Regrets
Most of the things we regret are things we didn't do. This is confirmed by listening to people who are at the end of their life. What will you regret not doing?
Are people stopping you?
Are there people stopping you from becoming all you can or who you want to be? First, ask are they really stopping you or are you letting them because you care what they think or want their approval? Is it you after all? There may be people who are trying…
Logging out of reality
When we go online we log out of reality. There is plenty to do there. In fact, you could be there forever and never see it all. At a given time, is that good for you?
Great relationships – great life
We're not taking anything with us. In our final days, stuff won't even matter anymore. Accomplishing things is great, but how great would it be without anyone to share it with? Meaningful relationships make life rich and worth living.
"Possessions possess"
I am all for having cool stuff that enables a "better" life, but here's what I know: every possession is a responsibility. It costs us money and you have to find a place for it, dust it, check its oil, clean it, heat it, move it, protect it from harm,…
Imagination
"The Possible's slow fuse is lit by the imagination." -Emily Dickinson Imagination is how we create, solve problems, design a better future, and plan. The young are good at imagination - they don't know the limits, so they ignore them. The old are good at imagination - they understand the…
Strength and Wisdom
Some people are strong. They tough out each day, take the blows, and soldier on in the field. Some people are wise. They learn and figure out how to avoid trouble, living the life of an observer. But strength and wisdom are not opposing values. Adopting both, we can do much…
Age of Miracles
Some books just resonate with me totally. Today, I offer a quote by Marianne Williamson, one of my favorites, directly from her book "Age of Miracles." "It is your thoughts and your thoughts alone that determine what's possible for you now. It's time to proactively reach beyond any predetermined formulas…
Being vigilant about freedom
Just because freedom is a natural right as defined by our founders, doesn't mean it's guaranteed. We must be vigilant in protecting it. Free speech is one area we must pay attention to. Is it more important that we be able to say whatever we want, or that nobody says…
Being a good neighbor
If you want to live in a good neighborhood, first you have to be a good neighbor. Would your neighbors say you were a good neighbor? Why?
Regrets
Most of the things we regret are things we didn’t do. This is confirmed by listening to people who are at the end of their life.
What will you regret not doing?
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Are people stopping you?
Are there people stopping you from becoming all you can or who you want to be?
First, ask are they really stopping you or are you letting them because you care what they think or want their approval? Is it you after all?
There may be people who are trying to stop you from being your best self and achieving your dreams. They may be afraid to lose you, afraid you’ll make them look bad, not understand your choices, or just envious.
You must be strong enough to stand up to them, or strong enough to ignore them.
Achieving your dreams takes guts – to go after it, and to leave what must be left behind.
I think if I’m being honest, sometimes I am the one standing in my own way and stopping from reaching for dreams because here, it can be crippling if I start thinking about failing. Working on getting out of my own way.
you are so right
Most people do what they are told to do. They follow their leaders instructions. It is not wise or fair to that innocent soul to condemn them. Digging to the root of the problem creates a wall with one person posing in the front. The shepherd of the sheep.
Both my families blessed me with the title of “black sheep”. Can you guess why?
A black sheep will always stick out even when it does its best to blend with the crowd. Embracing the title is a struggle most of the time because someone has to budge and allow the other to pass.
Since I am a fragile sensitive girl I try to pick my battles wisely. Seeing others jump or fold is painful, especially when there is no real reason for mass destruction.
Thanks for the shout out!
I agree with Sharon…I am more likely get in my own way.
I find that I that I get what I give people. I am an optimist and tend to avoid pessimists. The result of this filter is that the people in my personal life are supportive and want the best for me…lucky me!
Professionally, the culture at CT Basement Systems is also one with optimism. The team is amazing. Jason and I have been interviewing together and I look for this quality, among other qualities during the interview.
A positive attitude is as contagious as is a negative attitude.
Thanks Larry. Great message for today that really hits home.
Thank you for giving us a glimpse of Lisa. She’s a great photographer and we love having her on our team.
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Logging out of reality
When we go online we log out of reality. There is plenty to do there. In fact, you could be there forever and never see it all.
At a given time, is that good for you?
