Author Archives: Russell

iconLiving in Your Own Skin

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how my life has changed, and specifically how my perception of myself has changed. I don’t know if it’s aging, growing up, more experience, acceptance of who I am, or the latter as a result of the former. What I am assured is that it’s taken time for me to be comfortable in my own skin. Much like everyone there were, and are, things I didn’t like about … Continue reading →

Posted In | challenge yourself, gratitude, positive energy, positive thinking, preconceived notions, thought patterns
Tagged | , , , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Relationship Mirror

There was a time in my life when I thought I knew everything there was to know about myself… fortunately I got older and realized there are a lot of things we can’t know until we live them. But I also realized that there are some things that can be know with or without experiencing them ourselves. The trouble with being human is most of us have to live things before we believe them. One … Continue reading →

Posted In | friendships, illusion, introspection, objective reality, preconceived notions, relationship mirror, scratching the surface
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconJust Beneath the Surface

As I have eluded to in my previous post “Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder,” we are being bombarded by messages on a daily basis. Some of these messages are meant to help us, others inform us, others are trying to sell us something, and others influence our decisions. No matter what the intent, they are trying to deliver a message to us about someone or something – some of the time it’s a message … Continue reading →

Posted In | catalyst, change agents, just beneath the surface, liberation theology, look deeper than face value, Messages, political change, scratching the surface, social change
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Butterfly Effect

While this was also the title for a move featuring Ashton Kutcher, and it’s somewhat related to this post, my topic aligns a bit more with the original implications of the theory. In Chaos Theory, The Butterfly Effect describes how a small event can be related to a completely unrelated large event (the links are to Wikipedia for your reading pleasure). These two events do not have to occur in direct succession of one another, … Continue reading →

Posted In | altruism, catalyst, chaos theory, Messages, misdeeds, simple kindness, the butterfly effect
Tagged | , , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconValentine’s Day & Every Day

Valentine’s Day is a great occasion to express your love, admiration, appreciation, or gratitude for someone you love. Yes, it’s turned into a very, very commercial, capitalist, money-making, holiday – but it doesn’t mean you have to hate it because of it. At the core there is a good message… and chocolate if you’re lucky. I’m a huge proponent of showing your gratitude every day of the year by doing simple things for those you … Continue reading →

Posted In | altruism, gratitude, holidays, love, Messages, ordinary life, positive energy, positive thinking, valentine's day
Tagged | , , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconTake Time for Yourself

American life has been described as a rat race, and I think if you’re not careful it can be. We as Americans are always darting around, running back and forth, sprinting from one thing to another. When you’re younger it’s school, after-school activities, school trips, sleepovers at friends houses, not to mention the family events we all attend. College is very similar – class, studying, working, groups you’re involved with, sports, romance, family, the list … Continue reading →

Posted In | challenge yourself, good days, introspection, living in the moment, Messages, ordinary life, simple joy
Tagged | , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconSelflessness is the Heart of Love

Selflessness -Altruism: the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. This is the first definition of selflessness I find when I type the term into my web browser and ask the interwebs for an answer. Altruism is defined as: 1. The belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. 2. Behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense. It’s the second definition of altruism and selflessness … Continue reading →

Posted In | altruism, love, Messages, selflessness
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconDon’t Say too Much

There are always times in our lives when we wished we had said less and done more, or simply just not have opened our mouths to begin with. There is a quote than hangs on my sister’s fridge, “Speak in anger and you will give the best speech you will even regret,” or something to that effect. There is a gem of knowledge in that simple phrase that is easily mined. Think before you speak… … Continue reading →

Posted In | being authentic, introspection, keep trying, Messages, self control, think before you speak
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconWhy do we Complicate Life?

Life is not that hard. It really isn’t, and there really isn’t much to it once you understand what’s worth doing and not doing.  Someone once told me that they base their decision on a simple preliminary check: If things make them feel gross or badly then they shouldn’t do them. How simple is this for each of us to do, it’s a short gut check to see how we feel about things before we … Continue reading →

Posted In | being falible, do the right thing, failing, introspection, keep trying, Messages, simple living, think before you act
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconLiving a Sound Byte Existence

One of my previous posts discussed this predicament we are all faced with at some point in our lives, or even our days: doing what we say we’re going to do. After talking to friends about this I think it has more to do with our ability to be consistent in life. Jumping from one thing to another is the 15 second television commercial lifestyle we are all conditioned to live. It only makes sense … Continue reading →

