Change | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the tag “Change”

07 Jun 2014

If It Makes You Happy

“If it makes you happy, then why are you so sad?” Great words from a great song that my family loved. It is just an easy question that can sometimes have the most difficult answer.

But really what is it that makes you happy? Is it goodness, something that you can cherish and embrace and love because you are you?

Then why the hell are you so sad (as the song goes)? Life is so very short and then it is over and we can look forward to the eternity ahead. But in the mean time we all need to get more inspired. There is so little time, and while we are here on Earth we have to make our tracks.

We have to embrace those things that are positive, make the best of them and be sure we are “right” with our world first. Before we are right with the rest of the world and all it offers, before we try to search for the meaning of life for others, we need to understand our meaning.

It is “purpose”- and those that defer purpose, or decline it all together are missing so much. I mean do they look at it like “first you live, then you die and make the most of everything in-between”? Or do you look at it as the more you embrace the purpose of life, the more happy you will be?

“If it makes you happy” doesn’t mean to do whatever you want and damn the circumstances. It means what really makes you happy when you understand the purpose of what you are doing here. Understand your part in the process of life, and it is a grand scheme… but a good one.

So advice to my kids: make sure you enjoy it, but be sure you understand your purpose. And look for it- when it arrives be sure to embrace it- and you will be happy.

Here ya go kids. What we used to sing in the car as loud as we could. If it Makes You Happy!

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Acceptance, Change, choices, Finding Your Way Back, Happiness, Happy, Joy, life is precious, Looking for Happiness, moments, Postive Thinking, Sadness, Sheryl Crow

31 May 2014

Out of Context

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone seems to want “action” on things when someone says something that doesn’t agree with the common thinking.

Who has decided what is the “common thinking” anyway? Is it who has taken the latest opinion polls ? or is it the loudest voice in the crowd? I always get apprehensive when a public figure ( politician, celebrity, or whatever) uses the term “we” … like they are representing majority of people whom that have all conferred with and clearly understand.

I guess now a days that’s easy to do. Everyone with a computer or a smartphone has the pulpit of the Internet in which to say stuff. Is it stupid or ignorant? Is it misquoted or out of context? How many times does it get repeated by another someone on the Internet that feels the same way. Before you know it those hundreds of people seems to represent thousands. And the ball of bad taste just seems to propagate from the center of it. .

They can say remarks in context, out of context, with a total different intention that delivered. But if enough people like it, they will quote it as fact and then color it with their own intention. In fact measuring someone’s “intention” rarely seems to be considered at all- just immediate lambasting or flag waving ( depending on the reasons for doing it).

Advice to my kids: Intention doesn’t matter I guess. It is all subject to criticism. And a few viral minutes later we can all agree that something has been pointed out as thoughtless, or heroic, or shameful or patriotic A mere shadow of the real reasons of the real people who lived it.

Lately I have become much more aware I guess. Maybe that is something that I will promise myself. Don’t jump to the conclusions that others have provided, they could be wrong.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Advice, Being Labelled, Being Thoughtful, Change, choices, Context, Faith, Internet Facts, Lies, Out of context, Reality Check, saying the wrong thing

30 May 2014

Losing My Reflection

It is easy. Easy to get lost in the everyday demands that make up life. Missing time to reflect on who you really are.

How do you program that into your calendar? Making sure that you take the time to actually know who “you are” instead of who other people expect you to be. It can be struggle, even more so if you are losing your reflection. Your own time. By the time you find out you are lost in the daily routine it can seem too late to make a change.

But change you must. Getting back the image that you know you are. The image in the mirror of the person who brought you to this place in time. Don’t look at the wrinkles, or the wear and tear around the eyes. Look deeper and see what is inside of you that defines the meaning of your life. It’s really not about you, it is about much more than just you. But you have to start by examining that part of you that is fading.

Get the mirror out and really look past your skin, look past the makeup or the hair cut. Take toll of what is going to help make it long-term. The small stuff isn’t going to really make a difference tomorrow. Like they say, don’t sweat the small stuff. Let go. Let God have a shot. Let your spirit be more free to take part in your soul.

