Forecasting!

Forecasting!

© Allen Merritt (2017)

I woke up this morning, began brushing my teeth, turned and looked out the window to witness the sun shining ever so brightly. For me, this makes my heart and soul smile contentedly. I appreciate looking out into the wild blue yonder and feeling how it is going to be a good one. It’s a great set up for beginning a wonderful day. In my case, the weather promotes and enlivens my spirit. There is nothing like feeling happy as you saunter out into the real world, which leads me to ponder a couple of questions.

How much of our daily routine is dependent on the weather?

Does weather affect our mood?

Does June gloom make us want to pull the covers back up over our head until the gloominess passes?

How many times have we started the day and half way through it wished we could go back and start the day all over again?

I know some people whose arthritis flares up every time the rains come. Some even use this as a way of predicting the weather patterns in their area. They can feel it in their bones!

What is great about waking up each morning is that it is kind of like being born again. We’re renewed, refreshed and have rendered an opportunity to see things in a new light and have another chance to pick up and go, start where we left off and continue creating life.

Whether or not the weather impacts your outlook, appreciating what the world has to offer each moment makes a difference in developing a positive mindset. While thinking on these thoughts my mind honed in on the word ‘forecasting’.

Forecasting refers to looking ahead, foreshadowing the future and foreseeing outcomes.  It’s our best guess for what is about to happen, as verified by every meteorologist. And, as I have heard many times in every part of the country, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute and it will change. This is a good metaphor for living positively. Meaning, if you don’t like this moment, wait a minute and it will change. That is the wonder of life; it is dynamic and constantly changing.

Consequently, I’m also reminded of the old Irish song “It’s a long way to Tipperary”, which I used to think was "...a long way to Temporary." The analogy I get from the "temporary" version is that all things are temporary. However, when you are in the thick of it all, it seems to drag on forever, but on hindsight it was just a drop in the bucket, a blip on the computer screen. Maybe we make more out of our plights than we should. By using forecasting as a tool to pave a path to a better future we can see in advance the possibilities, the better times ahead and more.

Furthermore, I see this as how we can as individuals enhance our lives that much more by utilizing the initiative of forecasting as a tool toward developing a better attitude, appreciation and positive mental and physical well being.

Think of it as casting forward the best vision (and version) of yourself you want to be; like a fisherman casting his line and waiting to see what comes back to him after he reels the line back in. Forecasting in this way affords everyone a chance to envision our best selves.

Forecasting is an art unto itself. It is based on experience, patterns and previous data and/or knowledge. In fact, it’s interesting to note there are many variables of forecasting including qualitative, quantitative, average approach, naïve approach, drift method, seasonal, time series methods, as well as judgmental and artificial intelligence. ¹ Of course, a lot of forecasting is structured around weather patterns and economic trends, but it doesn’t mean it cannot apply to our daily routine.

So the questions of the week include:

What is your forecast?

What are you putting forth?

What are you throwing out there?

 What do you expect to receive back in return?

Just remember, if you are throwing out misery, because you love that sort of company; or anger, vengefulness, negativity and similar emotive and reactionary actions, then you can expect to get back the same from the world around you. To avoid this, change your forecast. Put on a smile or even a half smile. All of us have to start somewhere when we’re feeling the blues and want to get back to our happy place.

For me, the best place to start is through forecasting. Change your mind about the outcome.

Isn’t this the same as finding ways to cheer yourself up when you are down?

Let us all go forward into a new week and cast forth the best we can imagine.

With that in mind, enjoy life on a positive note.

Cheers!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forecasting (viewed on 06/10/2017)¹

Feeding the Soul!

Feeding the Soul!

© Allen Merritt (2017)

Ever see those signs posted at the zoo about not feeding the animals? We’re not supposed to feed anything to them as a precaution toward being safe from harm. Enjoy them from a distance and let them live as naturally as possible in their environment. We tend to forget that animals are just that, animals and they have an instinct which can cause irreparable harm if we are not careful. They are after all wild; even our pets can turn on a dime. While most pets return loving kindness in a big way, they don’t always respond the way we think they will or should.

