Daily Positive Thought Project: Forgiveness Sets You Free
All of us have had “bad” things happen to us. Sometimes there are other people or circumstances we can blame for our misfortune. When you do this, you give away a little bit of your power.
When you carry this frustration, anger, and resentment around inside you, it is difficult to function in life as your best self. You give your power and strength away to whatever or whomever you blame.
Simply by applying thoughts of forgiveness to each situation, you will be able to reclaim your personal power and result in personal freedom. Forgiveness can set you free.
“Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.” Marianne Williamson
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”- Mahatma Gandhi
In my life, there have been stages where I was all into one band or another. In 1983-84 I was all about The Who. I was listening to classic Who tracks and thinking that they had figured the whole confusing experience of life out. The Who made you question the system and the things that people wanted you to accept without question. Follow the rules! Do what you are told! These were exactly the things I was struggling with as a high school student in the 80’s. Finding my own path began with The Who.
Top Five Who Songs
Age is a state of mind, not a chronological condition
Behind Blue Eyes– Most people see themselves as the hero, but some circumstances can make you feel like the villain. Life is full of these two scenarios and we strive to make the choices of the hero, but what if those are not accepted? My dreams aren’t as empty as my conscience seems to be.
Bargain – When it came to love in my life, there were times I felt exactly like this. Giving up everything for the love of the right woman. I call that a bargain, the best I ever had. Life takes that passion away, there is no free ride to me, but there was once.
Won’t Get Fooled Again– The way I looked at authority as a teenager was perfectly described in this song. In fact, it is much the way I feel today. The hypocrisy, lies, and greed I see in the world, make me get on my knees and pray, we don’t get fooled again. But it seems unlikely. I know that the hypnotized never lie.
Baba O’Reilly– I can remember when teenage wasteland included me and now I am far removed from that group, I still think older people look at the young and see them wasting their lives. They don’t need to fight to prove their right and they don’t need to be forgiven. Life is full of patterns and being young is one of them. It is critical to the development of thinkers and doers in the future. Let’s get together before we get much older.
1.Who Are You?– The question that I am still answering today. I think all people are continually evolving and this is changing as you move through life. The choices that we make every day define us and tell us and the world who we are. I really want to know, who are you? Do you choose positively or negatively in your interactions with others and the world? Only you control the impact that you have. This song has always shown me that truth from the time I listened to it as a young man, to today.
Thank you to the who for providing all the guidance in the early 80’s. Roger Daltry is still the man, he is just a very old man.
Honorable mentions; Pinball Wizard, My Generation, Can’t Explain, Love Reign o’er Me, Squeeze Box, Join Together, The Seeker, Substitute, Magic Bus
Monday, Monday by Mike Martin
Mondays are a gift from the Universe. At our house, Monday is a time to frantically search for backpacks, homework and sneakers, a time to get back into the routine of our busy lives.
Music is a History lesson. Music videos are often rich with the culture of the times in which the music was created. My children are blessed with a father that forces them to listen to music from many decades.
On Mondays, just to get the week off to a joyous start. I often turn to The Mamas & the Papas. This pleases my daughter Kyera very much.
The Mamas & the Papas recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. I was born in 1966. The group has four members: John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips née Gilliam.
Denny Doherty has the best tenor voice that I have ever heard. Joh Phillips claims that a wayward brick forever changed Cass Elliot’s voice allowing her to sign a few high notes that she could not hit prior to getting struck with the falling brick-Fascinating. Michelle Phillips née Gilliam is the only member still alive and still very beautiful.
They released five studio albums and seventeen singles, six of which made the Billboard top ten and have sold close to 40 million records. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
My favorite song by The Mamas & the Papas is California Dreamin’ —listening to it, is a– Spiritual Experience:
“Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)
He knows I’m gonna stay (knows I’m gonna stay)”
Even though I grew Catholic and was very connected to the Holy Family Catholic Church in Greenville, Maine. I am not religious; however, I truly believe we are all interconnected through omnipotent forces that defy descriptions!
The Mamas & the Papas’ music speaks to me in a way they no other music can. So, please, enjoy your Monday because I believe that you CAN trust that day. If you have any doubts, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville
Confidence is the way we view our ability to handle the challenges we face in life. Either we are in a good place with high confidence, in a low place, letting the programming of our past catch up to us, or somewhere in between.
