The Decision Is Real

I'm going to call it a decision, rather than a struggle. The decision is real because when I woke up this morning, the first thing I saw was this draft (for Instagram) that I had planned on posting today:

"Hello Sunshine! Have a beautiful day! 💛 ☀️ xo!
#sunshine #flowers #goodday #positivity #positivevibes #positiveenergy #instamood #smile #Love"

Within seconds, I also saw the news. Trump supporters had rolled into Portland, instigating violence and antagonizing others with paint guns and bear mace. One of them had been killed. The president tweeted sympathies. (Stop.) He has displayed a complete LACK of sympathy for COUNTLESS others killed while peaceful protesters have been demonized, abused and murdered as well. NOW there is a sympathy tweet? "HOW DARE YOU?" - was the most polite thought that came to mind. How dare you use someone's death to feign concern, then hide behind that facade when those you ignore and oppress are rightfully enraged by your complete BULL. Meanwhile, scores of spin doctors go to work propagating false narratives designed to take advantage of our basic human frailties and desires to lash out and blame someone. They turn Truth inside out and have people fighting AGAINST their own values!

I maintain that our actions and our mindset are choices we make. THEY do not have to be a struggle. We can choose to act with positive energy, self care, happiness, kindness, understanding and Love. This DOES NOT mean we need to be silent or complicit about any of the issues we are passionate about.

We can fight hard and also adjust the level of our personal emotions to whatever degree we choose or can tolerate. We know our own breaking point. Let's keep the gauge within the realm of survival, and stand strong. Our interiors need strength in order to make "good trouble" externally.

I posted my original "sunshine" post. NO ONE is going to stop me from spreading Love.

Thus fortified, my eyes open wider to injustice and deliberate deception. It absolutely disgusts me to see opportunists selling what I call "fake empowerment." How on earth any person or group of people can manage to take their hate and craving for power and supremacy, repackage it in the form of self-righteousness and Christian values, then capitalize on people's fear, frustration and sometimes ignorance, is almost beyond comprehension. As sickening as this is, we can not allow it to make US sick.

Nourish yourself - then fight like hell. Stand in your truth and stand in Love. Find strength in positivity and happiness. Follow joy. Don't be afraid to glow. SHINE ON. Don't get lost in it. Feed on it. Balance. Then take that strength and...

KICK.

HATE'S.

ASS.

We are tasked with healing the world.

Love,
T

#Biden2020 #DumpTrump #Vote #StayStrong #StaySafe

Like Magic...

I was tired. I didn't know how I was going to muster up the strength to get through the whole, four-hour-long, high-energy gig without anyone noticing my exhaustion.

A friend had sent me a selfie as I was leaving the house. I tried to send one back, but none of them were coming out well. I thought, "Geez, I look terrible." I was wearing my fatigue outwardly.

But then something amazing happened. After the long drive through the beautiful Hudson Valley and a very pleasant encounter with the nicest valet guy ever, I began to feel a little better. Upon greeting the other singer and some of the musicians, we started kidding around and laughing. By the start of the gig, I felt a LOT better. The crowd turned out to be the sweetest group of lively, friendly people, the staff was smiling and happy, my bandmates were the greatest bunch of guys (besides being awesome musicians), and I was absolutely thrilled to be a part of the whole event family. I had a fabulous time! No one would've guessed that I had started off the day so sluggish - including me! LOL.

"We cannot live only for ourselves. 

A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow man."

- Herman Melville

L to R: John, Chris, Me, Paul, Harvey, Doug

Being a part of that fellowship was truly energizing - such an uplifting experience. I drove home with a profound sense of happiness and an energetic spirit, grateful to have been surrounded by such wonderful, positive energy. Also, I was reminded that we are exactly as we believe we are. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped thinking that I was tired and started thinking that I was going to have a lot of fun.

"Every thought we think is creating our future."

- Louise Hay

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. 

The mind is everything. What we thnk, we become."

- Buddha

"The words, 'I am...' are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. 

The thing you're claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you."

- A.L. Kitselman

I'll listen carefully to my thoughts this week. If I start telling myself "I am tired" or anything I wish not to be, I'll replace it with something more like, "I am going to have a great day!" It's just a thought, after all. It can be changed - like magic.

Namaste,

T

Peace and Honor

The first thing I saw on Sunday morning was this post from Dr. Wayne Dyer:

"The only thing that feeling bad accomplishes 

is to plummet you into 

anxiety, despair, depression and stress. 

In such situations, 

ask yourself in that moment 

what thought you can have 

that will make you feel good."

I decided to think good thoughts, reposted Dr. Wayne Dyer's words, and got ready for church. Before leaving I said a prayer and asked for help listening. I got to church and the minister said, "I'm going to help you learn how to listen." :)

The first song was "Down By the Riverside."

"Gonna lay down my sword and shield

down by the riverside

down by the riverside

down by the riverside

gonna lay down my sword and shield

down by the riverside

ain't gonna study war no more..."

Pete Seeger, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee "Down By the Riverside"

The Reverend talked about Memorial Day and noted how we often speak of war. (I suddenly wondered if "Down By the Riverside" could be interpreted as "anti war" and felt pangs of conflict for singing it with Memorial Day just around the corner and the remembrance of countless brave men and women who gave their lives in service. I certainly would not want to seem disrespectful to any of them.) He recalled watching CNN and spoke about how we constantly feed our minds with negativity. After ten minutes of watching the news, we can become walking byproducts of media doom and gloom. Where was the holiday celebrating peace? What about John Lennon? We can, with intention and practice, quiet the noise and become aware of divine inspiration. We can train ourselves to listen to it.

Alright... Here's the thought that came to me...

