Category Archives: Authors
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.
It’s opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…
…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.
But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!
-Dr. Seuss
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The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”
It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
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From the Mouth of Babe’s – What a Mother Learned from Her Daughter by Melissa Ricker
Having ditched most of my biology classes, I found myself pregnant with Kaitlyn at 20 years old. Surprise! She was due November 30th
The Two of Us
and other than relinquishing my youth to her, I had no idea what to expect. I read everything but “What to Expect when your Expecting.” Beginning with Linda Goodman’s sun signs. I had to know what a Saggitarian childs temperment was likely to be. My only reference was my older , crazy Saggitarian brother and it scared the dickens out of me. ‘Honest as the day is long’, I read, ‘waving their heart at you’, it continued. Naturally I was excited to see what this little being had to offer the world. Little did I know she would become one of my greatest teachers.
“Mom, not everything needs to match!” My daughter hit me between the eyes with that pearl when she was six. Stopped me dead in my tracks. My long pause to reflect on her words caused Kaitlyn to soften her tone. Looking up at me like a wise sage, she gently reminded that it’s just not that big of a deal. Those two sentences changed me forever.
Oh, she was honest alright. Never ask a Saggitarian if your butt looks fat in a pair of jeans. You will likely walk away stunned holding an answer delivered with such swiftness it could take you more than a moment to recover. As it did me. Kaitlyn came into this world with a natural ability to shirk off problems like water off a ducks tail. A trait neither one of her parents possessed. She became physically ill if she had a secret and offered the truth whether your were ready for it or not. “Mama, I’m failing English,” “Mama, I tried pot,” “Mama, it’s time to go to the doctor for birth control!” I fear my only contribution to her was to teach her how to deliver the message with a little finesse. Blunt force truth could put a damper on her relationships if left unchecked.
I, on the other hand, was a sensitive child. Every word hit my heart with a thud and I couldn’t say boo to the devil. One would think growing up in my household I would have a thicker skin. No, not so. I took it all so personally and heaven forbid you raise your voice in my direction. I’ll cry for hours. Soft tones, soft lighting, peace and gentility were my trademarks. My mother told me I was the easiest child to raise, she could steer me with a feather. The pendulum swung from passive to agressive as I aged. And yes, I dabbled with the fine art of passive-agressiveness too. But Kaitlyn would show me a whole different way of coming at the world.
The Two of Us Laughing with Dolphins
Watching her grow up and interact with her peers, my friends, neighbors and her teachers was such a treat. She could paint a smile on your face with one flash of her dimples. Carry on a conversation with an adult like it was nothing. It never took much for her to solve a problem and she was a master of observation. Kaitlyn was fearless where I was full of fear. Her boldness made me feel safe to navigate my world in a more purposeful way. One day we were talking about what she may want to do when she grows up. I advised her to do what she loves and the rest will follow. I, however, was not living by that credo.
I took to the woods, figuratively speaking, to assess where I was in life. I posed this question to myself “If money was no issue what would I do for a living?” The answer that boomaranged back startled me. Teach yoga. What!? I love yoga, but teach it? Drawing from my daughters bold example I began the task of seeking a teacher. Ultimately, my yoga training illuminated a path for me that I will always be grateful for. I am a yoga teacher, a bodyworker and a writer. I owe so much of my awakening to that kid, who is now a beautiful 20 year old young woman beginning her journey of self discovery.
I am eternally grateful for the ability to see that there are many ways to navigate this life. My daughter showed me that. I still want things to match, but I don’t get my knickers in a twist when they don’t.
Thanks baby girl ~ you rock!
Post By Melissa Ricker
Yoga Instructor, Body Worker & Writer
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The Magic of Making A Start by W.H. Murray
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid
plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things can occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assurance which no man would have dreamed would come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Begin it now.”
- W.H. Murray in The Scottish Himalayan Expidition
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Confidence, the Stock Market & Overcoming Fear
I awoke today quite interested in what is going to happen today on the stock market. So many
are concerned after reading articles and listening to the numerous negative news reports on TV. Magically (or really not so magically because what would one expect when fear is in the air?) the market has lost its footing and is beginning to tumble.
There is a definite lesson to be learned in all of this. It is one that is quite obvious to many, but I’m going to spell it out for my sanity/amusement. When fear becomes the principle guiding force in the economy, within the business world, within our families, or individually – a tailspin is inevitable.