Our accomplishments and success will depend on our confidence. Everything from the job we can hold, how much money we make or the relationships we seek to maintain.
The best thing is that you can raise your level of confidence by being conscious of the message you are accepting in your mind about who you are and what you can do. Old programming messages of “you can’t” , “Be realistic”, or “Nobody can do that” Are limiting beliefs you are choosing to follow. You can stop it any time you decide that you want to.
Life challenges us so that we will have to develop our skills and know what we want in life. If you look at the strength you can get from a challenge it can become a something that can sustain you in through other tough times. The thing about challenges is there is usually a reward on the other side. Maintain your pace and keep moving forward.
Some great thoughts by Alan Watts about the dream of life. That all of life is a dream that is getting more and more surprising over time. Each lifetime is a dream and the ending of the dream is unknown and surprising for each person. Each dream goes further and further and then you dream about living the life that you are living today. Everybody is fundamentally the ultimate reality in your life. We are all that only we are pretending we are not.
“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.” ~ Alan Watts
On Wednesday, November 22, 2017, I began a project with a simple goal. To give an encouraging word to others every day for 30 days. What quickly resulted was a change in my awareness and quickly I saw my consciousness become more of a focus. So then I hoped to raise the consciousness of at least one other person with each word. When I reached 30 days, like Forrest Gump, for no particular reason I kept going. Here I am. It has been 100 days since then and that is 100 words and 100 thought-provoking posts, that I have completed one way or another every day.
In that 100 days, I have managed to maintain my normal schedule and find time to create a post a day. I changed jobs, which led to an entire schedule change but still was able to persevere. People have entered and left my life. So this is a reflection of the project at the 100-day mark. What went well and what could have been better. It deserves serious thought and consideration. I will begin by looking at my thoughts, the corresponding emotions, words and actions that have arisen. Welcome to my journey of consciousness.
My Evolving Consciousness
To me, your consciousness is simply what you are aware of in life. Too many days go by without an acknowledgment of their significance. We move one day to the next, just trudging through life. Hoping to find some distraction from life. Life is the entertainment, not the distraction. Although, I didn’t always see it that way. This project forced me to take a moment every day and set my mind toward something positive. Each thought leads to a corresponding emotion. So if you think of frustrating things you are going to feel frustration, that will lead to words about frustration and of course, you will act on that. The same is true for positive things. They are there for you in every day. If you choose to look for them.
As I looked at the encouraging words for the day, I found them becoming a part of my life. In times where I might have been angry, I was patient and able to maintain a better mental attitude. The focus on the positive things in life became more of my daily outlook. This was a conscious choice each day and it has made a positive difference in my life.
The Power of a Word
It is strange how a word can create a mindset for a day. I started with the word kindness, then moved to encouragement, and through the 100 words. With each consecutive word I wrote about I almost always ran into a situation that day where I could apply the lesson. Each time, I would be consciously aware that the word was showing up in my life. Confidence, choice, forgive and choice all came and went and as each day passed I realized that the person really benefitting from this project was me. I am
Finally, I changed the beginning from “word of the day” to “Raising my Consciousness One Word at a time.” There are others who have read a word here or there and found some thought from it. Others who read every word and write to me to talk about their thoughts on that aspect. All I know for sure is that there is a power in words. They can lift you up and make the life of those around you better as well. It all starts with a thought and that leads to an emotion, the words you speak, and the actions that you take. All from the thought of a word. Awesome.
What can get Better?
Like all projects, there are always things you learn along the way. In this case, I would have kept better track of the words as I went along. At first, I thought the project would only be 30 days, so I didn’t pay close attention, but then as the list got longer, I needed to be careful or the same word would be used again. It is easier than you think. I used the same word twice and wrote totally different ideas about it. On the good side, there were things that I obviously needed to say.
I also would have found a way to share more of the beginning of the project with people and made a clearer agenda of what I was hoping to accomplish. However, if I had done this the project would have only lasted 30 days and would have been called the encouraging word of the day. Much of the good that I have gotten out of this so far, might not have happened. Overall I am happy with the result but there is always room for growth.
