What is that Noise?

All was silent as before -
All silent save the dripping rain.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I have a regular hotel that I stay in while visiting our corporate offices in Boston. A well-known hotel brand that is convenient and comfortable. Most times I get a room in the back facing a quiet parking lot.

It helps having the quiet for reading, writing and just reflecting. It allows me to unwind from the day and also prepare for the coming day. Oddly though it seems this time around the noise has been constant.

There was the continual rumble of what seemed to be a deep-throated motorcycle rumbling back and forth. And then there was the pounding as if a construction crew was pile driving foundation supports. Both were noises that I could handle.

But those noises didn't seem to compare to those heard from so many people in Washington, D.C. Some would call them politicians. I would call them simply a noisy gong. It was nearly bearable but with the talking news heads, it became a cacophony of indecipherable noise.

If only they had allowed silence to fall upon the conversation. To let reflection take over the moment, maybe listen to the noise that was drifting away. Just maybe better choices and decisions would have rained down upon their thoughts.

The noise in our lives can have a crippling effect upon us. It can hold us back and keep us from advancing forward. A noisy clanging gong that merely clouds our thoughts.

When the din of life rises around you, take some time to step back into the silence. Let silence clear the noise of confusion so that you can more clearly see the answers.

Your Vision

VISION by Despair.com

I really like the sardonic humor of the good folks at Despair.com. They have a fun way of looking at motivation from a totally unexpected view. Whenever I think I'm getting a bit too full of myself, I turn to these folks.

The idea of having a vision for your future is just that, a vision. If you want to have success but combine that vision with all of the things you believe will go wrong...they probably will. I sometimes think of it as getting what you ask for.

If I want to be a speaker in front of hundreds of people, but keep telling myself I can't do it. It is likely that it will never happen for me.

If I want to have a great wife and family, but keep telling myself that no woman would ever want me. It is likely I will never meet a woman that does.

The way we speak into our own lives has a huge impact on what we can accomplish. Does it mean that if I ask for ten million dollars in my life, will I get it? Maybe yes, maybe no; but it will put you on a path to towards it.

I think of the story the actor/comedian Jim Carrey tells says quite a bit about the power of believing in oneself. Jim appeared on the Actors Studio with James Lipton and was asked about writing a 10 million dollar check to himself:

JL- When you were struggling personally and professionally, did you write yourself a check?

JC- Yeah, I made myself my check which was just basically you know, 10 million dollars to Jim Carrey for acting services rendered, dated Thanksgiving 1995, and that was uh, 1990. I gave myself five years to be one of the most successful working actors, to be given the best material, and the best scripts- things that people would never expect in a million years that I could do.

JL- What did you do with the check finally?

JC- I put the check in my fathers pocket in his casket because it was his dream too and he followed me the whole time and it was kind of a completion of all that. He saw The Mask, he saw what was happening to me, and I felt like it was ya know, it was his as well- so I’d give it to him.

Jim was able to write that check and would have been able to cash it. But if he hadn't believed in himself, he never would have come close. The check would have been worthless.

The only way you will ever get to that place is believing in yourself. Know that you can be that person, achieve that thing or reach that place in life by believing in your vision.

Fan of Everyone

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." -Henry David Thoreau

Here I am on the road once again, traveling for business. I always enjoying the people watching at the airport and in the locations I travel to. The diversity of people seen and meet really tends to enrichen my own life. As with wide variety, there will be those that annoy those around them. But there will also be those that liven up their surroundings just by being there.

I tend to be the type of person that sits back and observes. I view it as listening to my surroundings. To feel out how life is interacting with people can be quite entertaining. There is the young woman in the dress walking through the Sky Club lounge. What caught my eye was not her, but watching the men and women watching her. The turn of a head, a scowl from the wife, and all of the varied looks people gave. Did the woman notice, did she feel the eyes upon her? For all that, did she care or want the attention?

What it comes down for me is trying to figure out the stories of these people. Granted it isn't for me to know their personnel stories, but to develop a story from their actions. I'd love to know the personal stories because most would have an interesting one to tell. But since I can not do that, I develop stories in my mind.

I sit then at the airport waiting for my flight and watch the Diamond level travellers wondering how they do it. I'm a Gold level flyer nearing in on Platinum but not sure how one can possibly reach that 125,000 mile level.