Posted In | byte back, byten, change, Messages, sound byte life
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconDon’t Assume you Know the Truth

There are a lot of people who believe there is only one truth in every situation, when in reality the truth can be relative, and what is true to one person, in not always true to someone else. I’m not talking about telling the truth, or lying, or being dishonest, I’m talking about what people believe to be real in the world and their lives. Each person has a different version of reality, and it’s … Continue reading →

Posted In | lies, Messages, objective reality, subjective reality, truth
Tagged | , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconToo Much talk, Not Enough Action

There are so many people who talk a big game, but when it comes right down to it, they have absolutely no substance. These are the used car sales people in life, always promising something better than what they have or they can give, only to let you down. The unfortunate truth is that most people don’t pay any attention to this because it’s become a societal norm. We as Americans in general talk a … Continue reading →

Posted In | being falible, follow through, Messages, ordinary life, promises, self control
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconPositive Thinking Leads to a Positive Life

Very often we find ourselves in a funk, especially this time of year – shorter days, colder weather, less outdoor activity. With our lack of physical energy typically comes a lack of mental energy as well. It’s only natural for us to feel a bit low, but it’s not natural to let yourself sink into it. But what if you do… what if you are in a funk and all you see is gray? It … Continue reading →

Posted In | Messages, positive energy, positive thinking, thought patterns
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconWhen Emotion Outweighs Logic

Oh, emotions, how you complicate our lives, make us feel alive, and make us wish we were dead! How many times a day are your emotions making decisions for you? How many times have you known in your head that you were unnecessarily sad, agitated, angry, frustrated, or upset about something in your life? This happens to me on a regular basis, and it takes practice to learn to stop it before it starts. Emotions … Continue reading →

Posted In | challenges, change, change agents, decode your feelings, emotional overlfow, introspection, keep trying, Messages, self control
Tagged | , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconJumping to Conclusions

Sometimes I must think I’m clairvoyant given the amount I try to predict the future. I think it must be human nature to try and determine things we cannot and could never really know for sure unless told. But, despite the great disadvantage we commonly draw our own conclusions and make assumptions about life based on what we ‘think’ is right or true. It seems as though on a daily basis I’m trying to climb inside … Continue reading →

Posted In | assumptions, Messages, mind reading, preconceived notions
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconLove in All its Many Formulations

Love. What a loaded word… it stirs all kinds of emotions just hearing it much less feeling it. In love, love you, love you like a brother, true love, love at first sight, unrequited love, falling in love… we have more versions of love in our society than there are types of snowflakes in the winter. But what’s at the core of all of these types of love, and what does all of it mean? … Continue reading →

Posted In | love, Messages, true love
Tagged | , , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconAspirations for the New Year

Now that the dust has settled and we are all back to our daily grinds, after enjoying or bearing the time with our family and friends, it’s important to ask ourselves what the next year is going to be for us. Are we trudging into another year with no goals or goals so lofty we set ourselves up for failure and frustration? I’m a firm believer in humanity’s, more importantly each individual’s ability to achieve … Continue reading →

Posted In | anything is possible, attainable goals, keep trying, small wins, the power of failure
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Perfect Life

What constitues the perfect life? The obvious answer is it’s different for everyone, a relative experience that only we can define. That said, I think there are some things that can be generally said about the topic, but I’m not going to talk about the positive things that make up a perfect life. Rather, I’m going to focus the opposite. What isn’t a perfect life? When we have people in our lives, those who hurt … Continue reading →

Posted In | being falible, failing, illusion, imperfection, introspection, perfection
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconDo Something Difficult

As we learn how to do new things they by nature become less and less difficult. Walking, riding a bicycle, reading, mathematics are all examples of things, that will practice we can achieve with relative ease. I’ve recently been trying to teach myself new things that I once thought were difficult, and I’m finding they’re still difficult. They haven’t gotten any easier to learn, but what has changed is my desire to learn them and … Continue reading →

Posted In | catalyst, challenge yourself, challenges, change agents, dreams, keep trying, small wins
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Spirit of the Season

The month of December is typically a month of many different celebrations, whether they are representative of the mainstream religious views, or subsets of religions, or simply spiritual, or cultural nature. This time of year has a certain magic to it, and there is something to be said about that magic that creates a month filled with great celebrations that span so many different cultures. It’s easy to get lost in the significance of the … Continue reading →

