Clouds of Grey

Grey clouds swirling in random quiet,

Filling days with covered notions.

My mind it drifts with all their passing,

To places of so many emotions.

The sky will fill with gentle rain,

Like tears of joy or tears of pain,

The day continues mostly silent.

The Sun it sits above this blanketed sky.

It settles then onto the horizon,

Darkness falls, still stars are hidden.

And tears still fall on ground so sodden,

To wash and cleanse that which I feel.

The night continues mostly silent.

The day returns the rain has settled,

Upon the earth so dry now fertile.

It springs forth hope of new direction.

My mind is filled with eased conviction,

To watch the sky now cleared of grey.

Each day it passes, each one is new.

My life continues mostly silent.  

Stay inspired my friends!

Never Give In Again

#RepeatWeek

"Never, never, never give in." - Winston Churchill

The above quotation is often mis-quoted as "...never, never give up." The quote came from a speech that Winston Churchill gave at his old school called Harrow School on October 29, 1941.

In the speech he said, "This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

England had been suffering through the German Blitz from September 1940 to May of 1941. The German military had tried to break the will of the British people and a massive amount of destruction and terror had rained down upon England. By October of 1941, the British were certainly weary but not defeated.

Winston Churchill gave his speech in the dawning light of survival from Germany's attempt to defeat that will the British people struggled to maintain. It didn't work and his speech was an affirmation to all that regardless of how tough things are, "never give in" to the destructive forces you are up against.

An old adage about not looking at the ground but up and forward.

One could say that if the British looked down they saw rubble and destruction. But when they looked up all they could see was the smoke and falling bombs of German war planes. Neither was very inviting.

Yet I believe they saw through the smoldering flames.

They saw the blue sky piercing the blackened air. At night, they searched and found twinkling stars peering back at them. They found solace in the beauty of the universe giving them hope and strength.

If your life is being pulled down into the dirt by forces unknown. If life is blackening your sky. Remember you can push through by looking for and holding onto even the smallest bits of hope. A bright star in the night sky that catches your eye, a brilliant sunrise, or the smile from a stranger.

Even when it seems all might be lost, "never give in - never give up."

Stay inspired my friends!

Hope On A Lamp Pole

Photos: Tara Atkins-Smith

"You can't eat hope,' the woman said. You can't eat it, but it sustains you,' the colonel replied.” ― Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

Here is an idea for the holiday season; providing clothes to the homeless. A group kids in Halifax, Nova Scotia by wrapping warm clothing around lamp poles for the city’s homeless to pick up and use.

As the mother of one the children, Tara Atkins-Smith says, "We just want to put out there that there’s always help to be found. I don’t want anybody to ever feel hopeless."

Never feel hopeless

Helping others understand there is always a chance or opportunity in life is something each of us can do for another person. Try to give others the opportunity to experience hope. In turn, they might just turn their hope into opportunity and opportunity into achievement.

Stay inspired my friends!

Never Give Up

"Never, never, never give in." - Winston Churchill

The above quotation is often mis-quoted as "...never, never give up." Winston Churchill said this during a speech given at his old school called Harrow School on October 29, 1941.

In the speech he said, "This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

England had been suffering through the German Blitz from September 1940 to May of 1941. The German military had tried to break the will of the British people and a massive amount of destruction and terror had rained down upon England.

By October 1941, the British were weary but not defeated.

Winston Churchill gave his speech in the dawning light of what some refer to as survival from Germany's attempt to defeat the will of the British people. Britain struggled greatly to maintain a sense of will throughout the bombings.

Germany's blitz bombings did not work and Churchill's speech was an affirmation to all that regardless of how tough things are, "never give in" to the destructive forces you are up against.

Looking forward.

One could say that when the British looked down they saw only rubble and destruction. By looking up all they could see was smoke and the falling bombs of German war planes. Neither was very inviting.

But we can see through the smoldering flames. We can find a blue sky piercing the blackened air. At night, one can search to see twinkling stars peering back at us.

Find solace in the beauty of the universe giving us hope and strength.