So I imagine their stories, the kind of work they perform, the time spent away from home and wonder could I handle it. There is the pastor traveling every Sunday from Atlanta to Los Angeles, pastoring two churches. He is impacting the lives of hundreds of people while traveling on a modern day donkey. Think about that for a moment and then read on.

What of the consultant as she travels cross country providing her expertise to international companies. Do her kids grow more quickly with each passing week?

Are their stories any different than our own? I dare to say that our stories are different only in varied shades and colors. But they are the same in how each of us are working towards a life of success that contains great relationships, love of family and friends and an expectation that our dreams will be fulfilled.

So what I try to see in the stories of these people are the good things they try to accomplish. I see the same struggles that each of us are going through. I see great possibility and hope for everyone to achieve greatness.

And I see it in you even though I don't know you. I see all things are possible in your life regardless of your own story. Maybe I'll even see you walking by one day and imagine your own story. Do not be alarmed by the thought. Be gladdened in knowing all of my stories of people have great endings.

That means there is at least one person out there who believes in you. One person that is cheering for you and for great things in your life. Now that makes two people that believe in you; me and you. The most important one being you.

I'll keep watching and please don't think of me as a stalker. Think of me as your greatest fan. Then cheer yourself on to greater things, to greater success and a greater life.

Stress Management

"Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life." -Danzae Pace

According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, "stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life." Hmmm, a 'normal' reaction to things going on around you! I guess that is one way of viewing stress as being normal. Which I guess means to say that you are not abnormal if you develop stress while going through challenges. That makes me feel a whole lot better.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with what the staff at the Mayo Clinic is saying. Stress is a response to life's challenges thrown into the mix of your everyday life. There is stress related to what seems to be increasing pressure at work. There are fewer people doing more of the work as companies work to save money by laying off people.

There is stress related to money, kids, relationships or even the drive home on a busy freeway. The stress can build up inside of us and begin to cause physical problems. When stressed, our body responds as though we are in danger. It causes hormones to speed up your heart, which is turn allows you to breathe faster, and provide a burst of energy (called the fight-or-flight stress response).

But stress has also been linked to headaches, upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. Stress can weaken your immune system and that makes it harder to fight off disease. If you already have health problems, stress can make it worse. Stress can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Relationships can suffer, and your performance at work or school can suffer as well.

There are methods to help you manage your stress. WebMD offers some techniques shown below. These stress-relief techniques focus on relaxing your mind and your body.

Ways to relax your mind

Write:
It may help to write about things that are bothering you. Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day about stressful events and how they made you feel. Or think about starting a stress journal. This helps you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. After you know, you can find better ways to cope.

Let your feelings out:
Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to. Talking with friends, family, a counselor, or a member of the clergy about your feelings is a healthy way to relieve stress.

Do something you enjoy:
This can be a hobby, such as gardening. A creative activity, such as writing, crafts, or art. Playing with and caring for pets. Volunteer work. You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. But making time to do something you enjoy can help you relax. It might also help you get more done in other areas of your life.

Focus on the present:
Meditation and guided imagery are two ways to focus and relax your mind.

Meditate:
When you meditate, you focus your attention on things that are happening right now. Paying attention to your breathing is one way to focus.

Doing meditation:
Use guided imagery.With guided imagery, you imagine yourself in any setting that helps you feel calm and relaxed. You can use audiotapes, books, or a teacher to guide you.

Ways to relax your body

Exercise:
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to get started. Even everyday activities such as housecleaning or yard work can reduce stress. Stretching can also relieve muscle tension.

Try techniques to relax such as breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and yoga can help relieve stress.

Breathing exercises:
These include roll breathing, a type of deep breathing.

Progressive muscle relaxation:
This technique reduces muscle tension. You do it by relaxing separate groups of muscles one by one.

Yoga, tai chi, and qi gong:
These techniques combine exercise and meditation. You may need some training at first to learn them. Books and videos are also helpful. You can do all of these techniques at home.

In the sum of it all, managing stress can only be handled by you. For the sake of your mental and physical well being, find a way to deal with stress in a healthy way. For the sake of your loved ones, deal with your stress today.