Maybe It’s Time To Stop Eating Burnt Toast?

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” Thich Nhat Hanh

We really are creatures of habit, aren’t we? Even if those habits are somewhat detrimental to our well being. Even if those habits prevent us from growing more fully into who it is we know we were created to become.

Habits are familiar. They become part of our identity. What is known and accepted comes with it’s own sense of predictability which creates a sense of safety, even if that safety feels uncomfortable and often empty.

But, for some, it’s better than the fear inherent with what’s unknown.

Burnt toast isn’t ideal, but if it’s all you’ve known, it’s just easier to simply settle and keep eating it, even if better options are readily available.

I’ve had my share of life’s burnt toast. Of settling for less than in the presence of abundant alternatives. The acceptance of my Continue reading “Maybe It’s Time To Stop Eating Burnt Toast?” →

The Energy of Possibility

I bet people would look at you rather strangely if you walked around with a solar panel strapped to your head. Or maybe a small wind turbine?

We see them just about everywhere these days. Solar panels and wind turbines. Many people are in search of alternative sources of energy. Perhaps driven by environmental concerns or cost savings, one goal is to become more energy independent and not needing to rely on foreign sources of energy.

How reliant are you on foreign sources of energy? No, not the oil and gas portion of your life but the emotional energy which fuels your life? Is the primary source of your energy coming from foreign sources, sources beyond your control, sources outside of yourself?

Who has to act a certain way for you to feel energized? What conditions need to already Continue reading “The Energy of Possibility” →

The Way Life Could Be

I hate being told what I should do.

Especially when I’m talking to myself.

There is an iconic sign everyone sees as they cross northbound from New Hampshire into Maine on Interstate 95. In white letters on a background of blue everyone is greeted with “Welcome to Maine…the way life should be.”

Maine is beautiful, overflowing with an abundance of natural wonder and inherent tranquility. In a state the size equal to the combined area of the other five New England states, Maine’s vastness and slower pace make it a perfect place to relax and escape the intensity and demands of Big City living.

Perhaps the sign is right. This is how my life should be.

I just don’t like the word “should”.

Should is the verbal hammer I use when I beat myself up for the mistakes I accuse myself of making. “I should have turned off at that last exit.” “I should have put more Continue reading “The Way Life Could Be” →

Maybe You Just Need To Start?

Have you ever known the answer, yet remained obsessed with the question?

Getting ready for a recent cross-country flight, my preparations included making sure I’d be entertained as I was to spend several hours miles above the clouds. Usually I’ll find something to read or listen to in the area of spiritual or personal growth. As I looked around my extensive collection of books and scanned my Audible app and my downloaded iTunes podcasts I realized that maybe I didn’t need to acquire more knowledge about becoming all I was created to become.

Maybe I just needed to start.

There’s a level of comfort when you are gathering knowledge. Because when you’re still in the data collection stage it’s perfectly OK not to start. After all, you can’t be expected to paint the Continue reading “Maybe You Just Need To Start?” →

The Forgotten Freedom?

Independence Day. A day most of the nation unplugs and celebrates the freedoms which serve as the backbone of America.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

But when do you ever stop to celebrate your own greatest personal freedom?

As humans, regardless of birthplace or nationality, we all possess the freedom to choose our thoughts. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl described this as the “last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

Standing where you are, you have some life-shaping decisions to make. You get to decide if the Continue reading “The Forgotten Freedom?” →

Bonsai Thinking

I admit my ignorance when it comes to understanding the “art” of the bonsai tree. In fact, I’m not sure I ever saw much artistry in it. What’s the big deal about trimming little trees with a pair of little scissors anyway?

Once again, I was probably missing the point.

And I was.

Last week I unexpectedly found myself reading a magazine article about bonsai trees. As I read and looked at the photos, I challenged myself to open my mind and look beyond my preconceived notions to see if I could gain a better understanding of these cute little trees. I had always dismissed them as nothing more than, well, cute little trees. As I Continue reading “Bonsai Thinking” →

The Benefits of Kissing Your Own Ass

It’s become standard operating procedure of late. The passing of a music icon disrupts the preprogrammed corporate music playlist of radio stations of the same genre. Now when I hear three songs by the same band or artist played back-to-back-to-back on the radio I assume someone has died.

That was the case recently with the loss of David Bowie. His passing filled the airwaves with his songs, his life celebrated through a lifetime of the music he created and shared with the world.

Sometimes hearing songs for the first time in a long while allows you to appreciate their artistry and message. Time changes us all and often with it our perspective of songs we’ve heard most of our adult lives.

“Insanity laughs…under pressure we’re cracking.”

Back in 1981 when it was recorded by Bowie and Queen, “Under Pressure” was lyrically insignificant to me. It was a great song driven by an infectious bass line. But I couldn’t relate to any meaning the words may have contained. The only pressure I had at that Continue reading “The Benefits of Kissing Your Own Ass” →

The Universe is My Dog

Who knew a saliva-coated stick could teach us something about how life works…

When my dog was a little younger and a little lighter he was quite active. With a big open yard there was always plenty of space for him to run and chase squirrels. Every once and a while we’d play fetch with an old tennis ball or a stick. No matter where or how far I threw it he’d always find it, run it back to me and drop it at my feet, ready for me to throw it once again. Throw, run, gather, return, repeat.

Kind of how the Universe works.

Whatever we throw out, the Universe will go get it and drop it back at our feet.

The Universe, like my dog, is extremely loyal. And like my dog, the Universe doesn’t differentiate between what we want and what we want to get rid of. What we throw out Continue reading “The Universe is My Dog” →

What Would You Do If You Could Live Your Life Over Again?

It really doesn’t matter.

Because you can’t.

No matter the magnitude of pain and regret, life doesn’t give any do-overs. Too bad, because most of us wonder at one time or another where we’d be in life had we turned left where we decided to turn right instead.

We can’t re-live yesterday. All we have is today.

Today we are the culmination of everything which has happened to us thus far. The good, the bad, the choices, the opportunities we’ve made the most of and the ones we Continue reading “What Would You Do If You Could Live Your Life Over Again?” →

Peter Mis LivingHalfFull.com

Lessons From A Life Unfolding

Category: possibility