Open Hands Theory

Open Hands Theory

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I feel like I want to address the idea of openness this week.

If I remember correctly, there was a commercial from days gone by that used the idea of open hands as a symbol to reach out to people. In stands out in my mind as something powerful and true. I thought of this today as I read a few pages of a book I have been trying to finish. The specific chapter spoke to this idea of our open hands and what they represent. For example, displaying open hands conveyed a willingness to receive and propose an offering of some sorts.

I am certain this is different for any individual and dependent on ones outlook and circumstances. But today I think of this theory in context with many situations going on in our world today. For instance, when you see movies or live news footage of police or extremist groups pointing weaponry at someone, many times you see one or more individuals being contained with their hands up and open to show they are not on the defense or holding any kind of dangerous item.

I guess on the other side of the coin (and a more personal note) we can look at the idea of open hands as a way of not holding onto anything. Open hands do not cling or claw at anything and demonstrate a letting go initiative. Some faith based practices utilize this the idea of open handed-ness as a means of opening up to the spiritual world and taking it all in, as well as releasing some sense of self. To release and absord, I guess. There is something positive about this.

It also seems important to not close oneself off from everything albeit there are times it appears it might be the best choice. Recognizing that not all things are what they appear to be helps keep the door open at least a crack until the situation fully presents itself as it is.

Sometimes I wonder if I am too quick to make a decision or make a judgment call without looking further into things. I've noticed that if I wait it out just a bit and keep my mouth closed long enough to assess the whole of a situation or let it play out, I learn much more about it and can make a better decision accordingly. This seems to be a direct result of this "openeness" ideology. It is so easy in our world today to simply react instead of respond and the consequences are not always positive.

One way I see this is in how I know people who won't speak to one another and allow years to go by without contact, thus closing a door. Sometimes it is over little things. How do we move past closing the door and opening another or avoiding closing the door needlessly? This is something worth thinking about, don't you think?

Consciously making a choice to remain open to the possibilities may be one answer to making sure we stay on the positive trail. Just thinking about being "open" helps prevent good opportunity from slipping away.

I also think about how if we stop and take time to listen we are are already creating an open and inviting space to move forward. By opening ourselves up more we are sending out an invitation to the universe and the world around us that we are here, as well as ready, willing and able to receive, offer up and accept more in blessings, opportunity, abundance, success or whatever it is we are searching for and have need or want to be a part of.

I'm sure this conversation has a lot moe to consider. With that in mind, take some time this week to take stock on whether you are living each day with an open attitude and make mental note on whether or not that helps make the week nmuch better as a result.

Here are some ideas that are often tossed around we can rumenate on this week as we ponder the Open Hands Theory.:

Open Door Policy
When One Door Closes...Another Door Opens
Open to Possibilities
Open Communication
Come On In, We're Open!

All the best to us all for a wonderful and fulfilling week.

Cheers!

Boot Strap Boogie!

Boot Strap Boogie! 

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I think everyone has one of those days they could live without. In other words, not have to go through living again.  And then there ARE days you would love to repeat over and over, because they satisfied some part of your well being. I can think of celebratory days to be exact.

Unfortunately, not every day ends in a celebration, but doesn’t it start out that way? To wake up and have the chance to try again or start something new seems like a gift and a blessing all rolled up into one.

I bring up this topic because living more positively takes time, effort and a desire. Therefore, whenever one of those bummers of a day comes along and people start hounding you or attacking your sensibilities, those are the times to try and find the celebration and seek out the good in the moment.

No one is immune to having a vulnerable moment. After all, we are human and must connect with our feelings and many times (in an over stimulated state) this happens when we least expect it. Therein lies a chance to reconnect with our positive initiatives. We discover what it is we are after, what we want, what we don’t want and more.

I had one of those days recently. I felt another individual casting off their negativity onto me and ultimately handing me a low blow insult. I began to deflate inside. Here I was making every effort to communicate, work together as a team, finalize a project and make it the best I could with my contribution, and out of nowhere…WHAM!- right upside the head, so to speak.  That basically ended the work day for me. I needed time to assess my thoughts and feelings; to take a break away from the project.

