Positive Change

Most people know and understand that being positive is beneficial for us, yet it appears that there is always someone trying to rain on our parade. I would say that in the beginning, trying to be positive is like searching for silence in a noisy world. The world just appears so loud, overwhelming, and filled with noise, but you have this special, instinctive feeling and you know that silence exists. Most of these people are not intentionally trying to create obstacles, but instead trying to offer advice and support. Due to the way we are raised in society, many of us have been conditioned to react in certain ways. Whether it was preached to us from friends and family or ingrained into us from past experiences, the mind has been conditioned to react autonomously.

This is a case of Freud’s classical conditioning theory. Basically in his experiment, every time prior to feeding his dog, he would ring a bell and then bring out the food. He did this for a period of time and eventually the dog developed a symptom where it would salivate when the bell rang. The dog would still continue to salivate even if no food was offered as long as the bell rang. Salivation was not the dog’s intention, nor was it the dog’s conscious control. The theory applies to us as well. Throughout time, we have conditioned ourselves to our current mindset, attitude, and reactions. Most of the time, this is our subconscious acting out and we are not even aware of our actions.

Whether it would be phases like, “be realistic!” or “prepare for the worst and hope for the best!”; they act as limitations. It is actually a fear of unfavorable outcomes and it offers a temporary cushion of comfort. I understand that sometimes decisions do not appear in the best interests of the individual, but we should provide direction and support instead of shattering dreams. The world can be a very cruel place, but we are individuals that make up this world. If a thief decides to break into your car and steal your stereo, it doesn’t mean that you should go out and steal someone else’s stereo. If that was the case, the whole neighborhood would be thieves and this logic applies to attitude and mindset as well. The difference is that the act of stealing is an intentional act; whereas expressing your attitudes and mindset are unintentional and subconscious. Therefore, it can become quite contagious!

If you look deeply at families with a history of child abuse, domestic violence, or alcoholism, you will realize that it runs in the family and down the generations. Constant exposures to similar events and situations will shape and condition how you react in daily aspects of life. The solution to this dilemma is to open your eyes and become aware of the flaws in your character, accept it, and change them. Instead of thinking, “this is how I am and this is what I will be”; better yourself through discipline. Think about it this way: If you saw a horrible future for yourself, would you try to change it? I’m almost certain that you would. Now, take a look at your present life because you are initially shaping your future through your actions now. Before you smoke that cigarette, imagine the repercussions. You can change your future!

“The Earth is moving at tremendous speed around itself and around the Sun. We forget that we are actually sitting on a spaceship, only this spaceship is big, therefore we think it is static.”

It sounds exciting to me! I am on a spaceship with all my friends and family while I watch this spaceship get upgrades and facelifts. I have a home address that represents the location to my house and it does not change unless I move to a new residence, but is it at the same permanent location? The answer is no. From a universe standpoint, the location of our house moves every second. Relative to Earth, our house moves due to plate tectonics. If we look at a map from a few thousand years ago, the alignment of the continents will look drastically different. Things are always changing and have been for many years. The only ‘constant’ that I see is, the world is constantly changing. Do we want to change with it or be limited by our narrow perception?

Although we have been conditioned to respond in peculiar ways, it is not permanent and can be changed. As we correct the flaws in our character, we will be conditioning ourselves to respond positively and be able to project ourselves into the world. Changing ourselves, influencing our peers, and providing a positive influence that will shape our world. We can become better individuals while making our world a better place!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Lens of Perception

Misunderstandings, conflicts of interests, and arguments all stem from what I refer to as the “lens of perception”. Everyone in this world carries a different type of lens and it can vary by size, shape, color, and function. Some of us might use a wide angle; others might choose to zoom in. The images produced in our minds could also have varying effects, such as sepia, amber, grayscale, or black and white. The fact is, everyone is different and we perceive the world differently.

