Speak Your Mind

I am definitely someone with an opinion, eager for the exchange, thirsty for knowledge, and elated by the acceleration of wisdom, but understand everything happens in time, with fate lending a hand too. As I recently said to a friend, “However I may be evaluated by others, know this, I am genuine in thought, careful in opinion, and I respect everyone.”  Dare to speak your mind.  So long, June.  Hello, July!  Make it a wonderful month, everyone.  Be safe, and as always, thrive!– paerki

Never Mistake Motion For Action

Ernest Hemingway said, “Never mistake motion for action,” which is one of my favorite quotes. It means you are just spinning your wheels and not really doing anything or going anywhere.

There are too many times when I see a whole lot of activity, but very little productivity. The outcomes are less than satisfactory. This behavior often speaks to laziness and disorganization.

More often than not you can see the real person in these situations. It helps identify the slacker, the confused and the unmotivated. It’s the story of too many people’s lives. How they get away with it is beyond me.

The power of performance is so important to life. It feeds into moral conduct, finances, and communication. It goes way beyond work, but most of us just think about it as it applies to our jobs. We need to think about motion (performance) and action (outcomes) in every part of life, especially at home. It plays a major role in raising children, teaching them to be the best they can be. It’s critical for marriage or any relationship when two people are trying to grow and maintain a positive connection… in communities, when trying to create and maintain safe neighborhoods…  to the nation if we want to be strong and lead with respect, and it’s vital to the world if we want our planet to survive.

How much motion are you putting into what you do, and what are the outcomes? Are you really doing anything? Are you going anywhere? It’s something to think about.

Quality Vs. Quantity

We must learn it’s not the quantity of time that matters, but the quality you experience in each moment. We must take those moments and nurture them, holding them close to our heart. My mother always said, “Never say anything bad you might regret” (easier said than done), and if you have something nice to say make sure you say it when you are thinking it because you just might miss your window of opportunity, leading to regret.

Quality can make life sweeter, happier and less stressful. It can make you assertive, confident and for some, more approachable. When you make quality your motto, you are making the decision to live a more meaningful, purposeful life, and in doing so, it will bring more positive experiences your way. Can’t we all use more of those?

Don’t be fooled into a selfish pursuit of quantity because you will only cheat yourself of the quality your heart, mind and soul desires and, more often than not, desperately needs.

At some point in our lifetime, all are faced with the question of quality vs. quantity? Don’t sell yourself short for meaningless possibilities, untruths and manipulation. If you want to be true to anyone, be true to yourself first. Doing so brings you face to face with quality. Each new day after, when you look in the mirror you will see quality looking back at you. You will glow, shine and be happier than you have ever been before.  I guarantee!

Communication

Good or bad, communication is important, and it’s always been helpful to me to know where people stand on the issues, but as I always like to say, “We all have a point of view to express, and let’s share it with the understanding of agreeing to disagree.” I might not always agree with your stance, but that will never stop us from being friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. Never allow one single topic to define your human spirit, but be open to all possibilities. Let’s grow together as friends. I am very sincere in this vein.

I’m known for being passionate about my views, especially as they pertain to order and organization in the world. I never shy away from speaking my mind. I don’t hesitate to join in on any dialogue, at times playing devil’s advocate just to make my point. However, my goal more often than not is to help find solutions to problems, but we can’t find them if we aren’t talking about the issues.

Many become passive, turning a blind eye only to become indifferent, and this benefits no one. Censorship doesn’t help either. Young or old, age doesn’t grant us a free pass. We must be aware and stay aware, now until the end of time.

I’m often told not to sweat the small stuff, but I think it’s the small things that have crippled us most, creating confusion, frustration and disrespect within the masses.

My passion does not circumvent my ability to thrive. No matter how much ugly I see in the world and no matter how desperate I am to change it, I still find my happiness, keeping it close to my heart. Through the darkness of others I can still see the light and, more importantly, the beauty.

With every last breath of my being I will always attempt to speak my peace, finding those who share my perspective while joining in the fight. We must always be willing to venture outside our comfort zone if we want to create effective change. The best way to accomplish this is by knowing your audience and when to choose silence. I should have chosen the later this past weekend.