My Riffs

We need each other. Who we are is in part a result of the people we surround ourselves with. So surround yourself with great people. Your conversations will affect each other and each conversation and action will in fact change you in at least some small way. We all have times in life where we need somebody. There is no shame in that. There are times in life we are needed by others. And those are the most fulfilling moments. Giving > Receiving, but if you need somebody or something don't be intimidated or embarrassed to ask for help. There will be a time where you will be able to return what you were given either to the person who gave to you or some else in need. "Lean on me when you're not strong..."

If we frequently inventoried our lives, we would often come up realizing how blessed we are.  Instead we often go searching for what we don't have, and complain about it. 

When someone makes a bad decision, inevitably there are people who feel let down. You have people relying on you. So your decisions and actions affect more than just yourself. Selfish decisions unfortunately often affect more than just ones' self. I'm a huge proponent of loving and living for yourself (not in a selfish manner, but in the way of being the best possible version of yourself). But if we live for others and consider others in our actions and behaviours, how would this affect our behaviour? Someone is relying on you, today. Be careful what you think, say and do.

The more rigid a structure is, the more susceptible it is to earthquakes.  For this analogy, life is the ground underneath our feet. It shifts and shudders sometimes. We are the structures at surface level and just below the surface. The rigid structures are more susceptible to damage. 

The thing is, it's not just one thing. Life is complex. The world around us is complex. We are complex creatures. We have a physical being, mental being, emotional being and spiritual being. Problems are complex and so much of work and life is about problem solving. In this, I have realized most problems are complex. Meaning they have more than one answer, and more than one cause. You can't see the world in black and white. For if you do, you're excluding all other permutations, possibilities and causes. You can't distill most things down to a single point. ie:  Little Franky had a temper fit... Well, obviously he is misbehaving and needs correction. Possibly, but maybe he was hungry also. Or maybe his friends had taken his toy... Or maybe he was jealous over the attention his sibling was receiving. That wouldn't excuse his behaviour, but it shows that we need to problem solve a little deeper and accept multiple causes. Maybe Franky needed verbal correction...

I am sure we have all heard the question asked of someone, if you could travel back and tell yourself one thing as a young person, what would you say? For me, I think there is one important thing I would have told myself, and I wish I could tell every younger person this... Do not waste time! I remember not realizing that time was finite. When you're younger, you feel like all you have is time. But at 34, I realize how short time is now. And since I had my first child when I was 31, I have spent a whole lot more time thinking beyond my own lifetime. I really wish I had started certain things younger, I wish I had not just coasted for so many years. ( read my post about this from yesterday ). I would not say I was on overly bad young person, I just look at those years and see how little I accomplished and now I would do things differently. I haven't read the book, but I have been told the book "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris is a great read for young ...

One of the saddest things for me to see is someone seemingly coast through life. It's as if they are unaware that they have paddles and can paddle to where they want to go. Maybe it is a motivation issue. Maybe it's a lack of understanding of the power within. I wish I could help everyone I know learn to use the paddles of their boat and go and become what they hope and want. Time is too short to coast. The winds of life will probably push you in the opposite direction to which you need to go. Life and your destiny is under your control. I emplore everyone, pickup your paddle and go to where you want and need to go.

When I think of the word power, images of forceful things like tidal waves, tornados and etc usually come to mind. Power at first glance is typically loud, bold and strong. But on second thought, the most powerful thing on earth is quite the opposite. Is there any human "power" more powerful than love? I cannot think of one thing more powerful than love. Love is: Kind, patient, gentle, humble, believing, optimistic, relentless... (1 Cor 13:4-8) Love can reach, change, heal, forgive, build, grow, fix, transform... And it has. Time and time again. A whole lot more can be accomplished using the power of love than by any other mechanism. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I like the song "Relentless" from Hillsong United. This chorus often echoes in my mind when thinking about Him.

Life is comprised of highs and lows. We all have good days, bad days, seasons where things go well and seasons where things do not seem to go so well... If you average things out though, where does that put you? We cannot assess ourselves based on the lowest points, neither the highest points. You have to average out your successes and failures, your high points and low points. That is a more accurate assessment. 