The “lens of perception” is based on how a person perceives and responds to the world. It varies among different people for a variety of reasons, such as a person’s genetic makeup, attitude, personality, influences from people, and the experiences endured throughout life. In the physiological aspect, we are all equipped with different components such as our brain, heart, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, hands, and feet. The sensory components report the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches to the mind, which processes it into life experiences. Our most brilliant thoughts and deepest feelings are essentially just depictions of our mind. For example, imagine yourself standing on an exquisite beach out in Cancun, Mexico on a sunny day enjoying the beautiful scenery, smelling the fresh sea breeze, and deeply experiencing a sense of euphoria. Could this be what you are really feeling or just what your mind wants you to feel? The man that resides a few miles from the beach feels normal and sees nothing astonishing; just a bunch of sand and noisy waves. This is not because he’s incapable of experiencing it, but rather his mind is clouded and has different objectives. If you took the man out of his environment and put him in a desert for a few months then send him back, it is likely that he would return to have different feelings and sensations from the beach. As we can see, the mind is actually our interpreter. It receives communications from our sensory components and tells us how we should feel, instead of what is actually being felt.

Unlike modern products we see on store shelves, we are precious products of nature; each created with uniqueness. Just look at it this way, given the ingredients and recipe to cook the same dish you had last night, would it be identical to the one from the restaurant? The answer is obviously, no. It might come close, but it would not be the same. As human beings, we are unique products from human creation just like cooking.

Being special and unique may have its downfall as well, but that’s not always the case. Throughout adolescence, I felt as though no one understood me. Most of my family were born and raised in another country with different beliefs and morals. It was hard for them to relate to me and vice versa. Since the world is constantly evolving and changing, I think this feeling toward our parents is very common and most of us can relate. Being understood is no longer an issue because I have realized that there are so many other people out there that I personally cannot understand. Often times, people will look at our lives from their own “lens of perception” which leads to misunderstandings. Even if we switched shoes with someone else and walked a thousand miles in them, we will not fully understand them. We will always be wearing our “lens of perception” (holding on to our beliefs, experiences, and influences), but we might be open to adjust our lens accordingly.

It is almost impossible to fully understand another person’s “lens of perception”. Whether we decide to analyze a painting, read a book, or admire the fireworks in the sky, we will all have varying interpretations of it. Even if we were at the same place at the same time, we will have encountered different experiences. The main point is not to understand another person’s “lens of perception”, but rather understand that it’s perfectly normal for them to perceive differently. When you become aware of this concept, you will potentially minimize conflicts and possibly resolve issues.

We all share different perspectives, it’s really just different shades of reality. I have always wished that I could share my lens with other people. Whether I choose to write, draw, or act, it will be a limited presentation. Writing is based on language, which is inadequate because some things are not capable of being expressed in terms of words. Bias occurs when people attach particular experiences, feelings, and emotions to different things. In writing, the bias is the attachment to words. Drawing the picture of my mental image might be a better approach, but bias exists due to the interpretation of objects, shapes, and colors. Acting out the same experiences might seem clearer, but people will view significance in different parts than intended; just like how I described the Cancun example up above.

Since the lens is inseparable, all we can do is adjust and fine tune it to provide the best experience. It’s a two-way feedback system: how we choose to see the world, will vary how we respond to it as well. By learning to shape your lens, you will involuntarily shape your reality. My life has changed drastically for the better ever since I became aware of the “lens of perception”. I am able to share my views without feeling the need to make people understand. Some people will never understand us no matter how hard we try to justify ourselves. By utilizing and becoming aware of this idea, there’s no need to waste your breath, time, and energy when the outcome is essentially the same. There are certainly times when you should be convincing and persuasive, but be aware that in certain circumstances, you should just “agree to disagree”. Thank you for letting me share my “lens of perception”!

I would now like to thank Hal Zina Bennett for sharing his “lens of perception” with me in his book titled “The Lens of Perception: A User’s Guide to Higher Consciousness”. It is currently my favorite book and I recommend it to everyone!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Hold On or Let Go?

“To pursue or to give up? To hold on or to let go?” These questions often cross our minds numerous times in our lifetime. To be honest, I cannot give you the answers to these questions. However, I can provide some insight and ideas to guide you in the right direction.

These issues can be just inconsequential or of great importance. Examples include:
• dealing with relationship issues,
• career-related decisions,
• investment-related opportunities,
• buying and selling of certain assets,
• migrating to a new place,
• lifestyle adjustments such as those relating to health,
• having children,
• adopting,
• commitments,
• and many others.

Any time in life that you are given an option, it can be perceived as an opportunity or threat. This is basically a matter of smart decision-making. First off, you are going to have to balance out your costs/benefits and pros/cons.

