Have you looked in the mirror lately?

Have you ever been faced with a decision? A decision that has no right nor wrong. A decision that holds merit whichever choice is chosen? A decision that has both pro's and con's and despite them looking drastically different can both could teach valuable lessons and strengthen one's character. What do you do in these situations? Do you talk it through with others? Do you go with your gut? Do you go with your brain? Do you choose the easier route? The less risky route? Or do you go against the flow? Choosing the route less traveled, or a bit unkown. Are the voices within clear? Or do they blend together like a night shapshot of a busy freeway?

If you do talk with others, do they truly listen? Do they truly give you "good" advice? Or do they merely give you advice that they would do. That they think is best. I often sit back after conversations and say to myself, did that person even hear a fucking word that I said? My generation is quicker, fuller, wittier, more sarcastic, and impatient than ever before, in my opinion. This is not a bad thing in and of itself. Technology is ridiculously amazing when I slow my mind down and actually think how cell phones, skype, iPad's, GPS, satellite tracking in the everyone's palm, etc, actually function. I have access to any knowledge I may desire in the blink of an eye. I love the era that I live. But, sometimes it confuses me. Sometimes I hear to much. Voices are always whispering and more often or not they are yelling. Yelling loudly, vigorously, dogmatically, pridefully, arrogantly, and in their "mental reverberations" always correctly. If you are anything like me. I enjoy talking through thoughts and ideas. Ideas help produce greatness. However, it takes a special individual to listen and not speak. It takes someone who stops their lives, and truly taps into yours to understand what voice you need to hear. Why is it that when one is faced with a decision of their own, the only voice they can't hear amidst the multitudes is such that, their own. Is it past guilt from others? Is it insecurity or fear of what the decision may bring in the future? Is it a lack of desire? Is it a lack of intuition? Sure, all these could be a player. However, sometimes I think it is that one know's the world and others better than oneself. I sadly find myself here at times, and for lack of better linguistics, it SUCKS! We are all human. We are all unique. Each individual has something to offer, maybe even a multitude of things to offer the world and others. Therefore, why does one not know which route to go? Are too many options just that...too many?

THINK ABOUT THIS SENTENCE: Are too many options just that, too many? Was the church correct when they taught us we had to die to ourself and think of others first? Sure that premise seems nice, but shit, can't it be even more detrimental in the long run? If you never think about yourself, you never take care of yourself, and you then never have anything to give to another. It is kind of an oxymoron the more I think about it. If one is thinking about what other people want, rather than what they want, quite frankly I think one will get screwed over more times than not. Now please don't take me irrationally. I am not promoting selfishness. But I am promoting self love. I am promoting self care. I am promoting self belief. For if one doesn't believe in the voice within, how are they ever going to know which of the millions voices without to believe? One of my favorite bands sings this line: "You better stand for something, or you'll fall for anything." Well my friends, I propose we stand for ourselves. I propose we stand for the betterment of ourselves. And it's sad that I must explain what betterment to me looks like, but it is of such: Health, Clarity, Peace, Openess, Love, Consciousness, Optimism, Honesty, and Encouragement. With that, if you are ever struggling with a decision and don't know what to do. Stop and think, what is best for the betterment of me? Because, whenever you become better, you gain more to give away. But the moment you make a decision that makes another happier than you, is the moment that you begin to lose part of you and frankly, that makes me mad. Everyone is beautiful, and everyone has something to offer. Don't let another take that away from you. Here's to making the most of who we are, so that we can share that with the world around us! And remember, next time someone needs advice, stop and think how to get them to find what is best for them, because most of the time they look different from you. If you don't believe, just have someone, anyone stand next to you in front of a mirror!

I read a quote the other day about Steve Jobs. I can't recall it exactly, but the point withstood. He said: The day you look in the mirror and don't like what you see is the day you change who you see and start doing something different.

SC

Where have all the Purple shoes gone?

I've spent the entire morning reading. Reading my own thoughts within my own blog. Weird? Maybe, but not for me. I'm encouraged. I feel accelerated to continue writing, living, sharing thoughts with others, and experience life abundantly each day! As of my last post, many of you know much is new in my current life. The word new normally correlates with good in my opinion. Currently that is not the case. I'm not saying that the new things in my life are bad by any means. They are different, obviously. But I will say they are much more structured. Now, again, many people when they hear structure they correlate good to it. Call me liberal, but when I hear structured, my eyes, cheeks, forehead and lips close together as I give a look of perplexity.

What do I mean exactly? I am seeing how I am not a huge fan of structure. Why? Because I feel when something and or someone becomes so structured, they loose expression. They loose the ability to change, to grow, to learn, to adapt, to create, and to evolve. Let me further elaborate. Expression is the word that keeps circulating in my brain today. Life is all about expression. Every company expresses their goal and or mission. Every person expresses their personality, belief, and values through their clothes, speech, and demeanor. Every store that we enter, or pass by, expresses their vision through their design of product and logo. Everything we do expresses something. Thus, when something becomes so structured, expression can be stifled. Expression can be looked down upon. Expression can be a hinderance or distraction rather than encouragement or motivation!

Have you ever gone somewhere, encountered someone, or been in a certain scenario where your opinion, your style, your thoughts, and they way you express yourself felt unwanted. Of course, everyone has. Did you like that experience? If you are anything like me, it drove you crazy. It made you want to scream toward the skies and run for the hills. Actually, it makes me want to scream toward the skies and run toward the situation, but that is because I want to change the situation and recreate the structure for better which I am learning despite how good the motivation and desire may be, it is not always the best decision to do so. With that, I've been dwelling upon much today and really the past month since my move.

I'm dwelling upon the country I live in and it's predominate "Structure". I am dwelling upon business's who say you have to look a certain way, dress a certain way, where a certain colored shoe because it is more professional. I am dwelling upon a world that is fully Expressive. A culture that is accepting of all expressions. A culture that not only is accepting of many forms of expression but is promoting Expression in abundant forms because they believe themselves that much growth will come from it. Is it just me, or is it hard to find these people, these organizations, these cultures, and this thought of openness?

How many billion of people live within this world? We say nobody is exactly alike, but do we believe that? Because the more I live, and sit back, the more I see people and places try to make people into a certain structure. We try to mold them into our expressions. As I write it just hit me that I may be trying to do this as well and my expression is openness and acceptance of all forms of expression. That may be the case, but at least what I expressing is expression itself and not some other structured conceptualization of expression:)

Anywho. My mind is quite scrambled and I realize my syntax is currently sloppy. Therefore, may we express ourselve's. May we speak our mind. May we say what we believe. May we show to the world who we are. And more importantly, may the world be ok with that! May we not cringe when someone expresses themselves differently. May we intellectually be curious about expression for the possibility of teaching that lies within it unfolds. I urge us all to wake in the morning and express ourselves from within, rather than letting the structures on the outside become our dictation. Because seriously, who says it is more professional and or you will do better work in black shoes than Purple shoes? I bet I'll rock a purple belt and purple shoes better than a black belt and black shoes any day of the week. And one thing I've found, is when you feel confident and accepted through self expression, great things more often than not ensue. So here's to feeling purple and strapping on a purple belt with purple shoes if that is what it takes to conquering the day! I think it is time for us to start wearing our purple shoes again, no matter what the structures may say!