Posted In | biased thinking, change agents, illusion, look deeper than face value, miraculous, ordinary miracles, unity
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Power of Positive Thinking

I think everyone has days when they’re just feeling a little funky. Either you didn’t get enough sleep and your crabby, or you have to do something you’re not necessarily looking forward to doing. Sometimes you get rubbed the wrong way by someone early in your day and it sticks with you for the rest of your day, you just can’t seem to shake that negative energy. I have days that fit all of those … Continue reading →

Posted In | positive energy, positive thinking
Tagged | ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconFinding Your Inner Voice

We are bombarded with so many different messages and opinions each day it’s really amazing when you stop to think about it. First and foremost is media, in all of its forms blasting us from all directions on every channel and bandwidth possible. Then there are the messages from where we work, how we are supposed to look, how we are supposed to act and carry ourselves to fit in with the working culture. There … Continue reading →

Posted In | being authentic, biased thinking, inner voice, listening, look deeper than face value
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconSomething Fun to Entertain Your Brain

As most of you know I’m a frequent StumbleUpon surfer – here is an image I think everyone can appreciate. It’s really breathtakingly spectacular! http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/28f14t/crispme.com/wp-content/uploads/8191.jpg/

Posted In | simple joy, something fun Comment | Leave a comment

iconWhatever You do, do it With Passion!

When I was little I wanted to be a firefighter, something my mother explained to me would be very dangerous, and while not discouraging it directly, made it clear would not be her first choice of carrer track for me. We had a house fire when I was a kid and I thought the actions of those strangers going into our house and saving our cats and putting out the fire was nothing less than … Continue reading →

Posted In | Messages, ordinary life, passion, simple joy
Tagged | ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Power of Social Influence

It’s no secret many people just follow the crowd, or do what is popular in life based on what their friends are doing. There is nothing wrong with conforming when it serves a positive purpose, “Hey, everyone is going to the beach, wanna come?” But peer pressure can be more severe than just doing what your friends are doing. I’m not interested in talking about the dangers of peer pressure, or how it leads to … Continue reading →

Posted In | look deeper than face value, scratching the surface, selling an image
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconWe Only get one Shot, but Many Chances

Tonight I had the opportunity to be reminded of how important life is, and it’s not how long we live, but what we do when we are here. The story of the death of someone in their 90s was related to me by and acquaintance, a very miraculous story really, and it made me aware of an innate ability we all have. I believe we are only given one shot at this life. We don’t … Continue reading →

Posted In | being falible, imperfection, keep trying, ordinary life, the power of failure Comment | Leave a comment

iconIt Can Always Get Worse

There are always times when we find ourselves in a particularly bad situation. These situations aren’t dependent on who we are, or how we live our lives, or how much money we make – bad things happen to everyone. There is no selection process for who is stricken with a particular malady in life and who is not – tragedy is blind to it’s subject. When bad things happen it’s always an easy time to … Continue reading →

Posted In | dark days, do the right thing, good days, gratitude, living in the moment, ordinary life
Tagged | , ,
Comment | 2 Comments

iconSometimes Life is Just Hard

While we all like to look at the positive aspects of life, and see things for their inherent goodness, sometimes life is just hard or bad, or even simply terrible. These times come to all of us, death, breakups, lost jobs, squandered experiences, tragic events… there is a just as long of a list of bad as there is good – sometimes it seems like it’s longer. Part of the reason I write this blog … Continue reading →

Posted In | being zen, dark days, friendships, good days, Messages, ordinary life, show gratitude
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconThe Mortar of Life is Friendship

True friendships are mortar that bond our lives together, and bricks to hold us up when times get rough… They are the foundation of our joy and the refuge for us in times of sorrow. After our families our friends are the next group of people who are close to our hearts, and sometimes depending on our families or lack of, our friends make up our family. Nothing can be more fulfilling or frustrating than … Continue reading →

Posted In | Messages
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconPlan for the Future, but Live for Today

It’s important to plan things in advance, look for the next opportunity in life, and make sure our needs are taken care of. Far too often we are consumed with what’s happening tomorrow, so much so that we lose sight of what we have today. It’s essential in life to look to the future and plan our lives, but when always looking to the next thing becomes all consuming we lose sight of the moment … Continue reading →