Let’s pick one of the scenarios above, how about debating whether to stay with a company or look for better opportunities? By staying with your current employer, you probably are more comfortable, relaxed, and familiar with how the company functions and performs. You could stay where you are and maybe potentially ask for a raise. Let’s imagine the possibilities of leaving the company to get a new job or enroll to advance yourself in higher education. This new career path could prove to be the best or worst decision you have ever made in your life. You could complete graduate studies and still have trouble looking for work or maybe find another job that you are not satisfied with. On the other hand, there’s the possibility of finding a high paying dream job that you truly enjoy. The outcomes are unpredictable; I cannot tell the future. If I knew the outcomes, I would answer the first two questions for you!

Another thing to keep in mind is, if you decide to stay with your company, would you be content with your decision and not ponder back and forth of the possible outcomes? In doing so, you are letting this issue eat you up inside out and making matters worse prior to this outlook. If that’s the case, you should just pursue your interests wholeheartedly and look forward to the opportunities. There’s no reason to dream of the possibilities and not act on them; that’s as bad as moping and wallowing in the past! It just makes you feel unworthy, vulnerable, and miserable. These moments of wondering are just different forms of fear and insecurity.

Let’s take a step back and look at another issue. I would like to emphasize more on the relationship issue since it is very common. In this kind of situation, we tend to think more emotionally than logically. Often times, we are blinded in our priorities and we feel that he/she is ‘The One’ and we will lose him/her if we do not continue to pursue. Whether the desire and intent is to win them back, prove something to ourselves or them, or nostalgia for past events, we tend to be persistent in our pursuit. When we don’t pursue him/her, sometimes we tend to find another person to fill our void of being alone and secure. I have been in the situation before and honestly, it’s filled with constant pain and suffering. All these thoughts and feelings stored inside our chest, we can literally feel it about to burst and explode. Everyone that we seek advice from seems worthless; we feel that none of them truly understand our situation and how much it means to us. We mope and ponder for awhile; eventually realize the need to gain ‘closure’. Even when closure is given, many of us may deny the accusations as being factual.

As we have realized, the relationship issue is a much more complex and peculiar situation that involves a clouded mindset, emotional anxiety, fear, insecurity, and denial as well. Upon reaching a state of clear mindset, I have a different take on the relationship issue. Often times, we don’t even know if we love him/her, we’re in love, infatuated, or in lust. I feel that it is misplaced priorities and misguided aspirations that have caused us to act the way we do. Obviously, he/she does not share the same feelings as we do and if they did, something has caused them to be indifferent. We may have made a mistake or his/her feelings have changed. If a mistake was made on our part, we could apologize and make matters better. If he/she chooses not to accept, we have done our part and it’s time we give him/her time to think about it. As human beings, we are constantly changing and evolving. ‘The One’, our soul mate, and what we seek are constantly transforming as well. To me, this is an opportunity for us to find someone that suits us better. There are many fishes in the sea; we are facing overpopulation as we speak!

Letting go can be another issue for some of us. Many of us facing the relationship issue will feel that life is meaningless, pointless, and empty without him/her. Did we find him/her and lost ourselves in the process? It can be like suddenly losing direction and motivation in life. The simplest things in life can suddenly feel so foreign. The key is to look at your environment and everything that you have achieved up until this point. Define what makes you who you are, whether it’s your personality, attitude, hobbies, interests, passions, and other characteristics. There were probably happy times in your past. You should look at those moments and see how you can incorporate them into your present. What ever happened has happened; it’s time to live in the now!

The fact is all these issues, even relationships, deal with smart decision-making. To be successful in decision-making would require clear, unbiased opinions. Step outside and look at your situation from a third person point of view. Sometimes that’s not enough and we should consult with others for insight and advice. Devise a list of costs/benefits and pros/cons. Figure out the potential outcomes and from there you can decide if you want to pursue or completely eliminate it from your mindset.

I hope this helps on your journey through this beautiful life!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Releasing the Influences to Become a Better You

Look in the mirror! Ask yourself the following questions: Who do you see? What makes you who you are?  What separates you from the next person? It has to do with the idea of nature versus nurture. The nature being the components of our body given to us at birth and how it affects the way we act in relation to our environment. Nurture deals with how we were raised by our parents; such as the morals, rules, and boundaries that were spoon-fed to us at an early age. As we grow older, the influence shifts away from your immediate family and toward our teachers, peers, friends, media, and our surrounding environment. We eventually realize that we have a very powerful mind and it expands through learning from different people and new experiences. I am sure that most of us have some flaws in our character, attitude, and personality. Sometimes we are aware of them; sometimes we are not. The fact is: Both nature and nurture has contributed to what we have become.