Today, I am thinking about feeding the soul and freeing the spirit and thought about the zoo analogy in terms of what we initiate or give to ourselves and to others. What we give to others may set off a firestorm or provide us with a sense of pure love and enlightenment. What are we feeding ourselves and is that helping or hindering our lives?

If the saying, “You are what you eat” means anything, it means you are whatever you put into your body. That includes our mind, body, soul, spirit and our senses. If we are filled with gratitude and appreciation, then we are experiencing a state of bliss and happiness that is allowed to live freely within us. It isn’t something conjured up or controlled, but allowed to be.

So if we are feeding our soul, we must be conscious of what we are feeding it.

Here are some thoughts/ideas to take with you throughout the next week related to feeding the soul and freeing the spirit.

Last night I found myself listening to a lot of faith based and inspirational type music which I remember from days gone by. Before I knew it more than two hours had passed. I was enjoying myself, humming, singing and remembering the lyrics as I searched for old songs on the internet. What was I doing? I was feeding my soul and freeing my spirit with positivity.

This week I am reviewing some of the book titles I have read or are in the middle of reading. All of them related to things such as motivation, drive, Godliness, love, self acceptance, happiness, peace, joy, splendor, wonder, faith, patterns of self destructiveness, obstacles and hurdles and other things to be aware of that we as human beings often get caught up in or learn from. What do these ideas entail? They serve as examples of feeding my soul and freeing my spirit.

I also found myself realizing what kind of statements I make during meditation and prayer time. I generally always say “Thank you” for each day. I show appreciation and mentally/verbally recognize the grace and love that is a part of my every day. I look for peace, joy, harmony, love, light, laughter, assertiveness, passion and compassion. I am purposefully aiming toward these elements as being instrumental in my makeup so that I can feed my soul with the good things and free my spirit as a result. In doing so, I am sharing that with the universe and the world as I know it and as I do not know it.  Either way, it makes sense that if you put in junk, junk will come out. But if you feed yourself in every way with the best of the best, you stand a chance at experiencing the best of the best and allowing others around you to do the same.

I guess it begins with awareness.. It we are attending to the right frame of mind and the most appropriate thoughts we will generate more of the same and develop a habit toward living in that place we wish to be. If we fill ourselves up with those things that truly make us happy and provide a sense of happiness to the world around us, then we eliminate more of that which causes harm, grief and destructiveness. We at least stand a chance of reducing greater harm by promoting the greater good.

What will you do this week to feed your soul and free your spirit?

Work on it throughout the week!

Enjoy life on a positive note.

Cheers!

The Password is: Complementary!

 The Password is: Complementary!

© Allen Merritt (2017)

I love reading.

I become engrossed in taking in text related to psychology and philosophy.

Lately, I have been reading a couple of books simultaneously. I like to be “in the process” of reading more than one book at a time. Interestingly, two of the books I took up have some similar passages and pathways to follow.

For example, I came across a word while reading one particular excerpt. Specifically, that word was “complementary.” As soon as I read it, it stuck and my mind started to wonder more about it. The idea seems like a fun thought to mull over.

The first thing I think of in regard to “complementary” is in terms of something which is offered for free or rather offered as a gift.  If you break it down you do find the expression “comp” comprising the front end of the word. Of course, my conditioning refers to nothing in life is ever free, but there is a feeling of elation in the idea of being free, freedom, free spirited and so on. The application in pondering complementary toward positive well being is in the practice of freeing yourself from constraints and obstructions that have nothing to do with your “becoming” a better human being or the best “you” you can possibly be. The other side of the word if you look at it carefully brings to mind the idea of compliance, which stands for basically doing as one is told by others, which is not free or freeing in anyway unless it is a team effort for the betterment of the whole where everyone benefits positively.

Now, there is another definition which refers to the thought of offering compliments. When I think of this version of the word I immediately ask the question of who doesn’t appreciate an occasional compliment. Look carefully at the spelling of both versions of the word. The difference is only one letter (“I” versus “e”), but makes a world of difference in the interpretation(s).

