I think what you've posted here is an invitation to yourself to listen to yourself, to the sound below the noise. Some people call it deep knowing. Take that for what it's worth (or file it is the Jeff's gone a bit woowoo folder).
Happy Birthday Dear Jeff!! I wish someone would've told me a long time to learn to accept people just as they are. Life with acceptance is so much more beautiful.
We both come from a tradition that is intensely committed to changing people into something 'better' than they are. It takes time for acceptance without agenda to find its place in us.
Something that's really helped me is learning that we're not here to fix every shitty situation we encounter in our lives, but we are here to love them. Often the loving does end up doing the fixing but the shift in focus has been huge for me.
My mantra is “Feeling like Shit is Your Superpower.” It plays on the metaphor of using garbage thoughts as compost in order to grow. Feeling bad isn’t something to run away from or cling to (Buddhism). Just the right amount can grow one hell of a garden! Let it do its magical thing. Let it teach you what you need to do to make a change. I think FFOREST knows all about composting! So my second recco is Yoga with Adriene! Have an awesome birthday weekend!!
Thank you E.L.! This sits nicely with Marcus' and Denelle's thoughts about acceptance. Accept reality. Accept others. Accept the reality of your thoughts without judgement. And let's slip Anna's mantra in here too: 'We're not here to fix the world, but to love it' because 'Often the loving does end up doing the fixing'.
I love that! One application of this is moving into new territory. You don't know what you don't know yet, so it's pointless trying to get everything neatly boxed off in advance. You'll only limit your exposure to opportunity.
Learn new things everyday. I recently asked Chat GPT to create a course syllabus about something I wanted to know more about (including the textbooks to read). The topic was very niche: the relationship between humans and nature in Neolithic Britain. I plan to ask Chat GPT to write lectures for each item on the syllabus.
I have gotten a lot out of both maitri and tonglen meditations. They soften my heart towards myself as well to my community (and people I may be struggling with). Both also really help to regulate my nervous system. Pema Chodron teaches about both and has helpful YouTube teachings on Tonglen in particular. While they are Buddhist based, both are non-religious forms of meditation. <3
Hey Jeff, happy bday by the way!! I have tonnes of mantras I use to help me through, but here’s one of my simple faves: don’t think too far ahead. You never know what’s just around the corner, in work or life, waiting to inspire you. If you’re always thinking of how far away the finish line is, it’ll seem scary and unattainable. So, just keep plugging away. Put one foot in front of the other. You’ll learn things along the way that make you a different person to the one who sat thinking, ‘there’s no way I can do this’ at the beginning of the journey. There’s an E.L Doctorow quote I love that sums this up more beautifully than I ever could, “writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
Happy Birthday, Jeff! The piece of advice that always gut checks me is very simple, but hard to hold onto in the moment - If you expect everyone to respond/act they way you do, you will always be disappointed. I let it echo in my head when I'm in a passionate debate but can't seem to get everyone "on my side", man how boring that would be? The second has been transforming my little corner of the world in big ways lately - make the tiny moments special. If my partner is cooking dinner I'll ask if he'd like a drink or maybe set out a few tiny apps to nosh on. Instead of the TV droning, a card game. Music playing softly in the background. It's helping a lot now when it's dark at 4:30pm and it feels impossible to seize the day. Celebrate you today!! Cheers
Also, I have enjoyed being in my 50s more than I ever imagined. It's a great time to be alive. <3
Four days in and it's going well.
Happy Birthday! I actually haven;t worked out what helps me to thrive. Perhaps I should, then I could do more of it.
I think what you've posted here is an invitation to yourself to listen to yourself, to the sound below the noise. Some people call it deep knowing. Take that for what it's worth (or file it is the Jeff's gone a bit woowoo folder).
I have begun...
Happy Birthday Dear Jeff!! I wish someone would've told me a long time to learn to accept people just as they are. Life with acceptance is so much more beautiful.
We both come from a tradition that is intensely committed to changing people into something 'better' than they are. It takes time for acceptance without agenda to find its place in us.
Yes! Well said. I'm glad that time finally caught up with me!
Happiest birthday, Jeff!!!!!