The important distinction between nature and nurture is that we are able to change the nurture, but not the nature. It’s really hard to change the world, but it’s much easier to change ourselves. I would like to share a quote from Jim Rohn, he once said, “Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.” Since the world is not going to drastically change nor do we have much control over it, why not improve ourselves and how we see the world? By changing ourselves, we are projecting the better side of us to the world and even those that are influenced by the world.

I believe that we should always do our part and play our role in life. In any type of situation, there are at least two individuals or groups involved. The conflict usually arises when individual/group ‘A’ threatens or harms the individual/group ‘B’, but this would not have resulted in conflict if individual/group ‘B’ just considered the words or actions as gibberish. I understand these conflicts cannot always be avoided, but for the most part they usually are just a misunderstanding that ultimately grows out of proportion. I would now like to share an excerpt from Kent Keith, he said:

“People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may just never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it’s all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.”

I really like this quote because it’s ironically true. I also understand that it’s really hard to follow these ideas, but imagine the benefits we would reap if we could just start introducing some of them into our own lives. Implementing small gradual changes will definitely make huge impacts on our lives. I was always aware of these ideas, but acting them out in my life was extremely difficult. Now I am able to see why I should and I would like to share it.

You see, losing the argument is not a big deal if you come out as a bigger person. We have to realize that it’s not really about reputation, but more about character. If we are good role models, people will eventually show respect for us and admire us. Our reputation will completely change. It’s a much better feeling as well; knowing that we acted in the best we could and people praise us for it. Often times, people think about a situation and say, “that’s not fair!” and “that’s not right!” They tend to try and make it right in the most immoral ways. Life’s not fair! It’s not about equality. It’s about playing our role and doing our part. If others want to step on us, we don’t necessarily have to step on them back. You can’t fight fire with fire! There has to be an outside force, whether it’s wind or water. Good is always greater evil! Love will conquer hate! Light will overpower darkness!

I was just telling my mother how I always admired the elderly person in the movies.  There’s this scene where a kid throws a rock at an old man’s house window. The old man would laugh because he was once that kid and he finds it amusing. He would not feel the need to set things straight and cause a war. Instead, the old man would actually wish the best for the kid and hope that one day he’ll learn from his actions. That’s the type of role model that motivates and inspires me.

External factors in our environment tend to have an influence on how we react to the situations that arise in everyday life. It affects some people more than others. We are able to see it in teenagers when they are being peer-pressured to become someone that they are not and do not want to become. We should not give others the power to change us into that. Put the control back in our hands! My recommendation is to not only be ourselves, but be the better person that we want to become. The reason is: by keeping a mindset to be ourselves, we place limitations that make it harder to accept any kind of change even if it is beneficial. We will feel as though these changes will make us less of who we are, since whom we are, is how we identify ourselves in the world. We will keep telling ourselves, “This is not me!” Instead, we should be telling ourselves, “This is better for me and this is what I want to become!”

Majority of the time, people will often have reasons for saying or acting the way they do, but people also have the tendency to lug excess baggage around. They might have had a bad day and unintentionally projects it to us. Whatever may be the case; we should always take what is being said or done into consideration and act accordingly. The secret is to not attach significant emotions to the situations because this in turns influences how we react.  Don’t let the outside world significantly influence your inner being. In my case, I not only hope to become that old man, but I want to be better!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

guiding-through-change

On our journey through life, we have encountered numerous obstacles and learned many valuable lessons. While looking back in time, I realized that if there was one thing we could ask for, it would be to have someone talk to us, mentor us, and guide us through these harsh times. It’s extremely devastating to see other people go on similar paths and make the same mistakes that we have, especially the close ones in our lives. We become very sensitive and empathetic as we sit and watch what appears to be a sequel to a very long and depressing movie. We care about these people; they are our family, friends, and lovers. Our intentions are to share with them our meaningful, personal, and life-changing experiences. We only want what is best for them. Quite frankly, we would not spend a minute helping a random stranger in this situation. I have described how it feels to be on the giving end of this relationship, but let’s trade places and hop in the shoes of the receiver.