If your life is being pulled down into the dirt by forces unknown.
If life is blackening your sky with clouds of doubt and worry.

Remember you can push through by looking for even the smallest bits of hope. A bright star in the night sky which catches your eye, a brilliant sunrise, or the smile from a stranger. Even when it seems all might be lost, "never give in - never give up."

Stay inpsired my friends!

The Thing With Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune
Without the words,
and never stops at all.

- Emily Dickinson -

Stay inspired my friends!

Closer Than You Think

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly." ― Langston Hughes

You are well through the year, many months removed from New Year resolutions.

Is hope for accomplishment still strong or fading from your mind?
Is the hope of achieving your dreams fresh and strong within your heart?

Keep hold of hope, keep your dream alive.

Overcome the obstacles and discouragement along your path.
Never give up, never stop trying.

Let the negative be a reason to succeed in spite of it.

Your attitude will determine what success or failure looks like.
Remain positive throughout the adventure.

Stay inspired my friends.

A New Sun

“You see but your shadow when you turn your back to the sun.” ― Kahlil Gibran

What is happening in your life right now, this very instance? Are you trying to dig yourself out of a hole financially, relationship or any one of a number of circumstances? Is the darkness of your situation covering you with a blanket of despair?

Each of us go through many of the calamities one reads or hears about every day. There is a parking ticket under the windshield wiper after an especially tough customer meeting. It might be a broken arm after slipping on the icy steps at home. You find mounting medical bills with no pleasant options of overcoming either.

The daily things which happen to lots of people, of all genders, race and social status. Yes, all of us go through things and many of us allow the darkness to encase us in its shadow.

Yet the light of a rising sun can bring hope to our life. The warm rays of light upon our face can renew us and chase away the darkness if we allow it to.

Never give up on the possibilities which exist. The darkness will fade and great things will come upon your life. A warm and brilliant day awaits you.

Stay inspired my friends.

Good Things Happen

"If I were to say, 'God, why me?' about the bad things, then I should have said, 'God, why me?' about the good things that happened in my life." - Arthur Ashe

You have probably asked this in your own life, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" It is an longstanding question that really serves the purpose of wondering why things happen at all. As humans we have a never ending quest to understand why anything happens to or around us.

So when it comes to the question itself, bad things do not happen to just good people.

Bad things happen to all kinds of people.

Life is that way and it is within our human nature to wonder why.

As an example, a good friend of mine has been battling cancer. There is a bigger story leading up to this but certainly allows one to ask the question why. Through all of this, his attitude remains positive and hopeful. Whenever I ask how the day or moment is going, he gives me a thumbs up. He understands the reality of that day or moment, but hope abounds within him.

And with that thumbs up, I know not to focus on just the bad in life.

I am unable to predict the outcome of someones predicament, but I can learn from it. Circumstance comes with life, it just does. Even with all of the bad which seems to happen in life, there is also goodness occurring each and every day to people.

If we concentrate on just the bad, we will believe that only bad exists.

If we give attention to the good, then hope will strengthen and lift us.

So I ask you to believe in good things happening just as often, if not more, than the bad. Treat life with a positive outlook even when the bad happens. Let those good things in life be the greater focus.

Stay inspired by friends.

Hope Lives

“Hope is the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all.” ― Emily Dickinson

There they were, thirty-three men trapped in a mine roughly 700 meters underneath the ground. A distance of almost eight football fields with tons upon tons of earth and rock seperating them from daylight.

For nearly 69 days they endured the process of a rescue hole being drilled and prepared. Then each man was rescued one-by-one, being lifted in a capsule to the surface.

There were many facets to the survival and rescue of these men. The work they did themselves while trapped, the technology of the drills, and so much more. Included in all of this was hope. There was hope that rescue would come and loved ones would be reunited.

Helen Keller said, "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." Hope and confidence that dark days will be overcome by achievement. Hope and confidence that whatever we face is but a passing moment towards something greater.