In the end I know I get lost in my own schedule. I get accustomed to the routine that has provided me comfort (nothing wrong with comfort). But that comfort has allowed me to be complacent and somewhat lazy. And then just to justify it I reason out that its okay. But it’s really just me losing my reflection of life.

Kids, It is just that easy. No matter what age you are, not matter what you think you are doing now- look closely in the mirror. Are you there?

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Acceptance, Change, choices, Doubt, Faith, life is precious, mental-health, Postive Thinking, Reality Check, reflection, Self-Awareness, taking time, tracks in the dust, Who Are You

29 May 2014

Making Something Out of Nothing

Often I have heard that expression “making something out of nothing” What does that mean to you?

I mean is the nothing good or the nothing bad? Something made from nothing good could be something bad. Something bad that ends up being good is something well earned and fortune.

I think it is about who or what makes the difference in your life… What elements in your life will make things change? What paths you are going down that you haven’t gone down before?

Would something from nothing be those things that end up taking your view of life in a different way than you expected? Sending you off in a way that you would not ever have imagined. I have had people in my life over my years that helped to make something from the nothingness of my life. Those people took hold of my spiritual center and revitalized it. Made me see things I had never seen before, that meant nothing in my life.

So who is it that will show you that there is “something” to be made from the nothing that may be in front of you? Are you willing to muster up the trust and the faith it will take to let that happen. In God perhaps. Or will you spend your life’s days always wondering about that “nothingness” that lingers somewhere out ahead?

Advice to my kids? Understand that time is precious, and it cherishing that passage of time that will make something of it. Something is coming… just what is it for you? Its right around the corner.

Are you consumed with the unknown tomorrow, or looking for the something that is right here and now? Make something of it. Your expectations have to begin with yourself. Be receptive to the idea that you CAN make something out of nothing.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life and tagged Acceptance, Change, choices, expectations, Faith, life is precious, Looking for answers, Looking forward, mental-health, overcoming fear, Searching for meaning, Self-Awareness, Something is coming, Sprituality

23 May 2014

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The High Speed of Information

The speed in which we get our information today has changed our lives forever. I was watching a movie from the late 70’s or early 80’s with my twenty year old daughter the other night, it was a thriller. There was a murderer on the loose and one of his victims got away. Unfortunately they were in a cabin out in the woods and the murderer had ‘cut the phone line”. My daughter laughed and wondered why they wouldn’t just use their smartphone. Was there no reception?

I had to remind her that there were no cell phones back then ( way back in the day). She really had to wonder how people dealt with that back then. What happened in the old days? I told her that the cell phone ( and the Internet) has changed the way history is made and our lifestyles in more ways than she would every realize, since she grew up with both for most of her life.

We are so accustomed to instant feedback, instant information, instant responses and access to communicating with just about anyone anywhere. Libraries, long distance calls and having to wait for answers are a thing of the past for the most part.

Maybe that’s why everyone is so much less patient it seems these days. Every thing is “now”… and quick. In lines at the store scanning our groceries, paying by plastic card with swipe, packing 2 things to each plastic bag and driving the cart to the car asap.

Even texts can’t wait? A friend of mine texted me the other day, and when I didn’t respond quick enough the follow-up text was ” are you okay?” Nice enough to ask but really.. I was just busy. Maybe that is the ultimate issue with driving and texting. Everyone is looking for an immediate answer? I always thought it was the advantage of text vs. voice calls. No hurry, just texting…. but that doesn’t seem to always apply.

So the idea that the answer could be “wait I will have to think about it” may seem a bit put-offish. But that may have been the good thing about what was “the good old days”- the pause for thought before answering . Seems like those immediate answers could provide immediate satisfaction, but can also mean immediate damage.

Pause here for some thought on the matter. 🙂

So the bad guys in the movies these days? … gotta watch out. The world will know you are coming in one tweet, text and post on the Internet.