After a little time to feel whatever it was I was going to feel, then I could decide to move forward and let it all go. I’m sure the person was not intentionally trying to step on my feelings. But my feelings were tested nonetheless. During a time like the one I just experienced is a perfect time to find a friend with a good ear. I was thankful to have one and be able to express my thoughts and let them go instead of bottling them up, which is never good.

The next day I was able to pick up and move on leaving the past in the past.

I remember the idea of picking oneself up by pulling up your bootstraps. I believe it to mean making effort to lift yourself up, which is directly correlated to my previous statement about how it takes time, effort and desire. I had indeed picked myself up by my bootstraps. As a result, I had a successful and productive day. Not only that, I was able to proceed without judgment and continue the working relationship that pushed my boundaries.

This is similar to the word “bootstrapping.”

According to Wikipedia¹, “bootstrapping usually refers to a self-starting process that is supposed to proceed without external input.” I take this to mean that no one but you, yourself and you can get yourself up and going again. Albeit, some help is usually never too far away.

I felt this was as good an opportunity as any to review the idea of bootstrapping. We all need little reminders as we go along with the day to day. So if you notice anyone in your circles going through the ringer, give them a little smile and hang in there nudge. It just might help make their day better and push them to lift themselves up and get on with their day.

Heck, remember that country song called “Boot Scoot Boogie” by Brooks and Dunn? Maybe we should try an exercise this week that anytime something or someone tries to push us over the edge, we should stop what we’re doing and perform a little boogie dance right in the middle of it all. That would certainly break any monotony and tension. In fact, it may infuse something more positive into the already trying day. Now wouldn’t that be a good thing?

Here's a YouTube link to Boot Scoot Boogie to help you shake out some grooves!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d05tQrhNMkA

Now, ya’ll keep this in mind and go out there and have a boot strap boogie of a week!

Cheers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootstrapping¹ (Viewed 8/15/2016)

Mind Over Matter!

Mind Over Matter! 
©Allen Merritt (2016)

I feel blessed to have had a little time to take in the summer Olympics over the weekend. The degree of talent is nothing short of spectacular and amazing. It is a positive twist on how much effort a person has to apply to themselves and their craft to make it that far into competition; all for fulfilling a dream. It takes love and passion, perseverance, stamina, as well as persistence. I felt inspired and reminded of how difficult it is to stay on top of your game; a lesson we can all take from the games and initiate into daily living.

Never give up seems to be one message the athletes convey when they tell their stories. Practice, practice and practice some more even when you are dealing with daily problems back home. Moreover, it appears it is more than making time for practice. It’s about learning that it isn’t practice which truly makes our game perfect, but perfect practice; and, commitment.

We must keep telling ourselves over and over again that we not only think we can, but we know we can. Fell down this time, but I got up! How do I make myself better to avoid falling again? How do I progress and make my situation better? Keep trying, but do so with eyes, ears and heart wide open with full preparation to keep on keeping on. There are too many people out there willing and ready to knock us down. Therefore, stay focused on the good stuff: YOU!

Is it mind over matter? Or is it mind over matter by working that matter? Does that even make sense? I think it does. You see, these athletes are doing everything in their power to stay positive, motivated, driven and inspired to meet their goals and achieve those dreams.  A positive mindset kicks it off. Building strength in the body over time suggests the body (or matter) is working the matter. That’s the spin on the story that makes it great. How many times in years past have such athletes competed on such a global level and under such pressure to have failed to make medal status, but yet came back four years later better and stronger than ever? How easy could it have been to give up? Talk about pushing the envelope…or in this case “matter.”