We've all heard, the best things in life are free. It's so true. One of the most valuable free things we have is choice. Choice is free but priceless. Choice is the difference between sadness and happiness. Choice is the difference between success and failure. Choice is the difference between good and great or bad and good. People do not stumble onto a successful way of living. It is chosen and followed though on a daily basis. On bad days, on discouraging days, on days we mess up, we once again choose to be better the next day. It may start with a one-time choice, but it is a continuous series of choosing again and again to do the right thing, to dig in, to be positive, to be successful...

Scowering the headlines in a few news sites today and a common theme appeared. Fearmongering. It's not the first time I or anyone else has noticed it. It's what sells. But don't buy into it. Reading the news can have you fearing for your very existence if you let it. It is amazing how much of our world is run based on fear. Stock markets, economies, trends, politics, all greatly based on fear. What percent of fear is unfounded and ends up being wrong? It would be a high, high percentage. Let's try and live in love, not fear. Fear provokes the wrong types of behaviour and does not build. Love without fear.

I am hugely passionate about music. It is a large part of who I am. I would say I really started loving music seriously around 12 years old. The first recording that really "clicked" for me and made me fall in love with Jazz music and music in general was "Parallel Realities" by Jack DeJohnette. Since then, it has been a never ending journey of discovering music. One of life's greatest little joys for me is discovering a new recording, song, artist or genre. Throughout this, my methods of acquiring and listening to music has changed multiple times in my lifetime. (34 years). - I remember listening to records, huge clunky records. I remember listening to kids songs on records. Music like Raffi. - I recall listenting to music in cars using 8 track tapes. - This was displaced shortly after in my memory by regular cassette tapes, that were much smaller and could hold a lot more music. - CD's were next and completely revolutionized how you listened to music....

Any group/community/party/organization/company that does not allow for questions and free speech/thinking is giving up a level of authenticity. I would say an authentic group/community/party/organization/company will allow for questions and ideas, whether dissonant or not. Not allowing this gives way to a compromise, and thereby handicapping the group/community/party/organization/company and I think ultimately leading to its demise. Suppression usually is a two way street, harming both the suppressor and those suppressed. My thinking here is along the lines of what happens under communist or very oppressive countries. It harms both the country and the people. This is the two way suppression/oppression street. Generally these oppressive countries have eventually been overthrown by the people they have been oppressing. If you think about it, almost every group/movement/party/company/organization in some way grows out of another. Often the dissonant voices questioning the status quo a...

This is a direct copy + paste from Seth Godin's blog. It was too good to not share. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2016/07/the-flip-is-elusive.html For a generation after people realized that smoking would kill them, many smart, informed people still smoked. Then, many of them stopped. After discovering that an expensive luxury good is made out of the same materials as a cheaper alternative, many people stick with the expensive one. And then they gradually stop going out of their way to pay more. After a technology breakthrough makes it clear that a new approach is faster, cheaper and more reliable, many people stick with the old way. Until they don't. And inevitably, it doesn't matter how much people discover about their favorite candidate, they seem impervious to revelations, facts and the opinions of others. For a while, sometimes a very long while. But then, they assert that all along they knew something was amiss and find a new person to align w...

Shot a video of my walk downtown Calgary during a rainstorm.

The really valuable questions are the hard ones. The easy questions can easily be answered because the answer is essentially already provided. The hard questions require us to go somewhere new. Without going somewhere new, the questions and answers do not provide the same value. It's the hard questions that push for more value. Easy questions allow us to think and answer as we always have. Comfort. Crippling comfort. Read more in my previous post about this subject . We can ask hard questions of others and gain a much more valuable dialogue. But, if we can ask ourselves honest, hard questions, the amount of potential is boundless. The tough part though is being willing to abandon the easy, automatic questions. To abandon, if only temporarily, what we believe, to see if possibly there is a better answer. This also requires the highest intellectual honesty. Leave rigid thinking behind. It harms the rigid thinker yes, but also harms those in their sphere of influence. ...

