Don’t Bring Me Down. July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness.comments closed
I’ve had down days a time or two (hundred!) in my life.
You know what I don’t do on my down days? Try to drag everyone else down with me. If I’m feeling sorry for myself, I stay away from people until the moment passes.
Wallowing in self-pity is a complete waste of time for everyone involved. All it does is suck the life out of an already shriveled apple.
When doctors told me I had a tumor that could not be biopsied due to its proximity to facial nerves (the ones I use to laugh and smile), I allowed myself one day to be sad, and then I got back to enjoying life.
People said, “How can you be so happy? You’re a medical malpractice attorney. You know how many things can go wrong during operations . . . ”
Yup. I did. I knew all about the risks of botched surgeries, malignant tumors, and complications from anesthesia. People thought I should be unhappy given the cards stacked against me.
I disagreed.
And my vote is the only one I bothered to count.
Like Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture), I made the decision to be a Tigger:
If I was going to die on the operating table, or from a malignant tumor, I wanted to enjoy every minute I had left, not waste precious time being an Eeyore.
On the morning of the surgery, I arrived at 5 am with a huge smile on my face for the nurses scheduled to prep me for surgery.
Perplexed, they questioned me to make sure I understood the dangers involved, including the fact that I would be under anesthesia for 3-4 hours, and that . . .
Nodding, I grinned, “I get it. I might die!”
Raised eyebrows from the nurses.
I laughed, “I’m selfish. If these are my last moments on Earth, I want them to be happy ones.”
Turns out I was under anesthesia for 6 hours. Then I had to wait 3 months for the final pathology report ~ 3 months! My tumor was atypical and had to be sent around to several teaching hospitals before the pathologists agreed on a working diagnosis of “benign tumor.”
For 6 months (3 before and 3 after the surgery), Bill and I didn’t know whether or not I had cancer. And, you know what, we dealt with the uncertainty by laughing and smiling and having fun.
We refused to give in to the uncertainty by moping around and wasting time worrying about the fact that I might be “dying.”
We’re all dying!
The real issue: how many of us know how to live?
None of us know how much time we have left. Any of us could be hit by a bus tomorrow.
Why not make the most of this moment???
So, yes, I walk around smiling. A lot. “Guilty” as charged. That doesn’t mean I’m delusional or that I refuse to face facts or that I’ve led a perfect life. It means that I wake up most mornings and make the conscious choice to be a Tigger, not an Eeyore.
And if that annoys you . . .
If you feel it’s your responsibility to wipe the silly grin off my face . . .
If you feel that my happiness detracts from your sorrow . . .
Well, this just in . . .
Don’t bring me down . . .
I’ll tell you once more . . .
Before I get off the floor . . .
Don’t bring me down!!!
Quote: An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?
QBQ! by John G. Miller July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, People.comments closed
Another excellent post by Kirk Weisler on T4D.
Today’s post addresses staying positive, remaining mindful, and exceeding expectations, rather than succumbing to the frustrations of the moment.
The last paragraph:
The truth is, I wasn’t at all surprised that Jacob, with the way he thought, would be quickly on his way toward his chosen goals. That’s the difference personal accountability can make.
Everyone wins: customers, co-workers, the organization, everyone.
And for Jacob, beyond the tips and the promotion, I can’t help but think the greatest win of all is the way he must feel about himself at the end of a day of making better choices, asking better questions and practicing personal accountability.
To read the entire article: The Question Behind The Question!
Indiana Jones Wouldn’t. Would You? July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Nature.comments closed
Indiana Jones hates snakes.
He is satisfied that dangerous reptiles should be appreciated (or ignored) only from afar . . . like in a galaxy far, far away.
What about you? Would you . . .
(a) Be willing to go into the Everglades at night to round up 14-foot-long Burmese Pythons and bring them in “dead or alive”?
Snake Hunter Cleaning Up Florida’s Everglades One Snake At A Time
Favorite quote: “Snakes bite me all the time,” Capt. Fobb says. “They’re trying to get me not to pick them up. You learn that, when they’re 10 to 11 feet long, you don’t pull away when they bite … If you can just kind of hold still while they decide you’re not something to eat, you’re OK.”
(b) Be willing to eat a poisonous snake to win a $2 bet?
Indian Man Eats Poisonous Snake, Barely Survives
Favorite quote: Luckily for Zaver, doctors were able to remove the contents of his stomach before the snake’s poison reached his bloodstream, which would have killed him.
(c) Be willing to live with dozens of poisonous snakes and constrictors (and allow them to drop gently onto your pillow at night) to set a Guiness Book World Record?
Man Attempting World Record For Living With Dangerous Snakes
Favorite Quotes: Jones (first nameDavid, not Indiana) is living in a room near Damodoryn, South Africa, for the next 121 days with more than three dozen constrictors, green mambas, boomslangs and other variations of killer serpents in an attempt to set a Guinness world record.
Often, he says, the snakes drop on his pillow or shoulders as he’s trying to work or sleep, but there have so far been no instances of Jones being bitten by one of these deadly terrors.
Me neither.
The Journey July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Mindfulness, Music & Dance.comments closed
The journey through life, along the spiritual path, is beyond the need for words, analysis, maps, and external reference points.
All we need do is follow the music in our heart, and the wind in our soul.
And we will end up exactly where we needed to go.
Even in the stillness, the cosmos swirls. Even when silence reigns, we hear its heartbeat.
Deepak Chopra: Mindfulness Meditation July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Meditation, Mindfulness.comments closed
Mindfulness allows you to recognize the Spirit within and achieve cosmic consciousness ~ your unity and connection with all things.
Begin by being mindful of your thoughts, your actions, and your emotions as you move through your day.
Become the silent observer of your thoughts:
One of the greatest teachings that comes to us from ancient times is that the highest form of human intelligence is the ability to witness yourself, to observe yourself, without judging yourself. Mindfulness will bring you that skill of observing yourself without judging yourself.
Even in the stillness, the cosmos swirls. Even when silence reigns, we hear its heartbeat.
Dalai Lama: Inner Peace & Happiness July 23, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Meditation, Mindfulness.comments closed
Starting a meditation practice, is not about attaining nirvana, achieving enlightenment, becoming a Buddha, pleasing God, finding religion, or saving ourselves.
It’s about freeing ourselves from self-imposed constraints that impede our happiness.
It’s about finding our compassionate core.
It’s about enjoying life by accessing inner peace.
Inner peace is the ultimate source of happiness and joyfulness. ~ Dalai Lama
Spirit Lights The Way 