Receiving advice is never easy. It is especially hard to accept when the advice is coming from someone close to you. As a receiver, advice would usually only come when others see a problem or dilemma. You will feel as if people are on your case and judging you as you drive on your road to success. It almost feels as if the world is against you. There are other reasons that I would like to share; they include:

1) Nagger – If the person trying to lend you advice is very nagging, it will be almost impossible for you to take their advice. You realize that if you decide to take the advice offered, more nagging will persist in the future.
2) Mr. /Ms. Right – If the person offering advice is always right and you always feel that you do wrong and remain a failure to them, the last thing you would want to do is prove them right by taking his/her advice.
3) Fellow Peers and younger – If the person giving you advice is a fellow peer or someone younger, you will have a hard time accepting it, mainly due to the fact that you do not perceive them as mentors. They are on the same page as you, yet you will get the impression that they are trying to be more and are judging you.
4) Misunderstanding person – This is the most common case. There are times when we feel that other people do not understand the facts and circumstances that we are in and it makes it harder for us to accept their advice. A good example of this is when we look at teenagers and their parents. I’m sure most of us have rebelled against our parents because we felt that their advice was not appropriate and they did not take the time and effort to understand us.

It feels amazing to be able to achieve great heights without the help of others. You feel as though these advisors are threatening your progress to victory. You strive to accomplish your visions with no outside help as intended. You probably endure many unnecessary obstacles and learn many valuable lessons along the way, but you accomplished it with great pride and success. Now that we fully understand the giver and the receiver, let’s step back and watch the show from a third person audience.

Whether you are a giver or receiver, you have to realize that you cannot offer someone guidance and support if they are unwilling to accept it. In the case of the giver and the receiver, both of them have personal issues that need to be dealt with. I would now like to share a quote from Carl Jung, “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” As a receiver, you probably have issues of your own because you are letting other’s prejudice affect the way you act. You should learn to understand why and correct these flaws. As a giver, you are not able to let go of your past. You had your opportunity to live, learn, and understand from your own mistakes through example. It has definitely shaped you into a magnificent person. You should be able to let others undertake obstacles just as you have in the past. Also, the approach you are taking to offer the advice might be threatening to the receiver. If you really want to offer help, your approach should be considered.

The moral of this story is that you should not always try to change people. If you cannot change others, what are your options? I would recommend try changing yourself. The reason that you would want to change someone is more personal than you think. Other people’s way of doing things and actions are irritating you, so let’s resolve that. Learn to be strong and take charge of your own feelings and actions. Release yourself and set yourself free from other people’s obstacles and dilemmas. You probably have your own problems as well. Change yourself for the better gradually, learn to be a good role model to others, and eventually people will naturally come to you for advice. We all have eyes to perceive; success will not be left unnoticed.

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Life as a Vegetarian

Today is a very special and important day for me. Exactly one year ago, I vowed to change my lifestyle and become a vegetarian! It has probably been the toughest obstacle I have endured. I want to take this time to introduce a new section in my blog called “Health and Diet”. Today, I want to discuss with you my take on vegetarianism after my one year experience.

People often ask me why I chose to make this drastic lifestyle change. Let me tell you the story! Let’s jump back to around late May of 2008. I was informed that my cousin was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive cancer. The specific cancer was called Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT). I spent hours and hours a day doing research about DSRCT, DSRCT patients, general cancers, cancer treatments, chemotherapy, radiation, alternative cancer treatments, oxygenation, and food and diet in relation to cancer and diseases. I had come to realize there was no specific cure for cancer. Cancer is caused by factors in a person’s lifestyle including diet, exercising, stress management, and mental/emotional health. The risks for cancer can all be minimized by proper eating, regular exercising, and basically keeping a positive outlook on life. I realized that diet played an extremely tremendous role. Many of the “processed” foods we see out there contain carcinogens, but many of the plant-based foods are anti-carcinogens. I wanted my cousin to eat healthier, not necessarily become a vegetarian, but introduce more plant-based foods into her diet. I started my vegetarian diet on July 14th, 2008 and it was the beginning of a new type of adventure.

Transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle was extremely challenging! I used to be the type of person that can’t survive without meat. Even in my salads, I always preferred it with chicken. I remember even after day one as a vegetarian, I told myself that I don’t know how long I can continue with this. Now that I really look at the big picture, the first two months were the hardest. I lost a lot of weight and I felt really weak. Luckily, the human body is very adaptive and susceptible to change. Eventually, my body adapted and the benefits were astounding. They include: increased energy, reduced cravings, and improved overall health. Once in a while, you’ll get old cravings, but you pretty much remind yourself the benefits and continue on the diet.