In meditating on “complimentary”, I see that things that go well together support the concept of surrounding one’s self with those that care and support us. They blanket us. They surround us, encourage us and become a helpful support system for which we can mirror back, which makes sense to me. In fact, there is another version of the word which defines complimentary as being used to describe the amount (or number) of people making up a group. What types do you want in your group(s) and how many possible opportunities are there to reap back that which we sow?

In further reading I came across another excerpt describing a type of complimentary therapy. In short, it is a two way exercise where you make a list of compliments you would like to receive and then you make a list of compliments you are able to give with specific people in mind. The process recognizes how we mirror each other and put out exactly what it is we are looking to get back in life. By doing so, we are putting ourselves out there to encourage others in a meaningful way so that we can continue receiving the benefits of the same.

I researched some synonyms of the word complimentary and found a treasure trove of gems to take and use daily to promote a happy and healthier lifestyle. They include the following.

Harmonious

Compatible

Corresponding

Matching Twin

Reciprocal

Interdependent

Certainly there are many more wonderful words that branch off from there, all of which highlight the good, better and best of possibilities for us to live by.

Today I want to point out something fun which can be used to promote the positive in each day.

Ready?

Here it is: The Password is: Complementary! (or Complimentary)!

Free your spirit and then give it out to others so that you might receive it back in the fullness thereof.  And here’s the thing, it doesn’t cost anything to give her a go, so to speak.

Have a great week pondering the possibilities and living life on a positive note.

Cheers!

I Ain’t Got No Time!

I Ain’t Got No Time!

© Allen Merritt (2017)

A couple years back I remember a viral video for which a woman conveyed the sentiment, “I ain’t got no time for that!” For some reason this came to mind as I was reading a couple of chapters from (interestingly enough) two completely different books speaking to the idea of “time” and recognizing the importance of “now.”  Both highlighted the idea that time is nothing more than a mental construct and the only reference we truly can experience effectively is…you got it...”now.”

I can even hear this preamble rumbling through lyrics of that old song exclaiming, “I ain’t got, got, got no time.”

Why is this important? Because when we forget about the time factor and focus on what we are doing in the moment we lose sight that time existed in the first place. We simply enjoy and ‘be’. There isn’t any need to measure this moment compared to any other.

Many years ago I took a sabbatical from life and headed to Africa. I carried a pup tent, the complete works of Kahlil Gibran and a small jar of peanut butter with crackers. The reason I mention it here relates to this idea of time because during that trip in May of 1994 two life changing moments come to mind right away. One is when you take a trip outside of the world as you know if for any length of time and you find yourself in the middle of wilderness, time ceases to exist except in the “now.”  This was extremely significant because I remember removing my watch and attaching it to my belt loop, because the sun was so intense it was leaving the equivalent of a farmers tan around my wrist. This is profound in that I have never worn a watch since. Not only that, when you are out in the middle of nowhere for a month you have got nothing but time on your hands; time to observe, reflect, explore, discover, think and, of course, to be. 

Secondly, I gave up eating meat of any kind during that trip. I got rid of the physical representation of time on my wrist and I got rid of meat. To this day I do not wear a watch or eat meat. As the video ascertains, I guess I still don’t have time for that, any of it.  That is not to say that time does not exist on some level or is unimportant to our lives as we really do know it, but it does say that time in and of itself is not as important as the life we choose to live in the moment. It is all about our priorities.

In constantly discussing positivity and remembering to indulge in as many opportunities as possible to stay in the positive mindset, I thought it prevalent to discuss time here, especially considering how it consumes so much of us in the everyday here and now.

Here are some familiar sayings that should ring some kind of bell for you:

There is not enough time in a day!

Only time will tell!

Time and time again…

When do we want it? Right Now!

If only I had a time machine.

Time’s a wasting.

The clock is ticking.

We think and incorporate the idea of time all the time. I am sure the aforementioned phrases conjure up some memories for everyone. I challenge you to ponder what comes up in your heart and mind when thinking about them and then exploring them further.

Cindy Lauper had a hit called Time After Time.  Consider the following lyric from the song and then ask yourself whether or not the person making the statement is continuously stuck in the same place or living only in the moment.

“If you’re lost and you look then you will find me, time after time.”

Even the idea of “just in time” on the manufacturing floor primarily refers to the proverbial “now” and not to the time referendum.

