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.

Ever-so-Lucky!

Ever-so-Lucky!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

Do you ever think about how lucky we are? Or, are most thoughts about questioning everything and asking why me, woe is me or why not me?

This week I have taken stock in the fact that I am still able to get up and try every day, that there are opportunities for me to grab hold of. I listen to so many friends and acquaintances tell their stories and catch me up on all the problems, but I do not necessarily hear them give thanks for anything going well.

Used to be that having food and shelter was a thing people were grateful for. Is it now taken for granted by many? Not sure how to answer that. But on a personal note, I am thinking I have much to be thankful for. For example, I was able to commute in to work this week because a check cleared just in time for me to pay a bill. As a result, I was able to get transportation for the commute and make it to the job, which provided a small promotional opportunity. I also made it to the post office to pick up the only check I have had in a month. That gave me a little money to tie me over. Not only that, by being in the right place at the right time I was able to see an old friend I had not seen in over 20 years and ended up spending the night at their place saving a hotel stay. Furthermore, I was able to provide a friendly ear to my friend and realized how lucky I was.I don't think any of this was mere coincidence.

The next day I headed home and found myself witnessing the beginning of a car accident on the freeway. One car was sitting upright on its side; engine still running and white smoke flooding out of the tail pipe. I hoped everyone was okay and realized how lucky I was to have just missed it and at the same time be able to go around it quickly without delay. During the drive, I got a phone call and an email offering a couple days of work and a new project. And, I made it home safe and sound.

It appears many of us have great opportunity and are indeed "ever-so-lucky" as often as not. Maybe we just don't know it or refuse to acknowledge it, therefore blindsiding ourselves and our futures. Shouldn't the good grace of each day count for something in our day-to-day? As I write, I think about the idea of "count your many blessings." If we stop a moment and reassess what is happening in our life instead of focusing on the negative and what we don't have in our lives, we may discover we have more then we think. How can we enjoy the short life we have by always getting distracted by thoughtless mindsets?

As a child I remember always searching the summer grasses for the illusory four leaf clover, because if you found one and you saved it by pressing it between the pages of a book, then you had found good luck.  And, everyone likes the idea of finding luck, right?

Interestingly, the dictionary describes luck as something without purpose, which cannot be predicted or controlled either positively and/or negatively. ¹

What does that mean?

I take it to mean that luck is only as good as you perceive it. Luck can actually be good or bad. Think about the concept of breaking a mirror and ending up with seven years bad luck. But it also goes further than that. When we choose to see the blessings and start counting them, then we begin to see the better side of things and not always the bad news that is shoved in our face.

  

What is "lucky"?

Maybe true luck is being fortunate as opposed to finding fortune. Maybe it is about receiving many blessings and knowing you are enriched by your life as opposed to being rich monetarily. Luck knows each moment is truly a real moment to take advantage of. It’s serendipitous and heaven sent. Luck is something you create, take, embrace and accept understanding that it can be abundant if you allow it to be. None of us have ever been promised anything, so each moment we get makes us ever-so-lucky. Now, this does not mean we shouldn’t aim for the sky and hope for the best and make things better as we can. It simply means we have more than we know. Life in and of itself makes us lucky.

Here is a song to help inspire you to think about what lucky means to you and maybe reconsider what makes your daily life so lucky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ

Enjoy your week!

Cheers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luck (Viewed on 7/26/16)¹

The Art of Fragmented Prayer!

The Art of Fragmented Prayer!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

When I was a young boy and living in San Antonio, Texas, I remember hopping on various buses that lead to a new church every Sunday. My parents were not regular church attendees, but for some reason, I was drawn to go visit churches and no one stopped me. As I look back on those memories I realize how odd it was for a child to take off and wander out on his own that way and I’ve often thought about what intrigued me to do so…independently.

I think my going and visiting all those churches as a child and then continuing that trek as I grew up and began traveling inspired me to study world religions in college.  I am drawn to Eastern philosophy and recognize the value in many religious, traditions and rituals.

To this day I am drawn to churches, temples and other places of prayer and worship. As a result, I consider myself a person of faith and not necessarily a extremely religious person.

I bring this discussion up because I was thinking about prayer,  the idea of unceasing prayer and what part this plays in all of our lives whether we are religious, spiritual or not.

