Perfect: The Popular Response

 

 

Although this is dwindling for a different and new response I still hear or even catch myself saying it.

“Perfect” as a statement is not cute or endearing and at this time it is one of the most absurd statements that is being over used and insults most people without them even knowing. How can it be insulting you ask? Well let’s ask, “What is perfect?”

Perfect is defined by Collins Dictionary as finished, whole, unspoiled, faultless, excellent, of the highest quality. So does this apply to the human being themselves or to the act between two or more individuals?  As a spiritualist I have studied for many years to obtain perfect and have in my studies realized that perfect is a state and not necessarily an absolute. Perfect is not obtainable by any human standards I know of. It is not the act nor is it the person who is perfect.

So what does it mean to each of us? Well to some it is this grossly unobtainable level of accomplishment that continues to stretch out of the person’s reach. The bar who ever is in control of it being raised or lowered continues to push it out of reach. This makes perfect by any standards impossible. So that leaves you with good enough. Well isn’t that a self-esteem builder? Never being satisfied with what the accomplishment is and not what else it can or could be. How can a society filled with such diverse individuals force perfect on everybody? Well, we as a human race have standards to live up to. You are a law abiding citizen, you have a job, you are to treat every body the way you want to be treated etc. So the standards are met and most of us sit back and say we have done enough and that it is good enough. But yet we still are pushed for perfection even beyond our own ability to perform. The consequences of the push are nasty, depression, stress, heart attacks, are just a few to mention.

 

 

So moving forward with “perfect” are we lazy or self satisfied? What are your personal standards for perfect? Most of us have learned in life that there is a higherarchy of the human race and that some of us are more privileged than others. But that does not mean that our idea of perfect should be on the same scale. As human beings we are naturally lazy and unsatisfied. Donald Trump’s version of perfect is certainly different than the homeless person on the street corner with his hand out for spare change. Not saying the homeless man is lazy, just unfortunate. But there are those of us who are innately lazy and have expectations of life with no regard for the amount of work contributed to society to become one of the Trumps of the world and then sit back and complain that they are amongst the have nots. Well those people can stuff it where the sun don’t shine!!! If you are not going to work for it you will not have it!!! So where do we draw the line at satisfied? That is once again an individual choice. If you believe that stopping work everyday at 5 pm sharp is going to get you that raise and promotion think again. It will be the dude in the carol next to you who stays that little bit longer to get the days work done. So once again ask what is lazy and what is satisfied and how does satisfied meet perfection?

 

 

Well if you become satisfied with the career you have and that meets your life goals than it is entirely possible that you have obtained perfection with your career and financial life. That is terrific!!! But what about those of us who have raised the bar for someone else, the bosses of this world the Donald Trumps; why do you feel that inflicting your version of perfect on the rest of us is mandatory? Well if we think about it, it is about improving the human race in general, but if you believe that please read some of my other articles on What Really is Spirituality and Following Your Own Life’s Path.. As human beings we need to pushed to accomplish otherwise we are lazy and never strive for perfection or even satisfaction. Take a good look at the guy with the well-manicured lawn and garden what do you think he or she is striving for and what is their accomplishment of perfect? It would seem typically to be raised standards and a little bit of friendly competition from around the neighborhood.

So when someone says to you in response “Perfect.” how do you feel? Insulted, condescended too, as if this person knows what your idea of perfect is? Maybe if it is the exact amount of change for an item purchase the response “Perfect.” can be applied but to the everyday activities and the motions that we go through it is nobody else’s business what you think is perfect or not. It is a “to each his own” kind of area with in the human psyche. Remember don’t tread on my perfect and I won’t tread on yours. Who needs these ridiculous catch phrases anyways?  

 

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Follow Your Own Life Path

 

 

As a young person my life was mapped out for me by the choices other people had made for me. My parents bless their hearts in all good intentions decided that I was to spend my life in the business world doing what ever it was that was there for me. Truthfully there was nothing in the business world for me but sorrow. Every job I held in that world was uninteresting and it was not long before I quit or left the position for one reason or another. No reasons were ever significant until now.