Cool picture ! Really makes you think about evolution and where some people go with it ( backwards).Internet, with cell phones really take this to a new level. You see kids ( sometimes mine included:) not even engaged with family conversations at dinner our going out to a great restaurant. My wife makes them put phones in center of table, and the first to grab theirs has to pay the bill……funny no one grabs their phone :))
Does this mean we shouldn’t be reading your blogs? 😉
Truth! (And, no, it is not good for you.)
It doesn’t matter who you are or how you look. What matters is what you do. Connecting to the matrix is inevitable if one wants to earn a living and communicate with a selected part of the world. But the danger is slick and stealthy.
Instead of watching others live their life every single afternoon on a screen, I choose to play word games and run around with the kids. I get some exercise, we laugh a lot and feel much closer to each other at the end of the day.
Hearing them giggle and say, ‘this was so much fun’ always puts me in a better state.
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Great relationships – great life
We’re not taking anything with us. In our final days, stuff won’t even matter anymore.
Accomplishing things is great, but how great would it be without anyone to share it with?
Meaningful relationships make life rich and worth living.
You’re speaking truth here, Larry.
I met a good friend yesterday and somehow I was listening to a description about another person. First I was engulfed by the drama but than I realized I never even met the described person.
Why do I allow someone else’s description to cloud my judgement.
I will decide about the person when I will have the pleasure to meet with them, work with them, talk with them, and spend a longer period together working as a team.
Until then my judgement is cloudy and it is not based on personal experiences. Be vigilant when you listen or read other people’s descriptions and presentations.
And most of all do not let yourself be sucked into someone else’s private struggle without wearing a rain coat.
The rain coat will remind you that we are all humans working on creating peace within so we can create and share meaningful relationships with each other.
As a side note (because the inner teacher can not seem to stay quiet): not every relationship is healthy or equally beneficial, friends, work, family. Sometimes the knowledge of being accepted or the amount of earned income is not worth sacrificing the inner balanced, peace and fill of joy that the feel of equal contribution creates …
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"Possessions possess"
I am all for having cool stuff that enables a “better” life, but here’s what I know: every possession is a responsibility.
It costs us money and you have to find a place for it, dust it, check its oil, clean it, heat it, move it, protect it from harm, insure it, winterize it, take it for walks, water it, store it, inventory it, house it, maintain it, pay taxes on it, register it, and then sell it, auction it or throw it away.
Stuff eats up our bandwidth.
“Possessions delude the human heart into believing that they provide security and a worry-free existence, but in truth, they are the very cause of worry.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945
“Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.” – John Ruskin
Dietrich Bonhoeffer…one of my hero’s. Murdered by the Nazi’s because his faith required him to stand up against Hitler.
This post resonates with my attitude towards possessions. I can recall only a few things my parents ever gave me yet I vividly remember almost all trips and adventures we shared. I believe in sharing experience’s and this how I am as a friend and parent today.
So if people were/are so aware of the effect possessions have on ones already existing life why do we go out of our way to reach out, buy, acquire, and possess a beaming shiny object in the first place?
Our programmed sens of need is what invoked the new devil to show up in the living breathing quarters creating havoc.
We either man up and clean out the house and get rid of useless old junk that we allowed to just sit there for years even though we stopped finding joy in their existence a very long time ago,
or
we ignore our discomfort and keep the shelves, closets, garage, attic stuffed with emotional garbage and occasionally stack another beautiful fancy object on top of the already existing piles.
Start cleaning so you can start breathing.
The easier you breath the easier you will find the beautiful self hiding behind a dusty mirror.
Hey Larry…you will never believe it, but we had 5 FEET of water (insert joke here) in our remodeled basement last week, due to flash flooding in our area. We lost a lot of “stuff”, just like that. I thought of you often and thanked the Lord it wasn’t our entire house. We will be displaced about 2 weeks, I again, can’t imagine what you went through with your fire. Needless to say, a lot of “throwing and cleaning” is taking place. Stuff is stuff, it’s not as important as you think it was. Side note: Drywall is disgusting when it’s soaked floor to ceiling. I see TBF down the road…..
I agree with Dave Drescher:
My memories relate to places I went or time I spent with people, not things I own. The things are sometimes required to pursue the adventure, but the Adventure is the goal, the memory and the accomplishment.
There are now books about how to do “Death Cleaning”, which you should begin by age 65. Your kids don’t want your stuff now, and for sure they won’t want it after you are gone!