Another common story is how it has been a lot of hard work, but also a roller coaster of highs and lows. These athletes have the same emotions and situations going on in their lives as anyone else. In fact, I would dare say they have much more to overcome in order to get to this level of prestige. In the heat of the moment when it is time to hit the mark, they have to be more than prepared despite what is going on back home. It’s a difficult task for anyone.  Distractions and concerns have to be put aside long enough to show your stuff. Just like the cheerleaders use to shout out at the football games, “Push ‘em back! Push ‘em back, way back!”

With this in mind, I want to salute those that are giving it their all and then continuing the race. Personally, I feel that struggle in juggling work, career, care taking and general responsibilities while hanging on to my dreams, character and integrity in hopes of living out my wildest dreams. I don’t think it matters how big the dream is, it still is worth the pursuit and is always possible. Believing in you and working that mind over matter by working that matter is what matters in the end, isn’t it?

The dream may not materialize today, but when that day comes, the work will have been worth it and we’ll all be smiling!

As the Olympics illustrate these astonishing lessons, may we all learn from them and take them with us into the rest of this week and then beyond that.

Go out there with a positive mindset and then work it!

Have a great week!

Cheers.

Accept and Embrace the Love

Accept and Embrace the Love

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I don’t know about anyone else, but this has been quite an interesting week, especially career-wise. I landed a small speaking part in pilot sitcom and filmed it on Monday. Monday into Tuesday I had the privilege of spending time with and visiting a blast from the past old friend I had not seen in over 20 years. Wednesday and Thursday I casually worked on the next phase of a creative project I have been working on and also got a call to take on another speaking part in a small scene in an independent feature film working on Friday, which almost didn’t happen, because the lead character got food poisoning. While traveling to the site I got a text message telling me the shoot was canceled for just that reason. I responded on how I was almost there and within a few minutes got another text that the lead was going to push through it and the shoot moved forward as planned. Whew! I recognized how things work themselves out when they need to. I mean, after all I was already there. But I was ready to accept and embrace that I had traveled there for no reason if I needed to. I was ready to make the most of nothing. In any case, it all worked out well. I guess, going with the flow, being open to possibility, accepting and embracing the moment for what it is can result in great benefits as often as not.

Following the end of the film shoot, I had time on my hands and decided to take advantage of the occasion and enjoy some of the day by walking around downtown Los Angeles near Olivera Street. I discovered two churches that are usually closed were open. Since I love going into churches of all types I decided to wander inside and look around and read up on their history. There is a certain opportunity that entering a church generally always provides. That is, to experience a sense of calm and peace. You can just relax and be. At the second church, I took a few moments to sit there and simply experience it.

Shortly thereafter, I checked my voice mail and found a request to appear in a short film. I was struck on how the indie film and this short film both called me out of the blue and invited me to participate. This does not happen every day. I felt blessed to be referred and/or simply offered such opportunities without interview or audition. And, I accepted and embraced them for whatever the outcome would become.

The reason I chose to share these moments today is because I wanted to contemplate and reflect on how life offers us things when we least expect them while simultaneously leaving us to wonder why it is happening. By going with the flow, I took a chance and put myself out there for these events in hopes of being creative, creating more opportunity, building future working relationships and achieving results. More importantly, I found myself thinking on what it means to love unconditionally as well as accept unconditional love.

The story continues as I sat in Union Station. I noticed an upright piano located in the waiting area with a sign that read, “Show us what you got!” For the entire time I sat there someone was always playing that piano. I loved it. One lady played music similar to that of George Winston, which took me back in time when I was on tour and we played that music while traveling in a van from one city to another. It was relaxing and for me, stirred images in my soul that were pleasing. Beautiful music can do that for us. It is often therapeutic and healing.

In a nutshell, I guess I was enlightened to this idea of how human beings are always learning to love, accept and embrace love as it comes our way. I found myself thinking how this could quite possibly be one meaning to unconditional love; that our mere existence is to learn how to love wholeheartedly, unconditionally and unabashedly – for ourselves and others. Maybe we are to learn to accept and embrace the love of God, the Universe or the powers that be simply for what it is (and as it is) without exception or specific expectation; to live in the calm and stillness; to be happy with just that. For anything beyond that is a bonus.