I grew up, I went to school (several times), I got married, had children, all that expected stuff but I was unhappy. I bought a business, operated it and closed it after being kicked repeatedly by the industry. I had had my fair share of disappointments by this time. But it was during that time that I realized that I’ve done everything that everyone else had expected of me and not what made me happy. So what made me happy? It was not the main stream; in fact the main stream is an absolute foreign language to me.

 

What makes me happy and is my life’s path is to be creative. I am a musician, I craft (sew and knit), I cook, I write and I want to learn how to draw. I have found that this path is one that continues forward for me and it is enjoyable and I am learning how to make money doing the things I love to do. But I wish to tell you that as a young person I was duly informed that this was no life to be had that being creative was not a trait that was acceptable and that I must conform to the expectations of everyone else around me. I was pinned into something that had no direction for me. So I flopped along and fully wasted time, as there was nothing else I could do.

I spent many hours studying Spirituality and taking salvation in a secret place where I could journey on my life’s path. It took me many years to over come the fear of disappointing other people. I needed to remember that my life is about me and not about them and their expectations of me. I know that had I been allowed to develop my creative side at a younger age life overall would have been a much happier experience in general. Although for the most part I am relatively bouncy and happy go lucky.

I have accepted this portion of my life as it stands and from it I take every moment as a learning moment. What have I learned? I have learned who I am and what I am meant to be. I now have a clear view of the path I am to follow and for the most part have been able to map out the directions the forks in the road will take me. I look forward to the rest of my life and the new journey and I am grateful for the lessons of the past.

 

It is never too late to look at the direction of your life and to assess or reassess your journey. Look deep within yourself, within your heart, and meditate. You may find that where you are is exactly where you should be or you may find you need to make some changes, but either way you know yourself the best and know what path is right for you.

 

Blessed Be

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What Really is Spirituality?

 

 

 

After reading more than a fair share of definitions and meaning of spirituality where everyone differed so greatly it seams it is left up to the reader to create their own interpretation of spirituality. Difficult you say, well maybe but this may help guide you on your journey to find yourself.

 

Spiritually it is the ability to look into ones own self and discover the strengths and needs of your own personality and being. It is the desire to grow and develop as a human being and work towards the acceptance of the next journey in life whatever you may believe that to be. It is the inner ability to understand more than just what is around you and tangible, touchable and or seeable. It is joy, it is rapture, it is pain, madness and growth. It is beyond the belief in superior beings that direct and or punish us. It is the ability to believe that we and the earth are holistic and the ability to see that holism in every living creatures and thing. It is the understanding of Mother Nature and her ways. It is the ability to let Mother Nature have her ways. Spirituality has nothing to do with a religious belief system, as everyone has the ability to be spiritual. Spirituality is awareness.

 

You may have heard the term “he is finding himself” well that is the journey of spiritualism. He or she has embarked on a jounry to enlighten the soul and enrich the mind through a number of different experiences of the individuals choosing. Many of these experiences include the experimentation with religion but they do not need too. There are places that one can go to find the spiritual association they need. Usually these places are places of peace and serenity as the relaxed mind and body can connect with the inner spirit under gentler circumstances. This “finding of one self” is enlightenment and growth through learning. The learning is not only about the self but also of others and their ways of spiritualism.
 

 

As a life style spiritual people often meditate or practice relaxation of other forms including yoga. Meditation is the deep visualization in the mind of calming events and activities including the focus on aspirations and daily devotions. Yoga includes the mind and the body through stretching the muscles in various positions that allows the body to cleans itself, the mind can then clear and focus and spirituality can continue.

Spirituality never stops as long as the person allows themselves continued growth and awareness. When we stop being open to new concepts and ideas to discussion about others ways of believing we stop being spiritual. We shut the door and close our minds to the beauty of the world around us. In today’s society with the vast form of communication that we have it is easy to keep listening to keep growing by finding other people to help you grow on a spiritual level. There is no excuse to let go of your spiritual growth.

