May 6
Inspiration is great. We all love feeling like we are on cloud nine, at the top of our game.
However, you can’t expect to always be there – inspired and pumped. Inspiration isn’t consistent. It isn’t constant. In fact, no one expects it. No one demands it.
What is demanded, however, is action. A constant movement forward. To constantly be driving - forward. Even when it’s tough. Even when it’s difficult. Even when your heart and spirit are somewhere else entirely. With time, consistent action will involve your heart and spirit entirely.
We expect you to pray every day. We expect you to don tefillin every day. We expect you to set aside time to learn every day. Without inspiration. Without impetus. With time, inspiration will follow.
Just do it.
May 4
Engagement.
To be engaged is a frightening thing. It means you are committed. It means you have nothing else on your mind. It means you have no one else on your mind. It means that you are hyperfocused and have adopted a tunnel vision for current activity. You have excluded everything else. You have shut off all other options. You are engaged.
To be engaged is liberating. You operate best when engaged. You are focused. You are operating in the zone. Free of distractions. Free of options. One thing is on your mind, and one thing only.
It might be frightening to get engaged but it sure is the best way to get things done.
Shed the fear. Get engaged.
Feb 25
In life there are two ways to do things. The standard, regular, and normal way, and than there is "
the way".
The standard, regular, and normal way of doing things is paved with 'certainty'. If you do things this way, no one will blame you for failure. You did what you could. You did what was expected. You took the normal road. Sometimes you win, sometimes you fail. No leap of faith necessary.
"The way" is paved with 'uncertainty'. No one else does things this way. It is completely and utterly abnormal. This route was completely unexpected. You took a leap of faith. You suspended the rational, regular way of doing things. You succeed.
To plead for her nation,
Queen Esther didn't go to the beauty parlor. She didn't get a manicure and get her hair done. She took a different route. An unexpected route. She fasted. For three days. She took a leap of faith. She succeeded.
Take a different route!
P.S. This is dedicated to Naomi Yudanin who expressed appreciation in my writings and has given me the impetus to continue writing.
@Naomi, you didn't expect that. I didn't think so. I took a different route.
Feb 14
Recently, I coined a phrase which I think to be true. I would love to see it on a t-shirt with three cute kids in the background.
"Kids rule the world. Adults think they do."
Everything revolves around the children. Everyone revolves around them.
Rightfully so, they are the future.
May 10
"Bad habits are like chains that are too light to feel until they are too heavy to carry." Warren Buffett
"Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters." Nathaniel Emmons
We all have habits. Some good and some bad. Either way they form a large part of who we are.
The power of a habit is that it is something you do all the time. Consistently. You don't miss a day without it. You feel strange when you have missed it. A habit becomes an integral part of you. When it goes missing you feel incomplete. Habits are powerful.
A bad habit can destroy a person. Slowly. Subtly. They creep up on you, largely unnoticed, destroying you bit by bit. Bad habits need to be destroyed before they destroy you.
Good habits can build a person. Slowly. Subtly. Good habits done day by day, in small steps, develop you into a better person. You don't see the progress you have made until you look back. Good habits developed will in turn develop you.
We are now in the time between Pesach and Shavuos when we count Sefirat HaOmer. Literally meaning, "Counting the Omer"
Sefirah also comes from the word of "Sapir" meaning shining. The Omer offering was brought from barley as opposed to the majority of offerings which were brought from wheat. Barley is animal fodder. Sefirat HaOmer is about shining up your animal. Doing away with the negative habit which have become part of you and developing positive ones in their stead.
Homework: Write up a list of your bad habits. Then write up a list of the good habits you would like to develop.
There is going to be a follow up post with a tip I have been using to help you continue in developing good habits.
Apr 22
image/jpeg
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Apr 17
Today I went to pretoria to get my electric fence fixed.
In order to fix the disconnected wire he used a farret and a crimping tool with a bit of extra wiring. Quite simple. Will know for next time.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Apr 14
Think back to the last time that you had a stuffed nose. I'll bet you didn't enjoy it. Luckily you knew how to blow your nose. If that didn't work, you put in nasal drops.
Babies aren't so lucky. They haven't developed those skills yet. They can't blow their nose, nor can they put in their own nasal drops.
A baby with a stuffed nose is very uncomfortable. Its hard to breath, sleep, and worst of all, hard to eat.
We love them, so we clear their noses. We put in drops, we put in tissues, we try all sorts of gimmicks. All to make them feel better, and feel better they do.
Clearing their noses, however, is a mission. If I forced drops down your nose, you would be greatly annoyed. If I forced tissues up your nose, you would jerk your head to and fro. They wiggle, they jerk, they do everything in their power to avoid the intrusion. They SEEM comfortable in their discomfort. They SEEM to not want a clean clear nose. Don't listen. They do. They love it ... after the fact.
The Jewish people didn't want to leave Egypt. They were comfortable in their discomfort. They SEEMED to want their slavery. G-D didn't listen, and we liked it ... after the fact. We we're taken out of comfort zone, and we liked it ... after the fact.
Go do something that you find awkward. You may love it ... after the fact. Get uncomfortable. You may love it ... after the fact.Good Yom Tov!
[You can check out the previous things I learned from my baby at these links:
