What is the Point?

Why even bother trying to change? What is the point of stepping out of the shadows of comfort into a scary, foreign world? For me, I was finally willing to take a leap of faith into the unknown because I had nothing left. I was nothing. I stood to lose nothing whatsoever by trying something new. I stood to gain everything. That is the point.

I want to live a better life. I want to be happy. I want to be free. Those are the points. For me, the realization of those aspirations only is possible through action. That’s the point–a structured process beginning with acceptance and then followed by positive action allows me to be the man I’m meant to be. I get to be the man I always wanted to be.

I get to take responsibility for my own life and my place in the world. That’s the point. I get to be a blessing to those around me. I get to have peace in my heart and a quiet mind.

What is the point to you?

 

Acceptance is Nothing Without Action

I believe that the practice of acceptance is absolutely crucial if I’m to have any hope of realizing a happy, meaningful life. I have expressed my perspective on acceptance, primarily by sharing a personal story from my life.

As incredibly powerful as I have found acceptance to be, it is utterly useless to me if I do not follow it up with action. Simple action has been the keystone to any and all wellbeing I experience. Acceptance lays the groundwork for me to receive direction for the next necessary simple action–in all circumstances.

Simple action has been the most profound and empowering discovery of my life. And discovery is somewhat misleading, because the recipe was freely given to me by others. Action does not guarantee any specific outcome in my life, but simple, positive action certainly increases my eligibility for positive outcomes.

Please share your experiences with practicing simple action in your own life. Together we can share an understanding of the actions that have allowed us to build a better self. Then we can scale that understanding into the simple actions that will enable us to build a better world.

How We Connect

 

My hope is to create a community of shared understanding. I desire to share my experiences with others, in an attempt to invite them to a place of comfort with expressing vulnerability with me. In essence, by sharing my story, and only my story, I believe that I can begin to establish deep, meaningful connections with those around me.

Last night, I began a discussion of the immense value I find in acceptance. I’d like to continue that dialogue tonight by sharing a personal story. I believe that this story, my journey to realize a long out-of-reach dream, illustrates the incredible power of practicing acceptance.

I hope you may be encouraged, after hearing this story, to share your experiences with me. By sharing your stories of acceptance, I know that we can nurture a shared understanding of how to build a better self. By doing that, I believe we are laying the foundation to begin building a better world together.

Acceptance

I’ve been thinking a whole lot lately about how to clone a process for positive outcomes in my life. The incredible thing is that I’ve been given a recipe by those I trust and respect. The recipe, though, does not teach my how to bake a cake or any other dish for that matter. The recipe instead shows me–through a series of crystal clear, step-by-step instructions–how to live a better life.

Like any recipe, the outcome is contingent upon following the directions. I’ve discovered that, although the manifestation is to some extent unique each time, the product is essentially the same when I am willing to follow the instructions. The instructions are merely suggested actions. I have found, that for me at least, before I am able to follow and implement any direction–no matter how simple the instruction–I must first practice acceptance. Acceptance precedes virtually all positive action I implement in my life.

Please share your experiences of practicing acceptance in your own life. My hope is that we will share an understanding of how to build a better self by starting from a place of acceptance. I believe that we can scale that shared understanding to begin to build a better world together.

Why Would They Have Your Best Interest at Heart?

I think on our jobsites I am witnessing the last of a dying breed. These are men and women who have given everything to a trade and they are exhausted. They are worn out, beat down, and on the home stretch to a rapidly-approaching finish line. They represent a class of workers who were willing to sacrifice entirely to their employers because that was considered the right thing to do. They come from a generation that inherently valued loyalty, albeit a dangerous manifestation as loyalty to employer paramount to loyalty to any other. Forever.

Nowhere I’d Rather Be

I am looking over at my girlfriend, asleep on the big puppy bed with our bulldog, Maple Syrup. The puppy is draped over her and she is fighting it, drifting in and out as her eyelids get heavier. Our two cats are perched together in the same cat tower above—Luigi is curled up asleep, softly snoring, and his brother, Mario, looks to be headed that way in short order. Life is perfect. This is our home and my favorite place in the entire world. There is nowhere else I’d rather be.

It’s Okay to Say No

“Oh, for sure! Thank you for inviting me! I just have to check and see what I have going on. I’ll let you know.” That means no. No, I’m not going to do whatever it was that you were nice enough to invite me to. It just means that I’m not comfortable telling you no right when you asked me. So, I’m just going to put off telling you no, even though I know the answer is no.