Time in and of itself appears to place people in a rut and cause a ruckus even if you feel they have too much of it. Time either goes too fast, too slow and on occasion appears to be just right, but overall time is like everything else in life and it keeps on moving, changing and remains none the same yesterday, today or tomorrow (which never comes, right?).

To feel all the wonders of life, loving and living that many of us endeavor to indulge ourselves in (joy, peace, harmony, happiness, etal) we must discard trying to find this thing called “time.” Whatever else there is for us to live up to or into winds up being the “now,” which is mathematically a constant. It always is and as soon as it is it is no more and on it goes.

Maybe the truest form of time is the idea of “timeless” where there is less of this illusive time.

In taking this into account, I feel the ‘now’ is linked with everything positive, which I consider the best state of being and the ultimate state of mind.

Some might even suggest there is no such thing as positive or negative, only our response or reaction to the ‘now’. That may be a conversation for another day, but nevertheless such thinking takes us down a path which allows all us of to know this moment fully and in that we discover more of ourselves, as well as what makes us live in a state of well being beyond our wildest imagination. 

So as I throw this paint of words at you this week, may it stir up something to think about toward enjoying the here and now. That is if you got the time for it!

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

Have a great week living life on a positive note.

Cheers!

Baby Yer a Firework!

Baby Yer a Firework!

By Allen Merritt (©2017)

Last Saturday I was commuting back from Los Angeles and passing through Baker, California when all of a sudden it happened. Out of nowhere and off to my left I heard a loud bang and a boom. I jumped in my car seat maintaining control of the steering wheel. Then I saw it; a stream of light streaming up into the sky resulting in a small explosion of light. Fireworks!

I was not expecting a firework show, but I kept glancing back in the rear view mirror to watch some of it as I traveled passed it on my way home.

It brought to mind a memory of watching fireworks from 37,000 feet while flying on the Fourth of July. It was quite a sight to witness thousands of tiny lights filtering upwards, reaching toward the plane as I hovered over them. I enjoy firework shows.

Flash forward to present moment and it really is the Fourth of July, and like clockwork around 9:00 pm I can view a fireworks display from the back bathroom window for 10-15 minutes. This also happens every New Years Eve from the balcony; great views and a wonderful show without having to venture out into the fray. How convenient is that!  I love it.

As I am watching my private showing of bombs bursting in the air I was reminded of what they represent from yesteryear and today. When Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner he spoke of these bombs bursting in the air. They referenced war and destruction and not just victory, but loss. I am sure we have all seen scenes on the news of bombs bursting in the air and it was not thought of as a good thing. I am specifically thinking of Baghdad right now, but there have been many.

People who experience these strikes first hand while being in the middle of it do not think of these “fireworks” as cute little annual light shows. And Katy Perry is not encouraging them in song.

I think it is important to remember the dangers of real bombs bursting overhead and what it means, as well as their impacts to human live.

Here are the positive sides to my thoughts on this topic.

Every year we scramble to watch these firework displays to find something good in everything. We giggle, we laugh and we sit in amazement as we view little bouncing bubbles of light shoot up into the sky against the backdrop of dark night. These little flashes of light twinkle and convey colors, shapes and sizes shooting up and out leaving smoke in their wake as they quickly fade and are replaced with another round.

I see this as taking something that represents various elements of conflict and turning it into something beautiful to observe. It’s like choreography in the sky. It’s art in motion. We find a way to see something good, to write songs and create poetry.  Isn’t that what positivity is all about? Isn’t it helpful to take our troubles and work our way through them and create something new?  These fireworks demonstrate how humans create and recreate themselves and their experiences over and over again.

In keeping with these thoughts this Independence Day, I share my thoughts to encourage us all to remember history and to not repeat it, as well as create and recreate ourselves anew in each moment to make the most of our lives; and to do so in a good way. Life gets you down, turn it into art; make lemonade out of those lemons, as they say.

And as the great philosopher Katy Perry sings:

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em fallin' down down down

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow¹ 

Sound good?

Enjoy the week living on a positive note.

Cheers!

 http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/katyperry/firework.html¹ (Viewed 7/04/2017)