Each of us may not have to face what these miners did, but the darkness and isolation can feel the same. Just know that there are people out there pulling for you, willing to provide a hand. And while hope is not a solution, it is a support mechanism to help push you through.

Without hope, confidence is weakened and optimism lost. Keep hope alive when things go sour, when the path you are taking collapses and the darkness envelopes your life. Keep hope alive while others come to your rescue. Keep hope alive for a new and brighter day.

Stay inspired my friends.

New Born Feet

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” ― Shel Silverstein

Some folks my wife and I know are new grandparents, not unlike millions of folks each day that become grandparents. But it made me think about all of the negative news we inflict upon ourselves. News about one horrible thing or another seem to fill our days.

Politics, disasters, accidents and disagreements are always in high gear. As occurs in other places around the world, desperation and heightened exaggeration abound. The worst will happen if 'such and such' happens, or even worse.

We survive because humans have a great ability to adapt and change. As time passes, there will be disappointment in the type of changes that have occurred. There will be a yearning for what once was. Yet we each know change is inevitable.

- The earth is constantly changing.
- Human intelligence is constantly changing.
- Life as we know it is changing.

There will be bad things that happen, but there will be good things that happen in even greater numbers. New cures for disease will be found. A better understanding of our world and universe will expand. Technology will further amaze and thrill us.

Another baby will be born.

Yes, life will go on in some form or another. So don't buy into all of the great hype of mass destruction and ruin. Our country will not end, the world will not end. It will be different, but you will get through. Hope combined with a positive attitude of greater achievement will overcome despair and negativity.

Stay inspired my friends!

Regained Hope

“In depression . . . faith in deliverance, in ultimate restoration, is absent. The pain is unrelenting, and what makes the condition intolerable is the foreknowledge that no remedy will come -- not in a day, an hour, a month, or a minute. . . . It is hopelessness even more than pain that crushes the soul.” ~ William Styron

Wow, pretty depressing isn't it? It is a feeling of hopelessness that can consume us at different moments in our lives. We have lost a job, a marriage or direction in life.

When you reach this level of hopelessness, you feel your goals are unachievable and start to give up on them.

The idea of giving up itself feeds into your feelings because now you begin to feel you are a failure. It is a vicious cycle we put ourselves into. We begin to focus more and more on the problem or problems. As we do, the more helpless we feel as our spirit spirals into the ground.

The first thing to know is that there is no such thing as hopelessness.

Hopelessness is only a state of mind that we allow ourselves to get trapped into. There is always hope. You can back away and stop pounding your head against the wall. You can re-evalutate by stepping back.

More importantly, stop focusing on the problem...focus on the solution.

If we spend all of our time firmly fixed upon the problem, the hopelessness trap has us. But if we take those energies and focus on a solution, any solution; then we will give rise to new hope.

So stop spiraling into the hopelessness trap.

Step back from the situation and quit looking at the problem. Turn and exert your energy (or what is left of it) towards the solution. Pretty soon you will find hope creeping back into possibility. Pretty soon you will find a solution appearing on the horizon.

Lastly, look at the empty chair next to you. The chair might look empty, but think of it as opportunity. Opportunity that someone will come along, sit down and enter your life; change your life. Opportunity that can provide a little spark of encouragement and small measure of hope for you to grab hold of.

Remember, hopelessness is real only if we allow it to be.

Stay inspired my friends!

Hail Mary Hope

Photo by Travis Heying

"In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer." -Albert Careb

Most every one of us have suffered through periods of time when all of the world appears against us. There is nothing that goes correctly and there is nothing you can seem to do right. You could call these times as being in which you are facing difficulties, misfortune or more appropriately adversity.

It seems during those times we have reached a point in which there is no winning. In American football, this would be the time in which we need to execute a Hail Mary play in our life. It is a down to the wire, last ditch effort desperation move to rectify what is not working in our lives.

An example in sports happened to the University of Nebraska college football team. It has been a year where declining hope and increasing adversity have seemed to mount. There have been lower then expected performances. There have been mounting injuries to many different starting players. There have been attacks in the media on the head coach Bo Pelini, both unprovoked and self-inflicted.