More specifically, I was thinking about the many times I am prayerful, contemplative or meditative and get off track in thinking about something else before reigning myself back to the prayer. I call this the art of broken prayer. Or maybe I should call it fragmented prayers.

Personally, when it comes to prayer I’m drawn to its comfort, the calm, the stillness, the peacefulness, the otherworldly-ness and for that consideration of life beyond all understanding as we know it type of aura. It makes sense to me. I appreciate taking a moment to step outside of myself even for a moment. Prayer offers a chance to breathe, consider, re-consider and often let go. And, whether or not it is fluid or fragmented makes zero difference. Prayer is prayer and offers a moment to express thoughts, ideas, concerns, hopes and gifts of thoughtfulness for self and others.

As I was running errands today I found myself offering up thoughts for a few people I know that currently have great needs. In between errands I would lift up healing thoughts for them one at a time, but then have to stop and finish an errand. I think the broken prayers have as much value as taking a half hour to sit in prayer or meditation.  Either way I would suggest that any kind of helpful thought is a form of prayer and proves valuable in some way or other. I know I am comforted when I find out someone has been thinking positively for and about me. Prayers builds character and integrity, too; not to mention a sense of faith in something other than self.

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend on what faith is. They attached the idea of faith to religion and/or religious belief. Having studied a variety of faith based/religious systems, as well as achieving a degree in psychology, I had a different response and perspective on the idea of what faith is and can be.

I suggested that faith is just that, a belief in something other than yourself or outside of yourself. Often faith is associated to religious context/content, but I am thinking it doesn’t always have to be attached to a religion, per se. We live our daily lives walking in some kind of faith.  For example, we have faith that we will wake up in the morning. We have faith that we will drive our vehicles and get to work on time. We trust that checks will clear at the bank. We believe that the bus driver, the pilot or some staff will get us safely to a destination. We believe that something in the universe will guide us, speak to us and protects us along our journey. To me, these are just a few examples which prove how faith operates in our lives without us realizing it sometimes.

My positive thought for the week is that our thoughts and prayers aid us in every second of every day; and, just as there are seconds, minutes and hours in our day, any thought, prayer or act of faith no matter how long or how fragmented or interspersed it is throughout each day is of great value to all life. Maybe fragmented and/or broken prayers form some aspect of what it means to pray with out ceasing, or constant prayer. It's something to think about. 

With that in mind, keep on thinking those good thoughts whenever you think of them and any time you get a chance to make more time to devote to your thoughtfulness, prayerfulness, contemplations and meditations, give them some undivided attention.  Every little bit counts!

Enjoy your week...prayerfully.

Cheers!

Chasing Rainbows!

Chasing Rainbows!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I have seen rainbows in my life; many of them. I even remember a time where I witnessed a double rainbow. Boy was that exciting. It was while driving from Los Angeles to Phoenix as I was heading up out of the Palm Springs area.

Some rainbows are vivid and a few are effervescent and light, almost translucent. Rainbows always make my heart smile and fill me with a feeling of the presence of something omnipotent, God-like.

Rainbows take me back to childhood and Sunday school stories from the Bible such as Noah and the Arc. The rainbow signified a promise. I'm always reminded of promises and hope when a rainbow comes along following or during a storm. Herein lies the idea of living positively.

There are some interesting correlations I can conjure up when contemplating the rainbow(s), especially when it comes to positivity.

Remember the idea of a leprechaun finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Then there is the idea of embracing equality and diversity as symbolized by the rainbow flag. Both ideas seem focused on something good.

In recent years I made some life altering decisions for myself to break certain patterns so that I might improve my lot in life, enhance peace and seek out a calm and meaningful existence, if that can ever be achieved, which is an entirely different conversation.

What did I specifically change for myself? I decided I was no longer a hound dog and could not afford to chase people, places and things anymore. You see, to reach out and grab the positive side of life I needed to let go of the idea that I should or could make certain relationships happen. I think many people most likely have these moments. It's part of a learning and growing process.

One philosophy I have is that life should be a two-way street as opposed to one person doing all the work in any given situation. It does not matter the type of relationship, if all parties are not equally involved, then there isn't any relationship. Period. Thinking otherwise generally produces negative results. So stop working so hard, quit chasing those non-giving relationships and refrain from trying to make it happen. Consequently, making such a decision meant losing contact and letting go of a lot of people in my life. Now, if I choose or feel like I want to contact any party, I go ahead and do that, but not because I feel compelled to keep the relationship alive. It’s quite possible unconditional love flourishes with this commitment to not force or push anything or anyone.