How will this grow?
There are a few natural paths for growth here I think. One is to do a weekly podcast on the words of that week. I will publish it on the blog so you can hear my thoughts on the points of interest during the week. Also could include guest appearances from people important to the blog.
Another way to grow the project would be to create a short video for each word that explains my thoughts on how focusing on the positive aspects of that word can help you become more positive in your life. Also, I think that this format could lend itself quite naturally to becoming a book. But that will all be in the future.
Finally, I am grateful to have made it this far, and it really doesn’t seem like a hundred days has gone by. Because when you take it one day at a time, they just start to fly by. I am also grateful for what the project has brought to me, what I have learned and how I have been able to express my thoughts. It has been a great experience to have other people provide their feedback to me and to gain something positive from my little creation themselves. So take a moment each day and really focus your thought on the words you are using in your life and look at the actions that result. Raise your consciousness to the level you want. Be aware of the life happening all around you. It is a pretty good thing. 100 thoughts, 100 words, 100 actions.
“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” Charles Dickens
“Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.” ` Yvonne Woon
It is an important part of life to look for situations to encourage ourselves and others to try new things, go for their goals and work to become the best versions of themselves possible. A word of encouragement spoken or written can be the thing that propels someone toward accomplishing a goal or achieving a dream.
Seek opportunities today, where your encouragement can make a difference to someone in your life. It could be someone you know really well or someone that you meet in passing. Either way, a positive word of encouragement can go a long way in helping others achieve their goals.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
This is a great video on creating new perspectives from one of survival to a vision of abundance. Kyle Cease is a speaker/comedian who helps people develop their abilities. He believes these perspectives that come from inside us have control over our reality.
Understanding New Perspectives
There are things we love to do and talents we have in order to find our purpose in life. Overcoming fear is important in our development. He advocates creativity and imagination in order to overcome the limits that society puts on us. Feel complete as you are and being what you love, there is no fear. Things outside of you do not complete you.
Let Your new perspectives help you develop your life experience.
Improving the world one positive thought at a time!
Words
Words are sounds we make or symbols we draw which offer information to the world. We use them to express ourselves and we do this without a lot of conscious thought.
It is important to watch the words you use because each word brings with it an energy that you are going to use to represent yourself, your thoughts and emotions and they can lead to the actions you take. A positive word of encouragement can lead to something good for someone else and yourself and a negative can do the same.
Words are a part of your consciousness whether you know it or not. As you think thoughts feelings are linked to them and our words are a result of this process, displaying to the world what is going on inside you. If you are having thoughts of joy, kindness, caring, or love then your words will naturally reflect that. The same can be said if you are having thoughts of fear, anger, frustration, jealousy, or hate. Watch your words they are a weapon.
The challenge today is to be conscious of the words you use and the feelings and thoughts that are behind them. Watch how your words affect the people around you. They are powerful things.
Positive Words to Focus on Peace, hope, love, kindness, empathy, generosity, success, and Empathy.
Negative words to avoid: Anger, envy, sorrow, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, ego, and hate.
It is the beginning of a month-long journey to delve into the music of our lives. In the fall of 1971, I attended kindergarten in Greenville, Maine. It was there that one of my intellectual equals was Mike Martin. From that day to this, music has provided the soundtrack of our lives. And I have been privy to all of his schemes. We have not always been on the same path, but we both agree that music provides a connection to the past and the people who have shaped our lives.
There was little choice for me on the first day of nostalgic music month. It
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they make
had to be Dire Straits. From the first time I heard the unique and iconic guitar, to the messages in the lyrics that seemed to capture the emotions of the experiences I was having, Dire Straits has been one of my favorite performers. Most important is the connection to many special people I have known over my life who have shared the music with me.
My top 5 Dire Straits songs are as follows:
Down to the Waterline– It reminds me when I was a young man and was on my own for the first time. Living in South Portland, going to SMVTI. Hearing the foghorn at night, having fun and getting to know all
All of your dreams should come true, you deserve it
of those special people I knew from that time working at campus security.