“You don’t own things, things own you”,
But my dog (Porter) says he is okay with me because I don’t require much bandwidth, his ROI is good!
I would not have agreed with this 20-25 years ago, but now that I am old (49 LOL), I can say that I find this absolutely true in my life.
I absolutely love this. It is true, while some possessions are necessary some are just wants. Recognizing the difference is hard for some people. I don’t want to be held hostage by the things in my life.
I believe that truer words of wisdom have not ever been said – I find only that I wish I had defined this boundary long before reaching this point in my life (67 and still operating my construction company of 47 years) and it wouldn’t be such a job to deal with all of the accumulated stuff over the next three year period!
So True…..ego gets in our way with this one
The more money I make the more stressed out I feel. It really can make a prision out of you. However, it feels great no to worry or count pennies when it comes to pay my bills
I resent the “take it for walks” line.
Dogs (or animals of any sort) are not possessions, nor are they burdens. They are a delightful addition to a family and studies have shown that they actually lengthen a person’s lifespan. My dog has saved me from suicide on more than one occasion. I don’t need any of the other crap in my house, but my dog is a necessity.
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Imagination
“The Possible’s slow fuse is lit by the imagination.” -Emily Dickinson
Imagination is how we create, solve problems, design a better future, and plan.
The young are good at imagination – they don’t know the limits, so they ignore them.
The old are good at imagination – they understand the ingredients available and have some experience.
What have you been struggling with? What would you like to solve? What would be fantastic?
Sit down, and open up your imagination….
This reminds me of the “Brainstorming” I used to do with my team. No idea was discounted- all were collected with no negative comment, regardless of how “off the wall” they were. They let their fantasies fly! Everyone had a chance to contribute, so extrovert/introvert had equal say. It is amazing how one person’s idea would stimulate yet another idea. The the team collectively winnowed down the content to a workable solution satisfactory to all. They owned it!!
a good time for my imagination
How about young experienced old souls? We can not judge someone by their age because we never know what they went through or experienced just by looking at their appearance. Some people at 20 dealt with more than other people at age 50. Age should never be a scale we use to measure a souls capacity to contribute and make a difference in this world.
A body is a tool that could be reconditioned at any point if the occupier decides to change their thinking and take the necessary steps towards the reconditioning training.
Also, some rules are man made therefore only man/woman through their imagination and thinking are capable to change them.
And I am not thinking about gene splicing, cross breathing and DNA modification. I am thinking about social rules. All the pleasantries we were forced to accept because someone made it a rule or a custom.
For example, I do not understand why we need Valentines day to remind us to tell our chosen partner that we love them and spend time with them. Why do we have to express our love through buying a useless stuffed animal?
Why are we forcing ourselves to buy gifts at Christmas when it clearly diminishes the meaning of a true gift?
A true gift comes from the heart and manifests itself any given day of the year.
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Strength and Wisdom
Some people are strong. They tough out each day, take the blows, and soldier on in the field.
Some people are wise. They learn and figure out how to avoid trouble, living the life of an observer.
But strength and wisdom are not opposing values.
Adopting both, we can do much more than with one alone.
It is nice to have people around who help us adopt when we blow a fuse or feel helpless even out of tune. Thank you Larry
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Age of Miracles
Some books just resonate with me totally. Today, I offer a quote by Marianne Williamson, one of my favorites, directly from her book “Age of Miracles.”
“It is your thoughts and your thoughts alone that determine what’s possible for you now. It’s time to proactively reach beyond any predetermined formulas you or anyone else might have for ‘what’s possible’ at this time in your life. No matter what did or did not happen in your past, the present remains an endless fount of miraculous opportunities – the law of divine compensation guarantees that.
‘Endless possibility’ is not just an abstraction; it is a yearning of the universe, an active force of constant and infinite elasticity. It responds not only to your past but to your present state of mind.
It’s not what happened in your life so far that has the power to determine your future. It’s how you interpret what’s happened, and learn from what’s happened, that sets the course for your probable tomorrows.
Life doesn’t always, or even usually, move in a consistently rising arc of progress.”
Age of Miracles aligns well with the discussion I had with a very good friend yesterday. She is a stay home mother of two. We went for a walk and talked. She was thinking about becoming a yoga instructor. I was thinking about a different path.