Very often, I get the question, “What do you eat as a vegetarian? Do you just eat salads all the time?” No, that’s not the case at all. I eat everything that omnivores eat; minus the meat and sometimes plus the meat substitute. Let me name a few so you get my drift, spaghetti with marinara sauce, eggplant parmesan, vegetarian pizza with Japanese eggplant, four cheese ravioli, Portobello mushroom burger, tempura shitake mushroom rolls, vegetarian pineapple fried rice, curry vegetable with rice, pad see ew with tofu, and the list goes on. Most of the time, my friends don’t even realize I’m vegetarian because I don’t require any special accommodations.

One of the biggest concerns people have toward a vegetarian diet is the lack of protein. In reality, that’s not the case. Protein are amino acids and they are in almost everything we eat. Some foods have higher protein content as compared to others. There are a lot of sources of high protein content from vegetarian sources such as tofu, beans, nuts, legumes, lentils, seeds, and many others. Protein deficiency should not be an issue.

Becoming vegetarian is a great way to improve overall health, but it’s not the only approach you can take to becoming healthier. A great start would be to add more plant-based foods into your diet. You can be a vegetarian and be in a worse position than a typical omnivore if all you’re eating are French fries, onion rings, fried mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini, grilled cheese, and potato chips. Just like everything else in life, you have to do things with moderation. Quite frankly, I think the American diet is one of the worst diets ever. We as Americans have the most obese people, the most heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. I mean, we can still indulge from time to time, but we don’t have to live like kings everyday. If we want a healthy and promising future, I suggest we begin by starting to change the way we eat.

It has actually been a very interesting and exciting journey. I have tried many unique foods that I would never touch as an omnivore. I have also met a lot of health conscious people with similar interests. I feel more energized and healthier than I have ever felt throughout my entire life. I swim and run at least 2.5 miles almost everyday. Being vegetarian is actually a form of harsh mental and physical discipline. I can feel my body detoxifying itself everyday even after a year on this diet. The challenge in itself and knowing that I’m doing good for my body encourages me to stay vegetarian!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

The Pursuit or the Attraction

Ever sit and wonder at how life could be if I have this or that in my life? I think we all tend to daydream from time to time. All of us have goals and dreams that we strive to reach and attain. We are taught to pursue these objectives. While browsing the Internet, the definitions I found from the web for the word pursue are as follows:

1. To follow with a view to overtake; to follow eagerly, or with haste; to chase; as, to pursue a hare.
2. To seek; to use or adopt measures to obtain; as, to pursue a remedy at law.
3. To proceed along, with a view to some and or object; to follow; to go in; as, Captain Cook pursued a new route; the administration pursued a wise course.
4. To prosecute; to be engaged in; to continue.
5. To follow as an example; to imitate.
6. To follow with enmity; to persecute; to call to account.

As you can see, it sounds as though pursuing is a way to chase and follow the path to success and not give up until we reach manifestation, but I believe there’s a better approach. Replace the word pursue with attract. The definitions I found for the word attract are as follows:

1. To cause to draw near or adhere by physical force: Magnetic poles are attracted to their opposites.
2. To arouse or compel the interest, admiration, or attention of: We were attracted by the display of lights.
3. To possess or use the power of attraction.

You are probably wondering what the difference between attracting and pursuing is. My interpretation is that when you attract, you “adjust” yourself and change your perspectives, intentions, actions, and ideas; whereas, the pursuit of something involves continually progressing and working hard to accomplishing the initial plan. I have learned one valuable lesson in life and it is that you don’t necessarily have to work hard all the time. Instead, there are opportunities for you to work smart.

A good example of pursuing versus attracting would be acquiring the abundance of wealth. People that tend to pursue will usually work really hard, strive toward their goals, and usually aren’t content until their goals are fulfilled. The ones that choose to attract money will probably introduce changes in their lives and homes, such as practicing Feng Shui and having a positive outlook. These small changes might be unrelated to their pursuit and might not do anything at all, but it will have an impact on their mindset.