As we all grow and change within the sphere of life we have experiences that shape us into the people we are and the people we will become and the people we will die as. With positive self awareness so abound in our society it seems we should have a perfect world that is aware of others and accepting of the differences between people, but sadly not so. Spirituality must continue to grow not only in ones self but as a culture and a world population as well.

 

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Writer's Block and the Big "Empty"

 

So as I sat staring at my blank computer screen yesterday I realized I was going through yet another, yes you guessed it, episode of writer’s block. It was as scary as much as it was empty. On most days I cannot stop my thoughts from racing into stories and ideas to write and certainly during conversations it is hard for others to get a word in edge wise (listening to others is something I work very hard at mastering). My children have even caught me talking out loud to myself about something I am going to write.

So you ask, “What is writer’s block?” I shall tell you. Webster’s defines writer’s block as a condition of different intensities that can be trivial or extreme. Basically the mind that never stops going is empty. Wow... let me tell you for some it can be a very frightening experience and cost them their careers as they spiral down into an abyss of thoughts that become random or fragmented and do not measure up to standards created either by the writer themselves or by outside influences. This is better known as empty thoughts, thoughts without substance.

On the other hand most writers just lose inspiration on a temporary level. That level can be for a day, a week or more depending on the circumstances around the life of the writer. I know I was affected by sheer exhaustion and practically fell asleep looking at the blank screen desperately willing a topic to come to me. So this temporary paralysis of the artistic mind can be caused by many different internal and external influences.

What you ask are internal influences that pressure writers? Well we all know we have self-esteem and confidence and when those confidences are broken for some reason or another we are likely to not be able to create. Artists, which includes writers are sensitive, unless of course you are the Andy Rooney type and then you are just a curmudgeon with feelings, and we have spirits that can easily be bruised by our own internal self depreciation. In other words we do not measure up to our own standards and we beat our selves up over it and basically stop functioning as a writer. Pretty awful isn’t it? Well most of us get over this in a day or two and move on and find that one topic that brings us back to reality or for fiction writers out of reality. Awesome!!!

But we have not talked about external influences that cause writers block. Where do I begin the list is so long that ….Ah crap Lisa Anne just go for it. Okay, first of all there are non- like-minded people that read works and trash them harshly directly to the writer. With the way we publish on the web these days it is easy for hurtful, angry people to sit behind their computer screens and tear a writer to shreds publicly. Click on Post…. damage done. Not fair if you don’t like it okay not everyone is the same and we get that just do not be mean. Remember writers are sensitive and this could cause pressure to change and then “bang” the writer can become blocked from external emotional hurt. 

Some other general external influences can be family and friends that take up too much creative time and therefore writers lose the opportunity to write and ideas and stories lines disappear into thin air. Ahh, you ask for a solution. This writer carries a digital recorder everywhere I go. Some people have asked me what I am doing or if I am from some authority, especially when I pick my child up form school and I am standing in the grounds talking into a little box quietly so no one can hear my ranting or my best work for that matter. I ask friends and family to be tolerant of my interrupting conversations and digital recorder issues so that I do not become blocked. Most of them are very giving in that way.

Well I saved the worst for last. Exhaustion. Have you ever been so tired that you cannot keep your eyes open but you know you have to because if you don’t your going to do something that could be of serious consequence. Sorry, not to be a fatalist or anything like that. Well I have been that tired, that exhausted and this time it hit me right in the writing skills. Wa Bang!!!! Like a ton of lead out of know where. I could not do anything but stare at the blank screen like a zombie with my mind completely and totally empty. For a writer who relies on continuous thoughts, the rapid fire of synapses and the miles of myelin of one’s brain, empty, can be a scary place.

Well apparently I have overcome empty and found inspiration in that empty. Sometimes it takes that loss of words to jolt us back into action and remind us that we have the ability to move forward. Writer’s block does not have to be a permanent “condition”. The village on Wikipedia claims that some writers never over come this situation. Not so, with a little grace and some good rest for the mind, body and soul every writer will find inspiration in or out of the empty. Write on my fellows!!!

 

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