Something that's really helped me is learning that we're not here to fix every shitty situation we encounter in our lives, but we are here to love them. Often the loving does end up doing the fixing but the shift in focus has been huge for me.
"We're not here to fix the world, but to love it"
I love that, Anna! It's a total ninja move. Thank you
Happy 50th birthday, Jeff💐🔥🎂🍧🍺🥂🍾🎼🥁💰🎉🎁!
Accepting what is.....
That's when all the good stuff starts to happen
Happy birthday Jeff!!! 50!! 🎉🎉🎉
My mantra is “Feeling like Shit is Your Superpower.” It plays on the metaphor of using garbage thoughts as compost in order to grow. Feeling bad isn’t something to run away from or cling to (Buddhism). Just the right amount can grow one hell of a garden! Let it do its magical thing. Let it teach you what you need to do to make a change. I think FFOREST knows all about composting! So my second recco is Yoga with Adriene! Have an awesome birthday weekend!!
Thank you E.L.! This sits nicely with Marcus' and Denelle's thoughts about acceptance. Accept reality. Accept others. Accept the reality of your thoughts without judgement. And let's slip Anna's mantra in here too: 'We're not here to fix the world, but to love it' because 'Often the loving does end up doing the fixing'.
Yass!
Take messy action!
I love that! One application of this is moving into new territory. You don't know what you don't know yet, so it's pointless trying to get everything neatly boxed off in advance. You'll only limit your exposure to opportunity.
Learn new things everyday. I recently asked Chat GPT to create a course syllabus about something I wanted to know more about (including the textbooks to read). The topic was very niche: the relationship between humans and nature in Neolithic Britain. I plan to ask Chat GPT to write lectures for each item on the syllabus.
Nice, Lynn. This is a very clever use of the technology! I've used https://www.perplexity.ai a few times it shows you its sources in the results
Mind blown!! I needed something exactly like this to start a new project for my Flash Nites business! Gah THANK YOU!!
You are enough. That’s it.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/n2wrCLxJ5GcTUQtaA
Happy Bday
Thank you, Arianna!
I have gotten a lot out of both maitri and tonglen meditations. They soften my heart towards myself as well to my community (and people I may be struggling with). Both also really help to regulate my nervous system. Pema Chodron teaches about both and has helpful YouTube teachings on Tonglen in particular. While they are Buddhist based, both are non-religious forms of meditation. <3
Happii Five-O Mr. Gill. Celebrate your half birthdays too... It's coming up May 16!
(see post in your honour on IG @common_bloke)
Nice one! Thank you so much!
Hey Jeff, happy bday by the way!! I have tonnes of mantras I use to help me through, but here’s one of my simple faves: don’t think too far ahead. You never know what’s just around the corner, in work or life, waiting to inspire you. If you’re always thinking of how far away the finish line is, it’ll seem scary and unattainable. So, just keep plugging away. Put one foot in front of the other. You’ll learn things along the way that make you a different person to the one who sat thinking, ‘there’s no way I can do this’ at the beginning of the journey. There’s an E.L Doctorow quote I love that sums this up more beautifully than I ever could, “writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
Thank you, Lois. You remind me of my drive home from Shrewsbury in the dark last night. The Jewish and Christian version of that is
'Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.'
(Psalm 119:105)
The idea is that you get enough insight for the next step And that's enough.
The juice 🥤
Happy Birthday, Jeff! The piece of advice that always gut checks me is very simple, but hard to hold onto in the moment - If you expect everyone to respond/act they way you do, you will always be disappointed. I let it echo in my head when I'm in a passionate debate but can't seem to get everyone "on my side", man how boring that would be? The second has been transforming my little corner of the world in big ways lately - make the tiny moments special. If my partner is cooking dinner I'll ask if he'd like a drink or maybe set out a few tiny apps to nosh on. Instead of the TV droning, a card game. Music playing softly in the background. It's helping a lot now when it's dark at 4:30pm and it feels impossible to seize the day. Celebrate you today!! Cheers
Two very good ones, Jordan. I just got back from acquiring some Baby Cham (https://www.babycham.co.uk) to make dinner more special.