We both are physically active, like yoga, believe in spirituality, are roman catholic, believe in karma, believe in spirit and the universe, we booth believe in angels and, do not understand why so many religions and lifestyles crash when most use the same type of teaching as their base on how to become enlightened, how to become a better happier person, how to live a healthier life.
Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Wicca, Taoism, Sikhism, Atheism, Sciences, and the list goes on and on …
I was thinking all the above when she asked me ” but do you believe in God?”
She asked me if I believe in God right after I was thinking to explaine her that everything has truth in it and that humanity does not look at the bigger picture and combine the bits and pieces to form a whole. We should always look at the similarities instead of getting hung up and fighting over the tiniest differences.
We all have the same type of power running through our veins. We are all spirits of light, proof for this is how our neurons fire up and transfer electrical impulses. And we all have a soul. A SOUL. A soul that is connected and is communicating with other souls on this planet. We are all connected and part of an energy field. We communicate through thoughts. We can read each other. We can connect and reach to a higher vibration. Our minds are super powerful.
Do I believe in God? was the question that was hanging in the air.
Why did that question create a knot in my throat and made me feel the shivers run through my body and become quiet, smiling at the perfect timing?
What is more, why was I asked that question?
Love the thoughts coursing through my brain right now.
Larry and Joel Osteen, both help me keep a positive perspective even when fending off the dark thoughts caused when things don’t go exactly according to plan.
Plan again and stay positive. There is a plan out there that allows you to grow to your greatest potential. Keep working!
Hey Larry thanks for your latest article about miracles the age of miracles. But I did want to challenge your thinking even as you have challenged mine. Is the universe a person or is it like the Sun a brilliant orb that Burns men’s skin or Dries the harvest for consumption without concern at all about whom it shines upon? Does the universe have eyes that see and a mind to comprehend or cannot speak to us? Does the universe have compassion Or ire? Does it Assign to us wi righteousness or condemnation? If I pray to it can/does it hear and answer ? Me?
Do you think your thoughts are valuable? Do you believe that your thinking is powerful? Do your thoughts result in action?
Did you ever walk down a street and realize you found an answer to one of your questions through a random strangers actions? Did you ever pick up a random book that explained something you were wondering about? Did a friend ever call or show up at your door when you needed help, company, comfort or just someone to talk to?
Lets take this a notch further.
Do you think your thoughts affect the plants in your house? Do you think your thoughts affect the animals around you? Do you think your thoughts affect other people around you?
What is a thought? Is a thought described as a process in our body? Is thought a form of energy, a force?
Why do elements react to each other? Why do elements attract or repel each other? How do elements from the periodic table determine which other element offers a good connection?
Why do elements break connections and reestablish them with other types of elements? Why do salt particles start forming and building a crystal like structure up in a space ship? Why does space exist? How do stars and planets form?
How can light rays travel in space?
Are we beings of light? Do our neurons connect and communicate through transferring electrical impulses?
Can you describe a scientifically proven and documented psychic connection?
How do dolphins communicate? How does a pack of wolves communicate? How does a flock of migrating birds communicate? How do animals know when to start migrating?
How do you explain a team of players being in tune and sensing each others next move without talking or seeing the other person?
Did you ever participate in a group prayer? Did you ever join a group of singing people opening your heart, ears and voice to the worship? Did you ever feel the power of the collective? Were you ever influenced by the collective power?
Why do people generate and maintain a magnetic field? Why does planet Earth have a magnetic field? Why are we connected and live in symbiosis? Why is mother Earth feeding us?
Did you ever notice and experience a miracle?
Would you even know how to interpret it or recognize it?
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Being vigilant about freedom
Just because freedom is a natural right as defined by our founders, doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed. We must be vigilant in protecting it.
Free speech is one area we must pay attention to. Is it more important that we be able to say whatever we want, or that nobody says anything that offends us?
If anyone can say “I am offended,” then the definition is subject to anyone’s interpretation; thus anyone can silence anyone. If we should be free to speak ourselves, then we must know that some will say things that we find offensive – or just plain rude, ignorant, stupid, and nonsensical. Should people be offensive or rude? No. But censoring speech is too high a personal price to pay.