We are in some crazy and confusing times, worldwide. We can point the finger and blame many, many factors. Yet, you are hearing a few level headed people saying, "we need to start with looking in the mirror". And that is refreshing and true. I am extremely saddened by the recent news, worldwide. The amount of hate and violence that is happening is overwhelming at times. But also, it is causing me to look at myself. Am I contributing to hate and marginalization? Or am I spreading peace, love and joy? I alone cannot change what is happening in the world, but I can change the man in the mirror. And maybe, just maybe, that's a start.

Yeah, sometimes. It is often said, change for the sake of change isn't good. And I agree with that statement, partially. If there is a deep set stagnation, I think change for the sake of change, is not so bad. What is some change going to harm. Sometimes it takes one move to provoke further moves and ideally ward off stagnation. This shouldn't have to be qualified, but I will qualify this due the potential misunderstandings of this post.... I'm not referring to or advocating irresponsible, irrational and knee-jerk change. I am advocating making change that makes sense, and making change to spark something. I am somewhat fascinated by the concept of longevity. Everything  has a shelf life. However, some organizations are able to prolong their thriving phase, or at least not allow their lows to bring them to a halt. I look at a company like Apple. They have been through extreme lows and extreme highs. But they have been able to stay alive and thrive. Now, with the a...

I have touched on this subject before, but this is a slightly different angle. It's so easy to get caught in the endless cycle of figuring out what is next, and it's robbing us of the present. Planning and preparation is super important. But if it's robbing us of the present is it worth it? Sometimes purposely putting the future from your mind is the best thing you can do for those around you. Now I am going to get back to my To Do list for tomorrow... :)

I put a challenge out there, start asking people a simple question, "what do you think?". I would be sure that what these people know and can give you as resources, would blow your mind. Gathering other peoples perspectives from a completely unbiased, pure place, has so much inherent richness. The people you already know have so much to give, if only we would listen to them. The older I get, the more grey I see. (That is a sentence setup for jokes :) Things are less and less black and white, and I'm learning to be okay with that. Someone may voice an opinion that is different from mine, or a perspective that is different, and that is totally okay. Different does not mean wrong . I am learning to listen to people and respect their views, regardless if they match my own. In fact, I appreciate when my views are challenged by someone. I never want to "arrive", for that means stagnation and ultimately death. So, I challenge, tap into the resources around you....

Most people are well meaning and good. The people who have hurt me usually do not really want to hurt me. They are usually hurting within themselves or have a problem that is manifesting itself as an attack. These people are showing a need for love.

Basing too many decisions off only one is probably dangerous. There are times to make logical head decisions. There are times to make heart and emotional decisions. If they contradict each other, in most cases I wonder if the logical decision is more often right? I don't know if there is a hard and fast rule as to when one should override the other. I do think the best decisions are when the two agree.

Can become our weaknesses. Knowing the limits of your strengths is what can prevent them from becoming a point of weakness. Your strengths can only take you so far. For example, using your strength of being "unemotional" becomes a weakness when you cannot empathize with the hurt somebody is going though. Or when you cannot be moved by compassion. For most thing we categorize as strengths, similar examples could be given. Be careful not to rely on your strengths in every situation in life. Using only your strengths throws life-balance off. There are times when it's may not feel natural, but you need to use emotions. Or it may not be natural but you need to be confrontational. Etc. Etc.

Its a beautiful thing, thinking is free. Think and question. If something doesn't make sense, it is okay to ask questions. Children are too often taught not to ask questions and they turn into undescerning adults. I fully believe if you ask the right questions, ask them from the right place and ask enough questions, you will find the answer. The real danger lies in not asking questions and not understanding something. A lot of things can be understood. And the things that have not been understood, need to have more questions asked of them.

Nobody is 100% right. Realizing that, you cannot be so sure of yourself and what you know. I've had "sure things" in my mind completely turn around and be unsure. Truth, learning and wisdom is progressive. We never "arrive" as I have previously written. I think it is important to always keep in the back of our mind that we have to be wrong about some things and to keep an open mind as to what things we could be wrong on.

