much more heartful.
What makes life a subtraction proposition, is Time. It is as simple as that. I draw your attention to this, not because I think you do not know this, but to simply remind you.
Forget things for now, and let’s focus on us. Not that we are in any way broken, replaceable or need fixing. There are relative terms; words like psychology, psychiatry and therapist come to mind, and these are as indispensable as the builders, replacers, and fixers of things.
When you hear the phrase, Death sentence, what comes to mind? Now, imagine a dream wherein you were sentenced to death. That would be a nightmare, right?
The search for the truth, for many, seems to be a prevalent exercise these days, because there are those whose exercise is covering up or knowing the truth and choosing to deny it.
We are so busy focused on what it is we are doing while at the same being distracted by what we must do next. Tick Tok. Tick Tok.
I believe there is at least one thing we know to do, that no one else can. The question is, do you believe you really do have such a precious possession? If you do, are you searching for it? How will you know you found it? You may already have found it but are not sure if it is what you think it is; a voice for singing, artistic ability, a way with words or that friends come to you for advice or simply to talk.
It is one thing to be, as they say, a stick in the mud. It is quite another to stick yourself in the mud.
I don’t believe fear and confidence are the best companions, though a little fear is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes fear serves as a directional signal for things like, where not to go, what not to say, what not to do, and so on. On the other hand, because fear can lead you away from these, it may present alternatives to pursue or not.
The thing about all our firsts, all that seem much of the same, and all the lasts, are that they happen in stages throughout our lives.
A million stories sound like a lot, right? But it is not. I believe that life lasts but an instant, and because we are always living our entire lives in that same instant, there could be much more than a million stories in just a few years of your life.
We all know we can’t know everything. In fact, we can’t know most things or neither most of any one thing…, and the truth is…, we don’t need to. We haven’t needed to.
Right now, and for many years now, we have known all we needed to know to live up until this moment…, right? The proof is in simply being in the moment…, in this moment as we are…. This moment wherein I bet that at worst you are at least ok…
Did I win the bet? I hope so. Because if I won that bet…, it means you are winning in terms of being ok most of the time.
I believe this is true for many, me included who, from time to time have episodes of anxiety and fear about the future.
I am the first to admit that I am a liar. But I also admit that I am not one of the best at it. In fact…, I am not good at it at all.
I am better at telling the truth. I don’t have the proclivity, much less the life in time for lies.
Especially today…, with google at your fingertips…, you could be caught telling a lie right there on the spot…. But forget being discovered. The consequence of a lie told could be serious and long lasting.
Growing old is not only a state of Mind. It is also a state of Matter…, and not necessarily one over the other. It is also, to me, more importantly, a unique point in time…. A point in time that is always new…. A point never lived in before.
A point consequential to Matter…, which ,of course, is what our bodies are made of… Matter that serves only to house the brain; the brain that houses the mind… a point in time that matters to the mind… the mind being the master of the matter…
Our homes were first empty houses that we proceeded to fill with stuff. And a lot of that stuff became family mementos with sentimental values.
Then, over the years we start talking about stuff to get rid of. Maybe, it is to clear out the clutter…, or maybe just an excuse to get new stuff. The decision is made easy though…, knowing that the salvation army is just a call away. They will come to the house and pick up your stuff…. a charitable act indeed …, and that’s a good thing.
Then there are the family times…, the ups and downs…, the good times and the not so good times…, the love, the care, and the happiness…, what became beautiful memories. Home sweet home.
You know…, sometimes it seems to me …, that we need be reminded to be what we are…, to be human. Furthermore, I don’t recall a time in my life when the word, human, was used more often than it does these days.
Today…, being human almost seem like a "thing", or a trend…, something fashionable. It is like it had become outdated or out of style and is now coming back. But the timing doesn’t seem right when the prevailing trend is living during times when so many are, too often, constantly distracted, in a hurry or running late.
Words not only matter…, but they are also powerful and can be used to move others to do “good,” “evil,” or “nothing.”
Words like “I love you” and “I’m sorry” …, warms the heart and console…. They bring people together.
Also used are hurtful words…, not fit for public discourse…, and by some…, used as weapons of division and destruction. They can start a fight between two people…, or a war between two nations.
Listen…, before I learned how acceptance could give me peace of mind…, I was just If-ing around about all kinds of things. If this and if that…, and if that and if this. You Know…, just If-Ing around.
It is the wishing away of a present reality and knowing that it was just a wish…, not something that changes anything.