I also think of chasing rainbows in reference to following and working towards goals and dreams. I had to reason through that area of my life as well. I am a hard worker and do not mind putting forth the effort, but the same new rules apply in this department as well. You see when you are working hard and making effort there ought to be a positive result of some kind at the end of the work day. So the people I work with have to follow through with their end of the bargain, too. For me, it's about not wasting anymore time.

Some things shouldn't require that much work from only one side of the fence, so to speak. That’s not to say working hard to push onward is never worth it. All I am saying is consider the overall objectives and potential results and make a decision on whether it really is worth it in any given situation.

No more chasing rainbows for the sake of chasing rainbows.

All of these thoughts, ideas and alterations lead back to positivity in action by making the most of what you can and with what you have and discarding those things that are not contributing back and providing no more than the essence of nothing in your day to day, not to mention your future.

These are my thoughts this week in thinking about rainbows.

Maybe we are the rich pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We have to see our worth and let our essence be seen and voices heard. It's about making better and smarter choices.

With that in mind, if you are chasing rainbows or decide to anytime in the near future, I would encourage you to consider what it is you are really seeking and don't just lap up anything that comes along. Life will definitely be more enriched and positive as a result of thinking through everything.

Want to chase some rainbows? Make sure it’s the right kind of rainbow to chase.

Cheers!

Shutting Out the World

Shutting Out the World

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I am always looking around at the world when I am driving. Whether it’s a long commute or road trip or just a quick trip to take care of an errand, I find myself observing the world. And, I have to say, it’s always interesting. I am constantly spying oddities, craziness, as well as fun things. I guess if it takes all types, then you see it all when you are out running around.

While listening to the radio in the car a conversation started about how one disc jockey was trying to take more time to shut out the world by turning off the lights, sitting on the edge of his bed and eliminating any noise. His discussion was centered on how he was attempting to find time to meditate and chill out a bit. It was interesting because he seemed open to the experience and also open to idea that if it works, great; and if it doesn’t, move on.

It got me to thinking about the idea of shutting out the world as a necessary step in creating more positive opportunity in life. Sometimes it is necessary to take time for yourself without giving a thought to anybody else or anything. Forget the list of activities. Forget the “honey-do” list. Forget about office politics. Forget about everything in the news and take time to make time to just sit for a while. Allow yourself to “Be.”

This thought process reminded of a musical titled Stop the World I want to Get Off! Just the title alone speaks to this idea,  'I want to get back to myself and feel good again.'

It’s hard to sit still anymore. So much to take care of and so much to do. Funny, I don’t really see that is anything new. As a child I was a wiggle worm. My mother used to ask me if I had ants in my pants. I was always a bit ansy, I guess.

In any case, we stand a better chance of relaxing and getting back to a place of feeling stable, calm, content and happy when we stop long enough to check in with ourselves. Be still and know, as they say.

What is fun about taking a time out is learning about yourself and discovering things you haven’t been paying attention to. Meditating opens up your inner world to observing things you haven’t been observing. It’s as it you turn up the volume on some listening mechanism locked deep inside yourself and suddenly your hearing things, thinking things, coming up with simple solutions and answers that have been trapped away for way too long.

With this in mind, I challenge you to take a little time out to meditate, contemplate, relax, chillax or whatever you choose to call it to increase possibility, potentiality and positivity over the next week. It benefits not only you, but those who gravitate around and to you. Think of it like a smile. It’s contagious and gets passed on. I don’t know too many who wouldn’t appreciate a feel good smile.

There are many ways to mediate and many resources and material can be found out there to help one learn more about doing so. Get back to yourself every once in a while. Don’t feel like you always have to be pleasing everyone else or living up to their expectations and standards. Here are a couple of links that may be of service to you should you find yourself in need of some “Me” time and growth time. Take a peek and generate some peacefulness for yourself and the world by stopping the planet, sitting still and shutting out the world if only for a minute.

Think about it and go out there and have a positive, happy-go-lucky week!

Meditation information:

http://zenhabits.net/meditation-guide/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/meditation

Guided meditation videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIJQsE8C5Is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80zy1gHjS6E

Cheers!