Hot thoughts

January 26th, 2015

What are you hot for? We’re not talking hot flashes or ambient temperature here. We are talking about what you feel inside. We are talking about, in other words, what are you passionate about?

We all have daily rituals and to do lists. We constantly deal with the mundane and predictable. The question is, what do we think about while doing them? It is what we think about during these tasks that is going to determine our energy level, our happiness quotient, our positivity.

If you are doing a mundane, has to be done, task and thinking about how boring and meaningless it is in the long run and how your life is ebbing away while everyone else is partying like it’s New Year’s Eve every day, you are not going to feel creative or loving or energized. Your immune system and your relationship with everyone including yourself will suffer.

Kick worry and boredom to the curb. Instead, think about puppies and kittens and babies or maybe Gatsby style yachts and global jetsetting or maybe your quilting or golfing or gardening or gospel or music or yoga.

Find what floats your boat, what puts a sparkle in your eye, what you are hot for and hold on to that like an overboard sailor on a life preserver.

This is a world that provides you with an infinite number of things to think about each day and your thoughts can reward you or punish you so choose wisely. Your life is and always will be greatly influenced by the thoughts you repeatedly think. Think about that.

(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com

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courage

January 19th, 2015

Let me introduce you to a special something called courage. It is the most amazing something in the world. It is always with you but never appears unless you believe you have it. It is your belief and only your belief that commands its appearance. Its appearance makes it possible to overcome any obstacle, to change that which looked unchangeable, to face any fear and not back down.

Courage lives in the heart of every being. It is the greatest of gifts and is essential to growth. It is what takes change from being a mental concept to being a new reality. It is a force of immense power and unlimited capabilities.

​ “So, we just believe, access this power and create anything?” Not exactly. As with most things in life, you have to deal with the troll under the bridge in order to cross the bridge. You don’t see the troll, you don’t even sense there is a troll until you have made up your mind and started across the bridge feeling that nothing can stop you. You are in the flow, focused, prepared and going for it.

A couple of confident steps on the bridge and suddenly, the most fearsome troll in the world appears. Fear and anxiety quickly take the place of confidence and sureness. You want to run away and forget all about any idea of crossing that bridge.

At this point many run away but some, believing they have something called courage, keep inching forward. Believing in courage, courage appears and a special strength takes over. Closer and closer the person with courage steps toward the troll until they can see the name on his chest. His name is DOUBT and none may pass without courage.

The troll, sensing that this one has courage, steps aside and the journey for a rare few continues toward dreams and plans and goals.

​ It takes courage to go after your dreams and not get stopped by doubt but if you will believe in yourself, if you will know that your courage will always be there when you need it, if you will just keep inching forward, your life will change for the better this day.

(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com

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Aunt Mary

January 12th, 2015

My dear Aunt Mary died last night, God rest her soul. She was always there for me throughout my younger, wilder days and she was always an amazing example of positivity.

After the death of her husband and her youngest son money was tight and rather than bemoaning that fact she, as always, did something about it. She wrote on the inside of her checkbook holder the words “Is it necessary?” Every time she prepared to spend money she confronted herself with this question and answered it honestly. Sometimes it meant putting back half of what she she was going to buy and sometimes it just meant walking away.

Many times in my life her three words tapped me on the shoulder and not just about money. Was it necessary to stay mad? Was it necessary to avoid something difficult? Was it necessary to make a change? Was it necessary to grow up? Was it necessary to follow my heart?

What is necessary in your life? What are the necessary elements that you need to spend more time on instead of what you are spending time on now? How much of what you have is necessary?

I’m not saying that you should live like a monk, far from it, but every now and then take inventory of all the different aspects of your life and ask yourself what is necessary. You might be surprised at the answers.

Right now I’m sure that dear, sweet, loving woman is dancing with her husband, her youngest son, her sister and her parents and finding out that all that is necessary now is to love and to enjoy.

Maybe, just maybe, that’s all that is ever necessary. Thanks Aunt Mary!

(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com

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Decisions

January 5th, 2015

How do you make a decision when you can’t seem to make a decision? Few things in life are as exasperating as coming to a fork in the river and both paths have seemingly equal merit. The river is flowing fast and the choice will soon have to be made! Which one do you take? Which one is a mistake?

You can pray and meditate and contemplate but you will still hear conflicting voices in your head. You can read and research and ask advice but you will only accumulate more evidence for each choice.

We have been conditioned all of our lives to not make mistakes. Mistakes are bad. Mistakes are the difference between success and failure. Mistakes are filled with regrets and the gnashing of teeth. Mistakes diminish who we are. Woe to the person who makes too many mistakes!

Poppycock!! Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are the greatest teachers. Most, if not all, mistakes are realized as blessings as time goes on. The only people who don’t make mistakes are the dead. Living is filled with twists and turns and clouded visions that we interpret as best as we can. Hindsight is the only real clarity and it’s useless.

Faced with a decision, follow your gut and your heart and without hesitation, go for it! Make a decision.There is no adventure, no growth, no story to tell without mistakes. Will you ever be wrong? Of course you will! You are a learning, experiencing, human being.

Some decisions will feel good right away and others will have to go through the process of first being labeled a mistake until time and wisdom rewrites it as a blessing.

So go ahead and choose. You can’t lose.

(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com

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