4.On Every Street– This is a newer song but captures a lot of the old style, and it describes how I feel about so many people that I have lost over the years. Some more than others. When you walk down the street, and you see a crowd of people, “and it’s your face I am looking for on every street…..” Someday we may meet again. The guitar at the end……..classic Mark Knoffler.
Sultans of Swing– A song with so many memories and different points in my life attached to it that I remember a different thing almost every time I hear the opening beat, I can’t stop listening because I get a shiver in the dark and it’s raining in the park, but meantime………….and I feel alright when I hear the music ring.
2. Romeo and Juliet– The top two songs are from the same album, Making Movies. This song is particular to the memories of a young man, being Romeo and the first real love that breaks your heart. Like a rite of passage, there are good things that end and in the end, it is best for all involved, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less at the time and the scars that are left are just as real. As we age, people tend to trivialize the past and diminish the importance of many events and the value of people. Deep in our hearts, those things still live and the value will always be there. “All I do is miss you and the way we used to be……….” Everyone feels like that at some point. This song reminds of a time I was young, naive and idealistic. A simpler time.
Tunnel of Love– In my memory when places, people, and love are combined from my past, magic happens and this song reminds me of that magic. There are people that you meet and they are only meant to be in your life for a season, and then they are gone. It is up to you to understand the lesson and take the value from that relationship. Even when it is clearly your fault that things didn’t work out, this song though sums it up. We learn our lessons, remember those who mattered and rock away, rock away. The final guitar solo rips my soul.
Honorable mention: Water of love, Money for Nothing, Telegraph Road, Lady Writer, Expresso Love, Skate Away
There is my half of day one of Nostalgic Music Month for Mike Martins half Read on Here.
Sentimental Street by Mike Martin
I have a spiritual advisor. His name is Jon Hilton and I have known
1984, a year of transitional memories. A sentimental street for sure.
him since kindergarten. We speak on the phone often and will argue
with each other even when we agree. We have much in common and are
complete opposites.
With all the negativity in the world, Jon has proclaimed October,
Nostalgic Music Month. He will want to share the credit because Jon is
a team player and one of the many things I appreciate about his
friendship.
Before I gave my word that I send him sentimental music selections each day for the month of October as a way to promote hope and
optimism, as we reflex on the music of our past, I demanded (big
smile) that we use this platform to encourage people to visit our hometown of Greenville, Maine. (if you a reading this, I am happy to
say that my demand was accepted)
We invite everyone and anyone to join in October, Nostalgic Music
Month. There are many ways to participate including the radio,
cassette, record, DVD and if you post on Social media please use the
hashtag. #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and please feel free to share
Jon’s blog with your friends and enemies.
Night Ranger’s second album, Midnight Madness was released the summer
of 1984. The summer after I graduated from high school. The summer
before a memorable fall that included a miracle pass from Doug Flutie.
I have a memory of seeing Night Ranger in concert, but I am
unconfident that I really did because the memories are foggy. So I am
asking my favorite musician ever Born, Rich Daigle and his favorite sound
man, J Alan Grant-Did Night Ranger open for 38 Special when we saw
them the summer before I joined the Navy?
Now sit back, relax and take a walk down this Sentimental Street-Night Ranger #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip
to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of
year!
For this Positivity Project Day 2, I am going to focus on questions. Our minds are a tool that works best when it is under direction. We can put our thoughts under direction by asking questions. The quality of the questions we ask will determine the quality of the action that results. Learning to ask the right questions for ourselves can make us more productive and happier. Questions provide direction, focus and of course answers.
Questions can take you toward all the things you want,
What can I do to build better relationships? What actions can I take to gain wealth or success today? What activities will make me happy? Fulfilled?
All of these can lead you in a positive direction.
Questions can also be used to delete negative behaviors: What can I stop doing that is slowing me down or hindering my success?
Questions are dangerous because they will lead to change and that comes with risk: Risk of failure, a risk of learning, a risk of what others will think,
But life is a risk and we are put in this game of life to be our best. Questions will lead to this.
Here are two questions for you today:
1. What do you want in life?
2. What do you have to do to get it?
Question Quotes
“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco
“The key to wisdom is this – constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.” – Peter Abelard
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.” -Joseph Campbell
“The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.“ – Socrates
My favorite song by The Mamas & the Papas is 
