Partners

This morning when I got up, the moon was high in the sky. It was about 1/4 full and waning. It was reflecting the light of the soon-to-be-risen sun. I can't help but notice their partnership. There is no struggle in the partnership between the sun and the moon. When they are both at their strength then they rise in opposition to each other to allow for the maximum expression. Yet, when the moon is dark it virtually rises at the same time as the sun. Perhaps this is to eek out any possible light reflection during the phase of the new moon. Perhaps they leverage each other's strengths.

What if we did that? What if we recognized our strength and those of the people around us and then organized ourselves so as to maximize on those strengths. I think we could be rid of a lot of the unneeded tension and strife we experience. We could work with the natural polarity of the world and channel the energy towards maximum creativity and productivity. I suspect that life would also be easier, with more flow.

Cold

It was cold this morning. I mean really really cold. And yet, the sun still rose, still did it's thing. Why is the temperature not affected by the sun? Weird. How many conditions do I put on my work? I can't work when it's noisy. I can't work when it's cold. I can't work when I'm distracted. I noticed that the sun didn't have those restrictions. The sun just shows up every day at the appointed time and does the shining.

What would it look like if I did the same thing? What if I just showed up every time and did my work, without questions, excuses or distractions? How much would I be able to accomplish? How many people could I impact? Great questions. I think I will try it this week. Just show up and do my work!

Be

The sun never alters who it is. It never compromises, never changes and never worries about what other people think. Even when the sun causes sun burns it doesn't change. Yet, how often do I dilute myself when confronted with challenging people or circumstances. I realize that this only hurts me in the long run. And, it ultimately shows up as a projection in the people around me.

I realize that I have, in the past, altered who I was in order to fit into some perceived expectation of the people around me. Eventually this alteration has come back to haunt me and I have found myself feeling powerless as a result. The only way out has been to reclaim the part of me that I thought I had to negate. This isn't always easy. However, it is usually the only way to freedom. Be who you are, no matter what. Anything less won't work. Trust me.

Waiting for It

The last day has been very challenging for me. I did not feel like getting up this morning to watch the sunrise. I was up very late AND had west coast jet lag. All in all, I got about 3 hours of sleep. Yet, my body instinctively knows when to wake up about an hour before sunrise. I wanted to stay in my warm bed. However, I realize that this practice is a discipline. I recently heard a great quote - don't give it everything you've got but rather give it everything it TAKES! So, this morning, I gave more than I thought I had.

I am so glad that I did. The sunrise was nothing short of spectacular. It started out breathtaking. The sky was red from the very first light of dawn. I thought it was beautiful at that point. But what astonished me was how good it actually got as the sunrise progressed. By the time the sun actually rose, the entire sky was red, gold, pink and purple. It got better as it went along. I was struck with the realization of how I often write something off as being prematurely finished when perhaps if I just wait a little longer it will get better than I could ever have imagined. This gives me hope on the days that I struggle. Maybe something amazing is just around the corner??

Halfway

Have you ever noticed that the sun never rises halfway? It doesn't come up and then change its mind. It's an all or nothing effort. Even if it's cloudy or foggy or snowy or rainy, the sun always rises and does the best it can with what it has to work with. This morning we had an absolutely stunning sunrise despite the fog and mist that is so common at this time of year in Santa Monica. The sun just kept on rising and eventually the fog gave way.

This principle also serves me well in my life. Playing at 100%. Life is more fun and things just turn out better when I play at 100%. It doesn't matter what I am doing. Giving it my fullest effort (and then some) is the point. I heard a quote at the Vemma convention last week. The speaker said "don't give it all YOU'VE got...rather, give it all IT TAKES". What a powerful distinction. How many times have I given up at 99%? It's a great question to ask - not to belittle my efforts but rather to notice how often I give up on my dream, how often I give up on my 100%. Today, I will play full out and give life what it takes to be awesome!

Onwards and Upwards

It was very cloudy and foggy this morning when I awoke in Bakersfield, California. As the sun was rising I was sitting in a TV studio doing an interview. When I went in to the studio it was pitch dark and when I came out it was daylight. Just like that. No buildup at all.

We talked about stress on the TV show and how it is a decision. It was dark when I arrived at the studio this morning and as a result, I couldn't really see the addresses. I ended up at NBC instead of ABC. Oops. But, not worry, I just used some of my own techniques and solved my problem. Thankfully, the techniques worked and I was calm and relaxed for my interview. There was a time when a little mishap like that would have knocked me over. Perhaps I am growing after all.

Standard Day

It was just a regular red and gold bursting into sunrise day here in the dessert. These are work days. Days when the sun just rises and gets up over those mountains. I have a work day today too - a couple meetings and then a long drive through the high desert to California.

I'm in my traveling clothes and my music playlist is ready. It is a beautiful day and I will get a lot of great thinking done on this trip. It's amazing how good you can feel after a really long and peaceful sleep and some much needed downtime. A good attitude helps too. I think the attitude is easier to conjure up when you are rested and relaxed. I've come to scheduling this downtime into my calendar so it gets the priority it deserves.