You know …. I say, can’t…, and maybe it is because I don’t trust my imagination…. Maybe because I think guessing and imagining seem like the same things. But I can’t help it. I am still drawn by the power of curiosity and the allure of imagining what perhaps my subconscious mind wants me to see…, want things to be like.
I don’t have Time…. I am running out of time…. When I have time, I will do it…. I don’t have time to waste…. I want to spend more time with my family…. I have to carve out time to do it.
Most of us have uttered at least one of these phrases…. But…, Really? What egos ours…. The reality is that we can’t, have…We can’t, run out of… We can’t, waste…. We can’t, carve out…. We can’t, spend…, Time. None of these can we do with what we do not get…. With what we are born in.
Before now…, I talked about this in another context…. Now…, it is about, at least, having the knowledge that there is, and will always be something, so long as there is time and life.
In the same vein as before…, that because we don’t know death, does not mean it is nothing…. In this realm…, the realm of the living and the thinking mind, it is still something. Therefore…, Nothing can be something…, but it would be something that came from nothing.
I gave this idea some serious thought over a long period of time. I think of it as a conclusion without an end. I imagine you saying…, what the hell? Is it not the same thing…, conclusion and end?
Fair enough…. But I am talking about, knowing…, something we can’t do without life…, and about Time that continues to elapse regardless.
The act of Loving need not be limited to anyone in particular. You can love a relative, a friend, or even a stranger.
The unfortunate thing about being a stranger, and we all are strangers to someone else…, is that there is so much distrust among people…, that if you were to attempt to commit an act of Love upon a stranger or they upon you…, the wrong impression could be had…. You know what I am talking about.
Can you remember a time…, when you were not feeling happy…, and then being hugged by someone who was? Do you remember how you felt being in their arms? Do you remember being happy and hugging someone who was not? Do you remember how you felt? Do you remember feeling happy and hugging someone who was also happy? Remember how that felt?
We all either want to, or need to improve on something, or some things in our lives. We would like to be more mindful about our own being in the now…. We would like to be more grateful and kind…. We would like to do our part in making the world a better place to live.
Well…, I am not here to tell you how to go about doing these things. Just do them your way… You know the difference between positive and negative…, right and wrong. The idea is to be a better human, right?
To make anything happen requires action. However, waking up and getting out of bed are second and third acts. The first is thinking…, having an idea…, a single thought…, a specific goal.
I believe life over all, is mostly an emotional experience…, emotions that trigger our desires…, desires we pursued and fulfilled by the course of action we take…, the course steered by our thoughts.
Some courses of actions, however, are more, or less, consequential than others…, and that’s ok…. Life is like that.
Often enough the shock of the moment…, or the stress of the experience, temporarily paralyzes our minds. It is only after a few moments, or in some cases, much longer…, that we are able to think or reflect on just what happened or is happening.
Sometimes ideas or different courses of actions may be out of reach…, or one not necessarily better than the other, or…, that we simply don’t know.
We all live with purpose and passion…, and to one degree or another…. We have our own aspiration and reasons for how we live. Some of us are more driven than others…, it would seem…. But we are all individuals…, with our own perceptions, potential and goals…. Just keep in mind that your goals…, whatever they may be, are your own…, and no one else’s. So is the path and the pace you set for yourself to get there.
The idea here is to not disregard all other facets of your life. This is something you may want to seriously consider when you commit to the pursuit of a goal…, and it may be more important than anything else.
You will still be living your entire Life as you go on about pursuing your goals, and to do so mindful of “Being” in the present…, when leaving anything out…, is impossible. The present reality of your life…, and mine for that matter…, is that it is always whole…, in the Now.
To me…, a solid relationship is based on a foundation of respect. It is where upon Love is built…, not the other way around…. To say you love someone…, but at the same time be abusive toward them…, is not at all OK. Abuse is not an expression of Love…, much less its engendering. …There is nothing positive about it.
Love…, remember…, is an act that incites positive feelings we identify as Love itself. Saying “I love you” is nice…, but not as nice as “Being” …, and behaving as if you “Do.” It is more about “Show” than it is about “Tell.”
I hear it all the time…, I love you…, and not necessarily in a romantic sense. People often throw that phrase around…, just because. But we now know that love is an action word and not a simple verbal expression.
Of course…, it sounds nice to say it …, and it is nice to hear it. But what’s the old saying again? Oh yeah… Actions speak louder than words.
Remember to behave toward each other…, treating the word love…, as a verb. Also remember…, it does not always have to o be in a romantic sense. You could love anyone else…, a relative, or a friend…, or even a stranger.
