Making Life Easier

- When I make the difficult choice not to look up to others it is much easier to choose not to look down.
- When I make the difficult choice not to blame I spend less time forgiving.
- When I stop focusing on a bully I make it unnecessary to hate the bully.

CMB

Insight after a phone call from Connie:

The first Bully of every day... is the negative voice within me.

When my intention is to dis-enthrall myself from my impulses I can choose to notice, interrupt and replace my negative self talk.  I can then choose to frame my day with functional, positive truth.

CMB

When I refer to 'God'.

As a 21^st century social scientist, when I refer to God I am attempting to be respectful to the unknown and to the mysteries of creation.  I am being aware that I am one witness among billions of perspectives who each find unique meaning in any number of Gods.  I am aware that I am not the designer.  When I create a brilliant theory or witness an event and believe I understand… I can choose to remember that I am one witness among billions of witnesses.  I can choose be proud or I can choose to be serine, probably not both at once.  I can choose to seek meaning.  I can talk about what I believe I am witnessing.  I can seek feedback and I may or may not choose to expand my awareness.

I am not declaring my personal religion.

My personal religion can be understood by you… only as I choose to share with you my daily project of sorting out my leaving the home of my childhood, leaving the home of my parents, leaving the home of my nation, leaving the home of my culture and leaving the home my planet to find my personal orientation and relationship with where we all live and with each of your perspectives as we step along our mutual journey. 

I can think of many labels I might use.  I don’t think that would help you know me better.

CMB

Without the alloy of hypocrisy.

“As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”

Abraham Lincoln 

Mr. Rogers quote

"If we grow up fearing mistakes, we may become afraid to try new things. Making mistakes is a natural part of being human and a natural part of the way to learn. It's an important lesson, at any time of life, but certainly the earlier the better. We all make mistakes as we grow, and not only is there nothing wrong with that, there's everything right about it."

To The Contrary

                         Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking
                         bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in
                         the plastic state.     

William James

                         If parents and grandparents could but realize the power of their 
                         self-care as a developing model for their intensely observant 
                         children and grandchildren, they would give more heed to noticing,  
                         interrupting, and replacing their own negative self-talk and their 
                         impulsive and dysfunctional repetitive behavior.   

                         When Elders do better self-care, kids do better self-care.  

Chuck Britt