In life doors will open and close for you, sometimes by your own doing and sometimes seemingly on their own. It's amazing, generally when one door closes, another opens. So if you have found yourself in a situation where a door is closing, you can know almost certainly, another one is opening. I don't think doors generally need to be forced open and closed, but without a doubt there are times and seasons that require one taking situations into their hand and forcing something open or shut. Having the wisdom to know when to use force and when to withhold force is the key. Forcing a door open or shut can ruin the door and what is behind it.

I think we often partake in something based on the criteria, "what is in it for me?". Why give and be part of something that does not directly benefit you? Or why partake if the return on investment seems too small?  What if you turned this question around and asked, "what can I contribute?" instead of "what is in it for me?".  If you are part of something because you can contribute, your impact is greater, your longevity is strengthened and the rewards are heightened. The gains earned from contributing are much greater than the gains earned from taking. Real happiness comes from giving, not receiving. So contribute what you can and don't worry about receiving.  That is a better position to take. The rewards of contributing are deeper and fuller. Leaders, it is your responsibility to tap into each persons skills and passions, enabling them to contribute. Be in it for others more than yourself.

Imagine if we had to live down to what we have been labelled or pigeon-holed? It is amazing how instinctively and naturally we label and put people in a box when we meet them. They are "rude", "aloof", "unfriendly".... And when we get to know people we still label them. "lazy", "unskilled", "incapable" and on and on. I'm completely guilty of this. But good thing those people don't have to live down to what I have labelled them. And good thing we do not have to live down to the things we all have been labelled. We have freedom to be what we want to be, to soar above labels and expectations. Like labels we pigeon-hole people, saying they are good at  X or Y and that is it. We limit people by saying they can only do and accomplish so much. How often do we hear stories of someone being told, "you will never (fill in the blank)" and that is the motivation for that person to actually do (fill in the blank...

No matter what you do, or what you are a part of, or what you create, there will be critics. Our natural tendency is to shut them down. And to a large degree I think we should. We often do not need their negativism. But... Before shutting them down, listen. They may have some valuable advice and feedback that can make you, your product, your creation or your group, better. So through the vitriol, filter and listen. You just may gain some valuable insight that will push what you're doing to the next level. Chances are their criticism isn't 100% unfounded. This goes for people who "oppose" us. What if instead of fighting these people, we actually drew them in? First of all, they probably would be caught off guard. But the real value is, what if we drew our critics and "enemies" in? Here is what I can see potentially happening... - A cease fire, and potential peace. - A healthy dialogue could be started and have both parties end up at least understandi...

If you're spending your blessings entirely on yourself, you're robbing yourself of the real joy of blessings. There are so many needs around us. Helping others with needs should be absolutely core to each and every one of us. You do not have to look around very far to see needs. Financial, physical, emotional, spiritual and on the list can go. Do you know that 20% of Canadians will struggle with a mental illness? That means, 1 of every 5 people you know could be or will struggle with a mental illness. That is an incredibly high number and we should be sensitive, educated and aware to help those in need. Mental needs are nearly as common as physical sickness needs. Just because someone doesn't have a visible outward need, doesn't mean they don't have a need. In fact, I would think more needs are internal type needs, rather than visible external ones. There are poorer people, lonely people, hungry people, desperate people, sick people all around you. If you ha...

There are times to stay the course. There are times to altar course. If you're getting the same results over and over again, it may be time to altar course. If you're progressing, it may be wise to stay your course. The saying about "insanity" is quite true, trying the same things but expecting a different result. It is up to the individual to look inside themselves and decide if their actions are not going to change anything or if their actions are going to improve things. It's an exercise in intellectual honesty.

I really wanted to take today off blogging. It's a holiday and I'm busy. But a commitment is a commitment so here I am :) Wishing everybody a great holiday today and hoping you're spending it in a way you enjoy. Enjoy contributing to your community.