We all have…, and continue to accumulate things…, and of course…, some things have more sentimental value and meaning than others. But those things are in our lives because we put them there…, some having been acquired because of great sacrifice.
Still…, they are things…, just things. Without us they have no meaning…, no value.
I will do it tomorrow. What? Love? What is the act of love you say you want to put off for tomorrow? Of course…, of course…, I realize that somethings can’t happen before its time. But some things can happen all the time. Remember the little things?
To me, the feeling of Love is the beautiful consequence of a positive act you want…, or need…, and accept.
The offer does not need a specific time or occasion. However, sometimes it could be too late. There is a point when we want or need to feel loved after which the act loses its meaning and effect. We all have…, at one time or another, had this experience…, and it was not good…, right?
Sometimes…, a broken heart cannot be mended.
You know…, before now…, I never thought of the word love as a verb. I just thought of it as a feeling..., the word feeling, as a noun. But I have a curious and questioning mind…. So…, I asked myself…, what made me feel what I called Love? Where does the feeling come from?
It is normal to be oblivious to this reality. It requires mindfulness and awareness…, somethings easily missed because of the speed of living and the many and constant distractions we are faced with every day.
On the other hand, and this may be true for you, it may simply be that you did not realize it until now…, until it was brought to your attention.
When it comes to life and living…, we must be mindful that life is a 180-degree experience. In other words, life is a straight line…, not a circle. This is to say…, there is never a precise repetition of any Time or anything…. simply because we are always…, always, for the first time, living in this moment…, this Now…, this moment that is always new…, this Now that is always never the same….
An awakening suggest that we are asleep or mentally dormant. But things seem more insidious than just being asleep. It seems to me that somehow, we are in an intermittent log off mode and not able to completely shut down when we want to… or need to. It is like being kept on Mind support…, a state wherein we are influenced not to think for ourselves but to be accommodated by artificial intelligence while existing in a realm between real life and cyber space. A kind of no man’s land.
Ever heard the saying, no man is an island? It suggeststhat no one is truly self-sufficient. We rely on the company and comfort of others to survive. We rely on others to be fair, compassionate, helpful, and kind. We are all here because we relied on others to take care of us when we were born…, to teach us and to be there for us when we needed them.
Because we can’t know when we will run out of life…, die, if you will…, we should take every opportunity to “do” things that engender the feeling of love…, romantically or otherwise…. Why not?... There is no such thing as too many acts of care, consideration, compassion, kindness…, or any other positive act toward another.
Love is the most powerful and positive emotional experience in life. It is an emotion triggered by an act of care, consideration, compassion, kindness, or any positive act toward another, and especially…, in a romantic sense. You do to, or for me, what I like or need. I do to, or for you, what you like or need. When we do…, there is love for two. There is “being” with love.
As humans, we are designed with the ability to think, as we are…, with the inability to know the future, and I believe…, this is for the good of Humanity. I certainly am thankful to God that I cannot know my future. If I could, I believe it would devalue the present Moment…, the only moment there is…, the moment in Time I live my life…, not just some of it…, not most of it…, but all of it…, all the time.
Modernity can be unrelenting, as you know. It is so much so, that we are fast approaching Mindlessness at a Time when we most need to be mindful of our own Presence…, of our own Being…, in the Now
At some point, we must become aware and take control because…, it is true. Today, we’re constantly distracted and moving so fast we keep missing the Present. We need to slow down and set a pace we can control and live with. Not a pace set for us by the Beast.
Luck aside. When did procrastination, self-doubt, fear of failure and a lack of courage lead to any great achievement?
In the words of the late Zig Ziglar, you must be the Bacon…, not the Egg…, in a “Bacon and Egg” breakfast…. In it…, the chicken is merely involved…, but the pig is committed.
Having a written plan is one thing. Executing it is another. When to execute it… is something else altogether.
About when…, I say… when you are ready to commit…, not before. Who says it must be at the beginning of any new year? …. It is more about your mind…, than it is, about time.
Use me as an example if you want. I knew I wanted to start season 2 of Minding Your Mind since last summer. But I knew I would not be ready to commit to starting on January first. I never even thought of it as a resolution. I just knew I would not be ready and that I did not have to be ready until I was…, and here I am now. It is still Now O’ Clock…. Just in Time.
Think about it this way… The Thrill lives in the Hunt… but dies with the Kill…. The Thrill…, is in making the most of your life…, now. The Hunt…, is the experience of pursuing a worthy goal…, and the Kill, is the goal achieved, and the reset of a new one.
life and living is best experienced when we are mindful and aware of our… Self…, being in the Now and present minded about life as it happens. It is about what we do…, to live…, the positive effect it has on others…, and being grateful for all that is good and right.