In fact, it had not been a very good couple of weeks for Bo (relative to his own football team) and the Pelini family in general. Additionally, a previous week's unexpected loss to another team, football players on the Cornhusker team getting provoked on social media sites added to the pressures leading up to this game against Northwestern University.

Adversity was all over the players, the coaches and the University of Nebraska football program.

The football game was not going as many expected or had hoped is a better way of stating it. The teams had battled most of the game with injuries on both sides. Time was coming close to an end in the fourth quarter and Northwestern was down on the Nebraska seven yard line, within scoring distance, within victory.

The game was tied up at 21 points each and all Northwestern had to do was score. A goal line stand by the Nebraska defense kept seven points off the score board and Northwestern had to settle for a three-point field goal. With only one minute and twenty-one seconds left, Nebraska faced what most everyone felt was an insurmountable task.

In the middle of a season dogged by all of the adversity, Nebraska faced a fourth-and-15 from its own 24.

It appeared that the season was now going to free fall into the jagged rocks below?

But the Cornhuskers kept driving and the quarterback somehow found his running back on a short pass. The running back made, what will be overshadowed by "the pass and catch" a run to achieve a first down and keep the drive; to keep hope alive.

Now with only four seconds left, this third string senior quarterback throws a 49-yard "Hail Mary" pass into a pack of defenders and receivers at the goal line. The ball is tipped up and back into the end-zone.

That is where a freshman wide receiver is waiting, grabbing hope, and changing the course of events.

We do not always need a desperation throw to change the course of our lives. And sometimes we do need to make that "Hail Mary" pass in order to overcome adversity. We shall see how the University of Nebraska football team responds and uses this event to change their course. But they've given themselves more hope. They have given themselves proof that they have the ability to overcome hardship.

And what you do with your "Hail Mary" pass is up to you. Will you allow the strength of overcoming adversity propel you to even greater achievement? Will you catch that pass and score success?

You will because I know you can.

Just as I believe in my University of Nebraska Cornhusker football team, I believe in you. Stay inspired my friends.

Now take a few moments to watch as a "Hail Mary" pass breathes hope into life and helps wash some of the adversity away.

Where Do I Go?

"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The time approaches when you have identified an addicting habit, faced it and gone through recovery steps. You are like the shiny clean car being coming out at the end of the automated car wash. At that moment you are in a safe spot, clean and ready to face the world, yet you wonder which way to go, what next, and how.

The choice of roads are plentiful, some paved, some not. The sky has patches of blue with darkening clouds in one direction. The world seems scary and enticing, all at the same time once again. So you stop and wonder, "where do I go?"

Any time you have come through counseling, coaching, rehab, insert your favorite term here; part of that process should include steps to prepare you for this moment in time. In fact for most it can be the most difficult time in recovery because all of the tools, words, and safety are now your's to deploy in your new life.

Nearly every book I have read will say that recovery doesn't occur simply by ending the addictive behavior. Recovery happens by creating a new life where it is easier to not use. If you don't create a new life, all of those things that brought you to your addiction will eventually catch up with you again.

Not everything has to change and all of us know that the world itself will not change to meet your new needs. All of those things, friends, neighborhoods, hangouts and other strong influences will still exist. Many of those things will have to be let go in your new life and the more you try to hold onto your old life in recovery, the less well you will do.

There are things you can do which will help you avoid a relapse and ease the anxiety of what you are going through.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(from Seth Meyers, Psy.D., clinical psychologist with the L.A. County Department of Mental Health.)

1. Get a sponsor.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need to join Alcoholics Anonymous or another twelve-step group to have a sponsor. If you don’t want to join a twelve-step group, ask a trusted friend to be your sponsor, someone you can call when you’re overwhelmed. Having a sponsor is a crucial, time-tested part of successful recovery.