Today is Sunday and this week of experiences is almost over and a new week awaits to present itself to us, so in closing this week’s positivity blog I want to end with the image I saw in a movie last night. 

According to the film, a custom in Saudi Arabia when someone comes to you asking for help (i.e. money) to raise your index finger and point it heavenward. The main character asked what this meant and the explanation was how pointing toward the heavens made the statement on how God will provide. It also closed any further conversation.

On that positive note, go out and have a great week. end of story!

Cheers.

Hope Beyond All Understanding!

Hope Beyond All Understanding!

 ©Allen Merritt (2016)

A couple weeks back, the valley where I live was permeated with smoke drifting in from blazing wildfires. For a day it was cloudy-like and smelled like a campfire. I could taste it in the back of my throat. Today, wildfires continue to burn all over the place. As a result, this weekend the entire valley is once again shrouded in thick whiteness impacting air quality and creating low visibility. 

Interestingly, according to the weather authorities this time it was NOT necessarily due to the wildfires, but to dust. Either way, the buildings were surrounded by nothing but white veils. One could not see the mountains or beyond a certain distance. Personally, I stayed indoors as much as possible. Every time I looked out the window I was struck by the vastness of the cloud cover. It was not like storm clouds, but filtered down around you.

This white curtain likened itself to heavy smog, fog, thick haze, smoke and/or heavy cloud cover. As I pondered it, I realized there were correlations and potential messages/lessons to be discovered toward creating something positive out of a negative situation. Ergo, today I want to talk about the idea of hope for things unseen. When life seems covered in darkness and nothing seems to be happening, hope is standing right there on the perimeter to prove something is there waiting for us to discover it.

For me, I did not see darkness here. No, it was whiteness. It reminded me of a foggy day in San Francisco. Although you cannot see much in front of you, you know that things are there. This fog does not stop us from moving about and getting our work done. We step cautiously so as not to run into someone or bump into a building. And, eventually that cloud cover would burn off with the help of the sun. Isn’t that how hope presents itself? The future is right in front of us, but we don’t always see it due to the distractions.

In the same way, pilots often have to navigate through thick cloud cover to maneuver their planes safely from one destination to another, often traveling blindly. Navigational instruments help determine what lies ahead to assure them the plane will move up, over and around any endangerment. There is trust and hope in the idea that although we do not see those mountains and obstacles coming, we are somehow maneuvering around them to land safely on the other side. That, in and of itself, is enough to make me smile and think on how hope really does spring eternal.

I have seen walls of sand and dust rise up out of the desert and move over the landscape forcing everything to stop until it passed over. You couldn’t see anything and had to take cover to avoid being pummeled by rocks and debris. Of course, this was a storm. But the analogy of not seeing what lies around you and also in knowing that there is something there brings me back to how we must hold on to the idea of hope in our lives at every turn and juncture.

I was captured further as I witnessed this whiteness lying over the valley about how this speaks to the idea of how we are able to truly move mountains. There indeed are mountains around us and usually I can clearly see them. I know they are there, but not today. Nature just removed the mountains if only for a short while. I am thinking there is more than one way to move or move around mountains.

Looking at this experience through positive lenses demonstrates to me the power we all have as human beings to see beyond our circumstances, to have faith in what lies beyond them and experiencing a grand sense of hope in moving beyond anything and everything in the best possible way. It isn’t always easy when you are in the midst of having to travel through such heaviness, but slowing down, taking a breath and moving forward with caution and steady footing helps us come out the other side and see what’s really out there in the wild blue yonder.

I am always amazed when I fly and come up and over cloud cover to see a blue sky and sunshine. It leaves an indelible impression on me of hope beyond any and all understanding. It is there. It exists and it is real. Let us be reminded of such hope and hopefulness this week no matter what is going on in our lives, our families, our communities, our jobs, and our country or in our world. Know that hope springs eternal and is out there waiting for us to embrace it without ceasing.

Have a great week.

Cheers.