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Month: June 2023

Check, Please [Poem]

Published on June 15, 2023 
I like you
I’d be more specific
But I don’t know how

Unlike you, I
Can’t seem to find
My way around this here and now

What words do I know?
Humor! ...A Joke?
Rhythm—stay cool; go slow

I race to catch up
As you question me different
And whisper an aside

Like somehow we were here
Where small talk and formalities
Were behind us like years

I’d do more to reciprocate
But what if this is just you
Being damn good at what you do?

Move too fast and I fear
What feels like years
Will dissolve back into just now

Move too slow
And I won’t even get to see
With who or how you’ll go

It’s obvious you know
Words, people, paths 
—Your way around

It’s only a matter of time
Months, weeks, days
—Before you’re properly found

Which means what exactly for me?
Now? Next time? Never?
Who knows...

I ask for my check, please
And watch as another moment comes
And another moment goes

P.s. You can read my other poems here.

Drifting Downstream

Published on June 14, 2023

The mind is no pond.

The mind is a river.

Constantly moving and circling and crashing…

If we want to keep certain thoughts at the top of our mind, we need to make a deliberate effort to paddle those thoughts forward—to the forefront—or else they will slowly drift downstream and into the darker parts of our conscious/ subconscious mind.

There is no thought that just floats unmoving in the forefront—especially no thought that we WANT to keep at the forefront.

Those thoughts need to be paddled, brought forward intentionally through effort, and done so regularly as the stream is always flowing.

And while the stream may present some good at the forefront, it also presents a ton of crap, too. Especially for those who dump toxic, wasteful, comparative junk into the rivers of their mind via media, news, and gossip.

So, just because you’ve had a great thought once—or a thousand times for that matter—don’t assume that it’s “in your mind” and that it can be checked off your list.

Nope.

It, too, will drift downstream—from top of mind to bottom of the subconscious, like water running down a mountain, as all thoughts do—and continue to do so until you choose to paddle it back forward.

So, if you want to have gratitude, optimism, and love, for example, at the forefront of your mind as you go about your days… you’ll need to plan the padding of those thoughts into your days, too.

And every day you don’t paddle, the further downstream those thoughts will go.

P.s. For paddle inspiration, bookmark this page. I post 2-5 quotes daily for my own mind’s sake.

This Again

Published on June 13, 2023

I find myself writing about similar topics often.

That’s because there are certain topics I think about often.

And for those who are trying to do more writing and get turned off by the idea of writing similar things on similar topics time and again… think about it like this:

Writing isn’t just about the end product—the piece you ship, share, or hide. Writing is about the reflecting, the searching for the words, the act of trying to understand what it is you think about a thing—whatever it is you care enough to think and write about.

And to spend time bringing clarity to topics you tend to think most often about? The ones you can’t help but return to time and again? The ones you wrote about years ago and find yourself circling back to all this time later? …Is no waste of effort.

In fact, it’s a sign of a greater investment being made.

Because thoughts shape actions and actions shape lives… and writing clarifies thoughts which clarifies actions for a more deliberate life. And bringing (increasing) clarity to topics you tend to think most often about will likely have the greatest impact on your future actions and life path—wouldn’t you say?

Now quit using redundancy as an excuse and get back to it.

P.s. Yesterday, MoveMe Quotes was down for most of the day. It’s back up and running. Thank you to those who reached out to let me know.

You Are What You Do (And Don’t Do)

Published on June 12, 2023

Are you angry? Or are you overtired and just need a nap?

Are you anxious? Or are you pent up and just need to get some exercise?

Are you arrogant? Or are you distracted and just need to practice gratitude?

Are you sluggish? Or are you dehydrated and just need to drink more water?

Are you alone? Or are you expecting everybody else to take the initiative and haven’t sent out any invitations yourself or signed up for any new group activities?

Are you depressed? Or are you spending too much time on social media comparing yourself to others and just need to delete your accounts or have a screen fast?

It may not be as simple as that. But, in many cases—it is.

This is a reminder to stay on top of the basics.

P.s. I also published: To My Daughter. [Excerpt]

Invest In The Light

Published on June 11, 2023

I have an indoor plant sitting next to my kitchen sink that’s on the side of a window.

About half of the plant’s branches see sunlight and the other half doesn’t.

Earlier this week, as I went to wash the dishes, the growth imbalance was impressively noticeable. It honestly looked as though the plant might tip into the sink because of how long the branches reached on the sunshine side.

So, I spun it 180 degrees.

Glancing at it today, I was blown away at how quick its response was.

All of the little buds that were poking out from the branches on the old sunshine side have been effectively cancelled and tons of new little buds on the new sunshine side have been commissioned.

No hesitation.

Imagine if we were able to elicit such a quick response in our lives, too?

Does your work feel like it’s suddenly in (or heading towards) darkness? Does it feel like one of your sunshine relationships is setting? Is one of your favorite group activities coming to a sad conclusion?

Maybe this 180 degree turn is an opportunity for you to become more balanced. Maybe it’s an opportunity for you to invest in new branches and find new, fresh sources of sunshine. Maybe it’s happening for a reason and your resistance, complaints, and hesitation is precisely what’s keeping you in the darkness…

When all you have to do is redirect your energy and resources towards the new light.

P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

Living With Courage

Published on June 10, 2023

Today, the Martial Arts Academy I teach at lead a group of students through their black belt and higher degree test.

At the end of the ceremony, some of the graduates were asked to share their thoughts, feelings, stories, and/or gratitude over the microphone to the audience.

One young girl shook me with her words when she said, “I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for this school because it’s where my mommy met my daddy.”

…As in, she literally wouldn’t be alive if that school hadn’t been opened because her parents would’ve likely never met and never would’ve, you know, had her.

But, they did meet. And they did have that precious little girl. And that little girl worked incredibly hard to earn her black belt and was filled with emotion at the weight of what that represented.

This, for me, is a wonderful reminder to live life with courage. To get out into the local world and try new things. Even if that means starting out at white belt when you’re already at a “black belt” level in many other areas of life. Where there aren’t screens separating us and where we’re able to meet like-minded people who are also committed to personal growth.

Because, as is illustrated so beautifully in this story… you just never know.

And what a shame it would be if it was a lack of courage that kept something beautiful like this from ever happening.

Time For Clarity

Published on June 9, 2023

Sitting in meditation can sometimes feel like a waste. Like you’re spending time doing nothing when you could be doing something. And resultantly can have opposite of the desired effect on anxiety.

Yet, I am reminded time and again how it is often one of the most productive things I do in my days. Not because of how much I’m getting done during that time—I’m literally sitting down and doing nothing. But, because of how much clarity and calm I’m gaining during that time.

Clarity and calm is highly underrated and wildly under-discussed in the productivity conversation. It’s on the days when I feel most busy, that I tend to forget the most (and make the most mistakes). And it’s on the days when I feel most calm that I feel most on top of things and effective.

Just the other day, in a simple 15 minute zazen meditation session I:

  • Had a blog post idea arise
  • Remembered a person I needed to reach out to
  • Had an flow for an upcoming martial arts demonstration come to mind…

This, however, wasn’t the point of the meditation—don’t misunderstand what I’m saying.

The point isn’t to have blog ideas, remember people, and get things organized on your to-do list. The point is clarity… so that you settle the mudded busyness that wreaks havoc on our mind and can be more deliberate and focused in your approach when done. And in that instance, that’s what gaining clarity looked like for me.

Remember this: if you don’t have time for clarity… then you’d better make time for mistakes. Because that’s exactly what’s coming when you don’t give your mind time to settle.