As with all else in life…, being grateful and what is good and right, happens at the same time, every time…, Now O’ Clock.
Are you open to fresh and original inspirational quotes about life, living and presence? Then join me in season 2 of Minding Your Mind…, Mindful Quotes – Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Find me at www.buzzsprout.com/1721725, or wherever you go to listen to podcasts.
Inspirational quotes awaken in us…, new energy to set…, or…, to stay on our path toward goals already set. They inspire hope, self-love, compassion, peace, kindness, and gratitude…. Mindful quotes will inspire in you…, a mindstyle…, that can change your lifestyle.
There is at least one here for you or for someone you love. Listen for yours. Have them listen for theirs.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and, soon after, Christmas follows. During these times there is much to be grateful for, happy about, and to celebrate . It is always a good thing when family, friends and so many, come together on the same days to celebrate life. It is in the air. We can see the decorations, feel the mood, hear the sounds, smell food being cooked and can almost taste it all. But most important is sharing ourselves and our appreciation for each other and the hope we have for a better future.
What moves us to ask questions? When did we begin? Is it an ability we have lost, or was it taken away from us? I hope these questions, and what will be my thinking about what I believe happened, arouses your curiosity.
Today what I am going to talk about may not apply to you if you are young or relatively so. If you are, you may know someone who could benefit from this talk…, mom, dad, grandma or grandpa, for example. Share it with them. They will thank you.
This episode is about my religious, or not, view about certain aspects of religion. It is about the heart versus the head, belief and trust ,and whether there is a difference between a blessing, a miracle and a coincidence.
Today I talk about "not" being able to know, why we must "not" have that ability, and why we should thank God we don’t.
I know. It sounds counterintuitive, right? The mind is too curious for that.
Today, one of my realized perceptions of Time draws a distinction between what I call “Wholesale”Timeand “Retail”Time. Also in this episode, I go off track a little to talk about seeing the future. It would seem we actually do.
It could get weird . So, you will really have to mind your mind for this one.
In this episode I talk about the days of the week, our gratitude and the national chant for one, and the national lament for another. Regardless, it should not make a difference in terms of when life happens.
Today I want to talk about how numbers are used to categorize our lives, the myth that is Time management and the real value in managing our life energy. It’s time for a shift in perspective. Time to mind your mind.
Today, I want to talk about happiness, what is it, and how you know you are. Do you know what the Greek philosopher Democritus thought about the nature of happiness? What about Socrates and his student Plato? What did they think? Of course, Aristotle had his own views about happiness.
Hello everyone. This is going to be a first for me. I am going to do something I’ve never done before, much less in public, and in a space like this.
Why now? I don’t know. Maybe it is just timing and inspiration.
“Words are like keys. We use them alone, in combination or sequence to open minds so as to capture the imagination of those we try to persuade. Choose your words wisely. Speak the truth”
Of course, words can be, and are used as weapons to hurt and disrupt. We all know what those words are. In this episode I will talk about some specific words we use with some regularity and in some instances, how. Furthermore, there are a few I take issue with, and others I want to have substituted. I can use your help. Thanx.
The question today is, what is it that keeps us from doing certain things we, otherwise, should; those things we keep putting off? It is the mental back and forth between Yes and No . Not to worry. I will share an interesting and effective exercise that will strengthen your resolve.
Do you have an idea? Are you committed to it? Do you have what it takes to achieve your goal? What, in your mind, is success?
Today we talk about commitment, action, belief, attitude, confidence, and luck. I will also tell you a story that involves all these attributes; a story I believe you will find very inspirational, yet very unlikely. So, get ready for another serving of Mind food.
Today, I want to talk about needs, wants and choices on one hand, and about addiction, distraction, and speed on the other. The combination of these makes living in a modern world complicated, to say the least. I will also introduce you to the Beast. But, in the end, it will all boil down to one simple thing. First though, we must slow down.
Can we be more mindful about embracing life? Of course, we can, but are we? If you are, you’re good. If you are not, now is always the right time to start. If you’re not sure you are, and are curious, then it’s time for you to Mind your Mind.
In fact, throughout the series you we will need to mind your mind, because we will be talking about life as it happens in the areas I mentioned. In some cases, and under certain circumstances, I will provide you with the Mind food you can use. It’s Now O’ Clock. Let’s dig in!