Dalia Lama’s advice for us dreamers: "If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
Hey there,
Happy Sunday to you!
I’m really grateful we get to spend another day together. These newsletters have become a source of incredible joy for me and it’s because of YOU – especially those of you who take a moment to share what you got out of them with me. I’m extremely grateful to you.
What are you grateful for this morning? Truly truly?!
So last week I tried to put a spotlight on just how hyper-critical we are by asking you to put a rubber band on your wrist and every time you judged anything, move it to the other wrist.
Did you try it?
My instinct is most of you didn’t. No critisism at all but I could tell by the lack of emails and Facebook postings that my “rubber band challenge” wasn’t a big success.
But I do know this – those of you who did do it, who joined me had a very enlightening experience. And thank you for sharing the gifts it brought you.
Today I’d like t ask you a question … how old are you going to live?
Maybe the better question is how long do you want to live? Because whatever that answer is will influence greatly the answer to the first question.
How long? How old?
How many years do you have left IF you’re one of those blessed people that dies of old age? (I once heard that most people don’t die of old age but instead of a slow suicide. Day after day, year after year – between an incredibly unhealthy diet of processed foods, alcohol, stress, and a job they can’t stand they do things on a daily basis to check out, to escape, to be done, to slowly kill themselves and end their pain of living … so sad and so true).
I’m 58. I plan on living into my 90’s. Let’s call it 94. So that means I have 36 more years left in this body’s lifetime.
I don’t say this to be morbid or because of some fixation with death. If anything it’s just the opposite. I say these things because I want to live a life where I can look back with no regrets.
Zero.
None.
I say these things, I ask these questions of myself because I want to squeeze very second out of what time I have left.
And I want the same for you.
The Dalai Lama was once asked what surprises him most about humanity: “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
“He dies having never really lived.” How sad and how true for so many people.
How’s your life these days? How are your dreams doing? How are your New Years resolutions even doing?
I think most people would answer, “Not so great.”
So the next question I’ve been asking lately is why don’t we change? Why don’t we do the very things that would bring us more happiness and joy?
I’m working on something to share with you all someday soon that I hope and pray will benefit anyone who needs help changing.
Until then, let’s help each other get just a bit healthier, happier and a step closer to more of our dreams coming true.
30-DAY GIFT FOR YOU
What is something you’ve wanted to do that could be accomplished within the next 30 days?
This is not some dreary “to-do” that’s been hanging over your head. Nope, just the opposite. In fact, here is the criteria:
- It must be a small goal or a simple dream
- It must be fun
- It must be something you can accomplish in the next 30 days.
Here’s mine: within the next 30 days I’m going to visit my 88 year old father and spend an afternoon with just him and ask him every question about his life that I can possibly think of.
I can’t wait to accomplish this dream/goal!
Now for this to be really effective we need to hear from you. So either email me by hitting reply or go to our Facebook Page and declare what cool dream/goal you’re going to experience for all of us to hear and see and celebrate!
I’ll leave you with one more Dalia Lama quote: “Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive. I have a precious human life and I am not going to waste it.”
Go create an extraordinary day please.
My love and best,
Always,
Jim