Let’s protect free speech.
Strongly agree!! It concerns me that some of our institutions of higher learning, places where ideas, both good and bad should be debated, have chosen to raise up a generation of children who believe that we should have “safe” places where they are not exposed to any thoughts that run contrary to their personal opinions. And this generation will be the leaders of our country in the next decade or so.
Absolutely! If we want the freedom to be able to say what we want, then we must allow others to say what they feel also, without getting offended just because we may disagree.
Political correctness is killing free speech and this will be the death of freedom if the safe space crowd has their way!I pray they don’t.
I do not know about many of you but as a younger eastern european woman with a distinctive accent, often in a managerial position, I had my fair share of opportunities requiring to exercise patience and tolerance towards other coworkers and their self expression.
When I read today’s post the first thought that came to my mind was that I do not express my appreciation and gratitude towards my environment often enough.
Self expression is self expression but the choice of delivery and path of action is always ours. We will never agree 100% on everything. We will not.
But,
We can agree on having the same physical needs and main characteristics. We can agree on having the opportunity to make a difference and change the things that do not fit us or help us grow and build a healthier environment and life style.
Thank you for all your kindness and for helping each other in your unique way to make a difference, let that be handing out meals, pulling over on the highway to let the speedier drivers pass by, going over to the neighbors with cookies or writing and encouraging to think.
We all have the power to make a difference.
Perfect
Free speech is free speech, after that is meaning making machines. “Being” offended, hurt, loved, empowered, educated – we have free will to take what we want from it.
Totally agree with all the previous comments.
We have been heading down a path that will destroy this country.
We can never stop saying “Merry Christmas “, “God Bless
America” etc. if the unique American culture is to remain.
Keep spreading the word.
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Being a good neighbor
If you want to live in a good neighborhood, first you have to be a good neighbor.
Would your neighbors say you were a good neighbor?
Why?
Heck yeah! I do smokey burnouts when I leave the driveway and offer them a beer as soon as I see them coming up!
Ok, So, I don’t do that… much…
But I’m never home so… My lawn is mowed? AND I bring them cookies on holidays…
I am a naturally smiley quiet girl, and by quiet I mean that I keep my nose in a book most of the time but I act selfless in many instances, so being a good neighbor, since I lived in a couple different environments, means different things:
In the suburban area being a good neighbor means: I often house watch, spend a couple of days or nights sleeping at someones house while they are on vacation while I take care of their pets and water their plants. Help the old lady next door shovel the snow away from her driveway (it is good exercise).
In a city apartment complex being a good neighbor means: I water the plants hanging on the walls in the stairway, I sign for someones package or mail and deliver it later myself, help the elderly carry their groceries up the stairs.
In the country side being a good neighbor means: you offer a plate of food for whoever goes over to your house to visit, help them when they are stuck on the field or hand them a hand with a farm task or you give them a ride into the city or help them understand and fill out documents.
People and customs are different but just because someone lives in a poor more crowded neighborhood does not mean that they are not responsible for their own actions and environment.
Be a leader by example.
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I do not have regrets.
I did what felt right and what I could to my best capabilities at any given moment. I fought for myself and I fought for my dreams and that knowledge in its own makes me feel fulfilled.
I followed my inner voice.
Larry asked a question and I love that he makes me think. What will I regret not doing?
If I do everything I want to do today I should not have any regrets tomorrow.
If I wake up tomorrow thinking about something I forgot, or something I messed up, or something I said that wasn’t right, or something I didn’t do that will be a task I will correct tomorrow.
But today, I am the mistress of my fate.
I will regret if I do not go to get a hair cut to look more put together during tomorrows job interview. Also, I will regret not sharing a line that stuck with me from a book I read: ‘God lives where they allow him to enter’.
In my own awkward way I show my love and affection to the man I love and the people I care about. Am I perfect? Far from it. But, I love to be part of this community and for the opportunity to grow and become a better version of myself every single new day.
If today is my last day I will leave in peace because I know I followed my inner voice.
I think introspection is a good thing. Not long ago I made a list of “regrets”, and as I pondered each one, I realized that many life lessons were learned in this process, and identified how I became stronger and more resilient because of them. Life will always be full of ups and downs. Celebrate the “ups” and learn from the “downs”.