2. Always remember HALT.

After running addiction groups on Skid Rowe in Los Angeles for a long time, I found that one of the most helpful tools for recovering addicts is a neat and simple acronym: H (Hungry), A (Angry), L (Lonely), T (Tired). Research—and first-hand accounts of thousands of addicts—tell us that you’re more likely to relapse if you experience any of these strong feelings. Be careful and make sure to take care of yourself so that these unchecked feelings don’t wreak continued havoc on your life! Get your rest, eat well, surround yourself with positive people, and express your anger in the right places: your journal, therapy, or artistic outlets.

3. Find purpose.

One of the best ways to ensure a successful recovery is to make sure that you’re clear on your sense of purpose—and I’m not just talking about returning to your job to pay the bills after rehab has drained your bank account. I’m talking about making sure that your life has meaning in several domains: cultivating friendships full of nurturance and support, volunteering for organizations that serve others who are less fortunate, and even writing about your story—in a journal, a blog post, or even planting the seeds to write your very first book!

4. Rediscover childhood fun.

Consistently, I find in my work with addicts that their addictions took over so much of their lives that they stopped doing some very simple and basic activities that once brought them peace and joy—and people need joy like the IRS needs tax returns. My advice is simple in this department: Figure out what you have fun doing—and a return to addictive behavior doesn't count—and pursue those activities in a disciplined way (e.g., twice per week or more frequently). Examples: dancing, uncommon exercises (kick-boxing class, Pilates), and creative pursuits either at home or in a class at a local community college (drawing, painting, sculpting). We did this stuff as kids, so why did we ever stop?

5. Work on your relationships.

It’s impossible to be an addict without simultaneously damaging some of your closest relationships. Yes, it’s hard to be the addict, but it’s no easier to be the loved one of the addict. After rehab, you must start to do the work to improve your relationships that have suffered because of your historic loyalty to the addiction—and your loved ones know too well that you put your addiction first. Start having conversations with your loved ones about their feelings and apologize for the fact that your problems caused problems for them, too. Give them a chance to tell you how they’ve felt as they witnessed your downward spiral, and reassure them that you are now making an honest commitment to change. If you get feedback that is painful or hard to hear, call your new sponsor who can give you some perspective on the situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There will be a time when the road becomes much more clear in your life. When you reach the point of not worrying about the road ahead, knowing you have the ability to take on any thing, in any fashion, in your own way. Stay inspired my friends.

Relationship with Addiction

"No one is immune from addiction; it afflicts people of all ages, races, classes, and professions." -Patrick J. Kennedy

Psychology Today describes addiction as "a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (alcohol, drugs) or engages in an activity (gambling, pornography) that can be pleasurable but the continued use of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work or relationships, or health. Users may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others."

The experts debate if addiction is a "disease" or a true mental illness but in either case, addictions need to be dealt with if the its spiraling effects are to be stopped. And many people, either addicted or speaking of those addicted will debate what is the difference between a habit and an addiction?

Addiction - there is a psychological/physical component; the person is unable to control the aspects of the addiction without help because of the mental or physical conditions involved.

Habit - it is done by choice. The person with the habit can choose to stop, and will subsequently stop successfully if they want to. The psychological/physical component is not an issue as it is with an addiction.

So in its simplest form, if it were a habit, you would be in control of your choices. When it comes to addiction, you are not in control of your choices, the addiction is running the show. And that addiction can come in different forms because an addiction is when a person does an activity, or uses a substance, that they find so pleasurable they cannot stop doing or using it.

There are different types of addictions as noted such as;

Drugs and Alcohol

Having an addiction to mind-altering drugs is very unpleasant, scary, and sometimes deadly. People must enter a rehabilitation center to receive medication and counseling, in order to safely detoxify from these substances. Usually, when a person is addicted to a certain substance, they are susceptible to having addictions to other substances. In addition, most drugs are illegal and carry legal repercussions. Loss of relationships, family and home normally occur with this or any type of addiction if not dealt with.