I think a great way to celebrate Memorial Day and to honor those who fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice for peace, is to shift mental focus to peace and gratitude. Thank God for all of those who paid for our freedoms and liberties with their lives. I thank them all dearly.

To all those who passed on while serving in the armed forces:

Today (Memorial Day) I will remember you and honor your sacrifice by lifting my thoughts, energy and spirit to a place of happiness and peace. I know that beautiful things happen every day that we don't hear about on the news. I know that people are helping other people in places all over the world. I know that we can accomplish amazing things with love and kindness - and we are.

"To everything... There is a season..."

- Pete Seeger, King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I will make today a season of peace, joy and happiness - inspired by your sacrifice. Thank you.

Namaste,
T

Hold the Rope

Early in the week, I watched an episode of Psych. (Did you ever see that show? It’s hilarious!) The main character, Shawn, had been challenged by a serial killer to a battle of wits, and was trying to keep his usual brand of lighthearted humor despite the seriousness of the situation. He encouraged his best friend, Gus, to help him out by keeping that spirit of goofy humor alive. Gus obliged by acting silly in the most serious of circumstances. By outward appearances, Gus seemed to have lost his mind – LOL. It was unclear whether Shawn just wanted to make him look like a fool or really needed his support in that manner. The show cracked me up, as usual.

(from Psych Season 3, Episode 16 "An Evening With Mr. Yang")

By “coincidence,” the day after watching that episode some close friends and I had to deal with a challenging situation in which it became very tempting to lose our cool. We adopted a similar coping mechanism. To safeguard against falling into the perils of negativity, we adopted a system I call “hold the rope.” When one friend has to deal with some unpleasant situation, another holds the rope. One dives in while others stand in pure love, positive energy and good humor. It’s like having a lifeline. That line is meant to guarantee safe passage into the depths of worldly un-pleasantries and back. Like a harness, it’s a support system.

Let’s face it. Challenges exist. Whether it’s a confrontational coworker, a less-than-pleasant circumstance, or a personal relationship problem – sometimes it becomes a challenge to stay in a positive state of mind. I heard someone on the news this week say that the way to fight hate is with love. It can require serious effort to keep your spirit in a place of love, no matter what comes barreling at you from others. I try to remind myself that there is always something to be learned from ANY situation and that ultimately, a positive outcome can be found. I believe everything can be met with the force of love and that if we are strong enough, in faith and spirit, there is nothing and no one with any real power over us. Keep loving, keep staying strong; that is the plan.

This week, when something is challenging, I’ll ask a friend to hold the rope for me – and I will volunteer to hold the rope for another if they need.  We can stay in the land of love and positive energy if we just give each other a helping hand. If we can manage to keep a smile, we’ll be alright.

With Love,

Namaste

T

Positively Flexible

IS IT MONDAY AGAIN!!!???

I was so busy running around that I can barely remember the first part of last week.  What did I do?  I honestly have no idea.

At some point I took this pic, LOL

I DID do a LOT of driving this weekend.  I am pretty sure that I drove in a thousand-mile-long circle twice in the last two weeks.

Two things stand out as I look back.  The first is the importance of being flexible with plans.  The second is the benefit of positive energy.

Flexibility was key for success last week.  You wouldn't believe how plans kept changing.  Then there was no plan, because why bother?  Then there had to be decisions made (despite the lack of information), then after the decisions were made more change came and the decision had to be revised anyway.  It was ridiculous.  Where was I driving to?  Were the dogs coming with me?  Where would I be going after I went to the first place?  It's kind of hard to pack when you don't know where you're going or how long you'll be there.  In the end, I ended up right back where I started after driving a thousand miles.  If I tried to latch on to one particular idea of what was going to be happening, some new development would loosen my grip and I ultimately had to let go of any notions of my own and just go with the flow.  Fine.

Then there was the presence and awareness of the positive energy flow.  It's funny - when you just "go with the flow" of things there seems to be a wonderful sense of freedom that takes over as you open your mind to the endless possibility of "whatever."  Whenever I let go of my ideas of how things "should" go, adventure begins and the door is opened to new and wonderful things that I never could have deliberately planned.  Even just that sense of freedom itself carries with it such a light and happy feeling.

The gig was great this weekend!  I can't express enough how fabulous it is to work with people whose company you enjoy, and to be able to do something that you really enjoy doing.  We played at a country club on Saturday and had a GREAT time.  We all love making each other laugh, and try to do so at every opportunity (even on stage - Joe seemed to get a big kick out of deliberately trying to make me laugh so hard that I would be unable to sing my verse).  The energy of that laughter and positive spirit shines through in the performance and somehow seems to transmit to the audience, and everyone has a wonderful time!  That positive energy really is contagious.

The contagious effect was evident on my drive back home too.  When a friend had just made me laugh on the phone right before I entered a rest stop, and I walked in there still beaming, I was met with smiles by every stranger I encountered.

Listening to Caroline Myss lectures on the drive (She is AMAZING - GO OUT AND BUY SOME OF HER BOOKS/LECTURES RIGHT NOW!), I heard about spiritual "weightlessness."  To me, being in that state of happiness feels like weightlessness.  What amazing things we can accomplish from that state of energetic joy.  It's kind of like magic - as if joy attracts more joy.  Ideas flow and anything seems possible.

click here for Caroline Myss on Wikipedia

I'll hold on to that this week.  I will go with the flow, stay open to the unexpected and seek laughter.  When I find the laughter I will treasure it and be grateful for it.  I'll hold on to the idea of not holding on to anything.  I am positive that if I do that - this will be a FANTASTIC week!

Gorgeous sunset on the drive!

Namaste
xoxo
T

click here for Pharrell Williams' "Happy" on Youtube