Posted In | living in the moment, ordinary life, show gratitude, simple joy, small wins
Tagged | ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconDo the Right Thing

Doing what is popular or generates the best outcome for you is often much easier than doing what is right. -Anonymous Why is doing the right thing so hard sometimes? Whether it’s holding the door, turning in a lost wallet you found, giving back extra change to an absent-minded cashier, or paying back debts to others there always seems to be a part of us that wants to do what is best for us, and … Continue reading →

Posted In | do the right thing, ethics, morals, personal values, right and wrong
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconChange is the Only Constant

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. -Victor Frankl The quote above is one of my favorite statements for the way I live my life, and the way I believe life should be lived. Many people in life feel stuck in situations or lifestyles they don’t want or are tired of living… what stops them from changing things? The answer is very simple, they are stopping … Continue reading →

Posted In | introspection, Messages, rainmakers
Tagged | , , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconSimple Kindness & Showing Gratitude

This morning on my way through the drive-thru at Starbucks I was surprised to find the person in front of me had purchased my coffee for me. When I asked what the reason was the barista answered, “She said other people had done it for her and she wanted to return the gesture.” I sat there in awe of what had just happened, car idling as they handed me my free drink. How random is … Continue reading →

Posted In | gratitude, living in the moment, Messages, simple joy, simple kindness
Tagged | , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconSomething Fun to Entertain Your Brain

I am a frequent Stumble Upon reader and now and again I find things that bring me simple joy by acting as an outlet for my creativity. This is sheerly a non-sensical activity that I found incredibly enriching, and fed my creative monster who has a voracious appetite. Something Fun on Stumble Upon

Posted In | simple joy, something fun Comment | Leave a comment

iconWhat is the Meaning of a Word

What does it mean to love someone? What does it mean to love ourselves? What is true love? Each day we describe our “love” for things – “I love that song,” “I love coffee in the morning,” “I love you.” With the frequency we use this word and others like it, it only makes sense that we’ve lost the true meaning, the true impact of the weight this term really has. When we use a … Continue reading →

Posted In | listening, love, magical words, Messages, thought patterns, verbal magic
Tagged | , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconEnjoy Life Today

Far too often we are caught up in the stream of life, not taking the time to stop and actually live our lives as they exist today. We plan things for the future, we look forward to an event, we wait for the weekend, we anticipate a special event. What happened to living in the moment? Living in the moment is far too under rated and overlooked. We tend to forget that right now, this … Continue reading →

Posted In | living in the moment, Messages
Tagged | ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconParadoxes of Life

Throughout life there are paradoxes that seem to make sense out of normally confusing situations. “You won’t find love until you stop looking for it,” “Sometimes you must first lose everything before you can have anything,” “You must let go before you really can have control.” These seemingly contradictory phrases counterintuitively make sense and sum up certain parts of life that are otherwise unexplainable or outside our initial understanding. What do these phrases do to … Continue reading →

Posted In | Messages, paradoxes
Tagged | ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconYou Never Know How Much Someone Means to You…

Even when you know how much someone means to you, you never really know how much they mean to you until you’re apart. Why does it take longing and distance to make us realize what we have or don’t have in some cases. What part of our brain blocks up when we see those we care about daily and inhibits our ability to appreciate them to the fullest degree. Familiarity can blind us to the … Continue reading →

Posted In | distance, living in the moment, longing, love
Tagged | , , , ,
Comment | Leave a comment

iconSerendipity is the sparkle of everyday life

What gets you out of bed in the morning? What big things in your life charge you up and get you going? Those are typically easy questions to answer, everyone has dreams, drives, and wants that motivate them to move. But what about the small things… the tiniest of things that happen each day? How often do we take the time to stop and consider those extraordinarily small moments that make us smile? Far too often … Continue reading →

Posted In | good days, living in the moment, Serendipity, small wins, sparkle
Tagged | , , , ,
Comment | 1 Comment

icondistance makes the heart grow fonder…

Simple sayings lead us in the thought patterns of those who came before us. These symbolic colloquialisms amass a large part of our daily vocabulary and shape how we see our world. Why do we use them? We hear them all around us, used by people each and every day. Some of them are harmless, “Happy as a clam at high tide.” But others carry a message, “A penny saved is a penny earned, ” “He … Continue reading →

Posted In | Messages, paradoxes, preconceived notions, thought patterns
Tagged | , ,
Comment | 1 Comment