Just like my experiences with courting women, you can’t put people or things on a pedestal; you will most likely drive them away! In the case of attracting the opposite sex, you are making it easier on yourself and their pursuit much more interesting and exciting. Ever since the creation of mankind, we have all learned to enjoy the chase and challenges. It’s part of our human nature. Therefore, it seems more logically sound to attract than to pursue.

When you attract, you make yourself better and it makes the journey much easier. It’s really just mind over matter. When you start to attract, you’ll not only feel better about yourself, but you will see the pursuit as a much smoother, exciting, and enjoyable journey.

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Happiness and Longevity

It’s about living in the present, enjoying the moment, and learning how to cope and adapt; whether you’re on top of the world or about to rock bottom. The secret is really to learn how to distort reality to work for you. We all do it! You can perceive any negative situation as a positive one if you convince yourself that benefits will come. Personally, I like to think of hitting rock bottom as being in a place where the only direction you can go is ‘up’! Our perception and our perspective of life is our reality. Therefore, if we want to change our reality, we simply start adjusting the way we see the world.

Many people put too much consideration into their age and what they should be doing. Personally, I feel that age is just a number. Our capabilities are not determined by how old we are, but by our mindset and our physical health. Eternal youth lies within a healthy mind. Today, I was just told that George Bush, Sr. went skydiving yesterday for his 85th birthday. That’s truly inspirational! People are afraid of aging and that’s not how life should be. The whole human experience is all about living, learning, and enjoying it at the same time. Life and death are inevitable; why not enhance our experiences and reap the most benefits?

While mental health is our focus, we should not neglect the importance of physical health. The mind, body, and soul are all interconnected. Negative feedback from the physical body, such as pains, aches, and diseases can affect the mind and our perception of life. Regular exercise and healthy eating can help ease the stress off the physical body and promote healthy well-being of the mind, body, and soul.

A long and happy life begins with having a healthy mindset. I hope to become a centenarian myself one day and still live the life that I cherish and enjoy now. Today, I’m able to answer the two questions I mentioned in the beginning with another question: “Why not become ‘that’ person?” =)

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Respect Yourself!

Let’s shift gears for a moment. We’ve always heard the saying “treat others how you want to be treated!” Most people attempt to follow this advice, but end up being disappointed. What seems to be the problem, you ask? These people already have an expectation of how people will treat them in the future and when they don’t receive it, they will lose faith in the saying. Let me give you some reasons why you should treat others fairly and with respect.

Your subconscious mind is shaped by conscious actions and thoughts. Therefore, your attitude, mindset, and respect for others are important. As we encounter different obstacles and miracles in life, we tend to reassure ourselves about these situations. By learning to shape your conscious side to show respect for others, you’re not only helping others, but yourself as well. Let me give you an example. The coach that is able to motivate a losing team to win the state championship must know how to encourage his team to success. With that in mind, he should be able to provide confidence and self-esteem for his own goals in life due to his daily communication with himself.

We aren’t always aware of our conversations with ourselves, but they always affect the way we perceive life. By learning to shape the way we treat others, we are learning to shape the way we treat ourselves. Talking to yourself is a huge part of life. I’ve probably talked to myself hundreds of times just typing this post. When we treat ourselves and others with respect, everyone is happy! Think about that one for a change.

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.

Mistakes, Experiences, and Curiosity

Throughout life, we will all make mistakes. It’s inevitable; although sometimes preventable. The best thing to do is learn from these mistakes, not become fearful of them.

Fear is a big antagonist that hinders many great experiences that we could have. You are only afraid because you’re not aware and educated about the subject matter. This can make you overwhelmed, impatient, and stressed out. Given a traumatic situation, you should always remain calm and try to figure out a resolution because there’s no reason to intensify your anxiety and make matters worse. You have to understand that you put yourself in this situation and you can try to correct it now or create more complications. You can pout and cry about it; or you can grow up and take responsibility for your life.

When fear is eliminated from your mindset, you will be able to endure on new experiences. You will be open to try new things and embark on new adventures. That’s where curiosity comes back into the picture. Curiosity is what drives us to explore and do ridiculous and outrageous things. It is a natural high that keeps us feeling young like the curious children we once were.

Mistakes will always occur in life. Just make sure you learn from them and try to refrain from performing the same mistake. Don’t be afraid of trying new things. Stay curious, explore, and encounter new situations. Live and learn; it’s all a part of life. One more thing; always remember to enjoy it!

©2010 taneyism!. All Rights Reserved.