Gambling and Shopping

Ding, ding, din, the alluring sound of those slot machines or maybe the enticing store display with it 30% off sale price signs. Both seem innocent enough because the act of winning or taking home a new possession can and does produce excitement and pleasure that can lead to continuing the behavior; many times to immeasurable lengths. In example, a gambler or shopping addict may spend all of their money and go into debt, even if they have a family to care for. The results of either can mean huge debt, loss of family and home.

Sex or Pornography

There are those that will seek to please others so that they themselves will feel love in return. While sex is a physical act, the act itself satisfies the need for love and attention that those with sexual addictions crave. This same need can be manifested in the form of viewing pornography and the resulting physical release without commitment or "strings attached" obligations. The end results of either can be loss of relationships, jobs, self respect and even medical problems.

Exercise

Yes, exercise can become an addiction as people become obsessed with having a perfect body. This type of addict must work out daily, sometimes many times a day or for hours on end, striving for excellence in performance and physique. These type of people get addicted to the “high” experienced from the endorphins released through exercise. An exercise addict must work out to the extreme in order to feel good about them-self.

As you can see, addiction becomes an addiction when it interferes with the many other parts of your life. When your relationship to life becomes all consuming by the addiction, exclusively and under its controlling methods.

The good news is that addiction is treatable, can be overcome and that hope for returning to a normal life does exist.

The first step or phase of treatment is withdrawal from the problem substance or activity. Many organizations that treat addiction will describe this phase in acknowledging there are both physical and psychological effects that occur when substance-taking stops. This includes physical signs as nausea and vomiting, chills and sweats, muscle cramps and aches, sleeplessness, shifts in heart rate, even fever. The emotional effects include depression, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings.

The withdrawal symptoms normally last three to five days and while rarely life-threatening, medical supervision is usually provided in residential treatment programs, and medications may be given to ameliorate the acute discomfort of withdrawal for those undergoing drug or substance abuse types of treatment.

Behavioral therapy and counseling become important elements of all addiction treatments. This therapy will help people identify, avoid, and cope with situations in which they are most likely to abuse drugs or activities. There is an element to this type of treatment that will remind people of their value in life and to those around them. Family therapy may be provided or needed to help the patient maintain a supportive environment and improve family functioning.

While addictions have varying degrees of impact on the addicted person's life and those around them; these addictions can be overcome. There is hope, there is help and there is possibility for greatness beyond addiction.

Stay inspired my friends.

A way to hope and healing

Here are a couple of updates from my good friend Paul O'Connell and his Open Road Missions effort in Peru.



The mission of Open Road Missions is to:

- partner with local organizations to identify areas of need
- assess the best possible methods of providing help
- utilize resources through network connections, strategic partnerships, corporate, government and private support
- foster a strong sense of social, ethical and moral responsibility amongst donors and recipients alike

The laptop for the student mentioned in the video came from a donation, much like those you make each day. Please help support his efforts by making a donation today.

Make a difference in the lives of people around you, reach out across the globe and make a difference in the lives of people far from you.

Making a Change

Today I'd like reintroduce you to my friend's website: Open Road Missions. Paul is doing some good work out there with "a way to hope and healing." Paul took a step out and changed his life. There will be many days of hope for people that look for even the smallest of goodness.

Hope For Tomorrow

The Entombment of Christ by Carravagio.

For Christians around the world, today is Good Friday. The day that remembers the crucifixion and death of Jesus at Calvary. This is a holy day observed by most Christian religions.
Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and vicarious act, and one by which, along with resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.

Others religions have their holy days as well, each of us with some central faith in purpose and meaning of our lives. Even non-religious people have their beliefs in some type of reasoning. We must have and hold onto the realities of life but we also have to create faith within ourselves. One that will allow us to look into the unknown, the future or to even set a goal for our life.

I normally do not bring my religious beliefs into full view within my writings. My wish is to have something to say to everyone of every dimension. To offer words of encouragement and hope to anyone that happens upon my site. Today though, I proudly display my religion and faith. For me, this weekend is about hope and faith in a greater tomorrow.

"It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away... and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple... Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together. Simon went right into the tomb. Then the other disciple also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture that he must rise from the dead." (John 20)