To illustrate my point, I’m going to imagine I’m walking a tightrope across the grand canyon. Let’s say I
believe that the rope I am walking across is so stable & magical that there is no doubt I will make it across. I jump on and begin my journey to the other side. I’m so confident that I dare to dance my way across. I set my gaze on my destination and don’t have a single thought about the possibility of a fall. Half way
through my journey, I’m elated at my progress. And then…a stranger standing below yells to me…”that’s not a magical, sturdy rope! It’s just an ordinary one that I can find at any old rope store!!” All of a sudden I realize the magnitude of what can happen if I lose balance. I buy into his negative talk/doubt and begin to teeter back and forth. Sweat pours from my brow and tears begin to form in the corner of my eyes. “I’m too young to die!” I whisper to the universe. I become certain I am going to fall…the rope begins to sway back and forth and the next thing I know I’m flying through the air toward the canyon floor.
I am not a stock expert, but I’m thinking it’s very possible that if last night we were told we gained a AAAAAA+++++++ credit rating (I know ratings don’t get that high…but I have to be a bit dramatic to make my point…so bear with me :-D) the Dow Jones may reach new heights. Nothing has changed surrounding the companies that people invest in — our fears have just taken over.
Our economy is based on confidence. But how are we supposed to be confident when all we hear is how horrible everything is?
Likewise, on a personal level…how am I (or you) supposed to get anywhere when I don’t believe in what the universe has in store for me? Curling up in the corner and weeping isn’t going to get me anywhere. Fear brings our most monstrous nightmares to life. If you fear the loss of your relationship – you’ll probably do things to lose it. If you fear you’ll be poor, you just may…because you’ll probably freeze in your tracks and fret. If you are creative and fear that someone will steal your idea, you won’t do a darn thing…someone will release a similar idea into the market and you’ll be left saying “if only I were bold enough to make my dream come to life.”
When I look at the US and our amazingly challenged congress and decision makers, I see a group of men and women fearful of losing their jobs – thus their decisions are fear-based. The result is a sinking ship. I’m thinking that we must act out of truth and fearlessness to move ahead. If that means losing a job or risking security then so be it. At what point do we look beyond self-preservation and do something that will truly make a difference?
One day back in my college days, a buddy of mine listened to one of my fear-based rants, looked me in the eye with a fierceness I will never forget and uttered, “fuck fear, Jen….fuck fear!!” He snapped me out of my funk and we both laughed until tears came to our eyes. I’m not one to throw that four-letter word out into the air often; however, eleven years later when I begin to spiral into a fear based tailspin I repeat these words to wake myself up.
Fear is a part of our daily lives – our internal stock market is susceptible to instant crashes. Yet – it takes a second to put on our Superman/woman suits and force our stock back up. Moment by moment. Step by step…we can force fear out of our lives and replace it with confidence.
- Jen Engevik
Project BE Bold
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A Hard-hitting Fact on Achievement
“It’s lonely at the top. Ninety-nine percent of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim
for mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming… The fishing is best where the fewest go, and the collective insecurity of the world makes it easy for people to hit home runs while everyone else is aiming for base hits. There is just less competition for bigger goals.” – Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Work Week
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Be Aware of the Snowball Effect of Your Thinking by Richard Carlson
A powerful technique for becoming more peaceful is to be aware of how quickly your negative and insecure thinking can spiral out of
control. Have you ever noticed how uptight you feel when you’re caught up in your thinking? And, to top it off, the more absorbed you get in the details of whatever is upsetting you, the worse you feel. One thought leads to another, and yet another, until at some point, you become incredibly agitated.
For example, you might wake up in the middle of the night and remember a phone call that needs to be made the following day. Then, rather than feeling relieved that you remembered such an important call, you start thinking about everything else you have to do tomorrow. You start rehearsing a probable conversation with your boss, getting yourself even more upset. Pretty soon you think to yourself, “I can’t believe how busy I am. I must make fifty phone calls a day. Whose life is this anyway?” and on and on it goes until you’re feeling sorry for yourself. For many people, there’s no limit to how long this type of “thought attack” can go on. In fact, I’ve been told by clients that many of their days and nights are spent in this type of mental rehearsal. Needless to say, it’s impossible to feel peaceful with your head full of concerns and annoyance.
The solution is to notice what’s happening in your head before your thoughts have a chance to build momentum. The sooner you catch yourself in the act of building your mental snowball, the easier it is to stop. In our example here, you might notice your snowball thinking right when you start running through the list of what you have to do the next day. Then instead of obsessing on your upcoming day, you say to yourself, “Whew, there I go again,” and consciously nip it in the bud. You stop your train of thought before it has a chance to get going. You can then focus, not on how overwhelmed you are, but on how grateful you are for remembering the phone call that needed to be made. If it’s the middle of the night, write it down on a piece of paper and go back to sleep. You might even consider keeping a pen and paper by the bed for such moments.
You may indeed be a very busy person, but remember that filling your head with thoughts of how overwhelmed you are only exacerbates the problem by making you feel even more stressed than you already do. Try this simple little exercise the next time you begin to obsess on your schedule. You’ll be amazed at how effective it can be.
- Richard Carlson, PH.D from Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life
