September 28th, 2017
We believe that good health, a great relationship, a job for as long as we want it, being secure, being safe, being trusted and prayers being answered are ours because we are doing what we believe is the right thing but what happens when this turns out to be not the truth?
Your world is going to be rocked like a ten point earthquake time and time again because you are alive and to be alive means that you are in a process of growing and like a snake shedding a skin he is no longer fitting in you will constantly be shedding old beliefs. You may reject the urge to shed old beliefs but like the snake you will grow more and more uncomfortable until you do. You have felt uncomfortable before haven’t you?
Like everything else in this life, beliefs are temporary. We may believe that our beliefs are carved in stone but that’s just another temporary belief. So what’s a person to do?
The answer is to live, just live. When it rains, don’t debate or curse the drops. Grab an umbrella and live, just live. When life turns dark, see the darkness as a part of life and turn away from it when you are ready and live, just live. When people disappoint you, know that their path is not identical to yours and live, just live. When the world seems to be going wrong remember that the world isn’t just about you and live, just live. When everything is going great and there are rainbows all around and you feel like you are on top of the world…live, just live.
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
September 27th, 2017
I just returned from my first trip to Stockholm. (Sorry for not letting you know but thanks for all the “Are you okay? Where’s my Sundrops?” questions.)
In all my worldly travels I have never met a people who were more balanced, positive and healthy. There is a word in Swedish called Lagom. It has many meanings but overall it is translated as “balance” and “just the right amount”. It is indeed a beautiful way of life there.
The food in Sweden is a delicious experience. Swedes are very, very conscious of their food. Organic, unprocessed, and additive free is the norm. Parents have an amazing 480 days per child maternity leave receiving 80% of their salary. They can share these days any way they like until the child is 8 years old.
If you promote healthy foods, grown with “Lagom” practices and you have free health, dental and eye care and you can assure moms and dads that they can properly focus on and care for raising their newborn without rushing back to work, you add to the health and stability of each and every family and ultimately the country. Oh yeah, five weeks paid vacation every year for everyone and not having been involved in a war in four hundred and eleven years helps too!
Sweden has given me a many things to think about and I’ll be discussing them with you along with our regular Sundrops over the next few weeks. After this trip I have started to ask myself about how I live my life. Do I have “Lagom” in my day to day living? Do I accept silence in a conversation or do I try to fill each moment with words? Does my posture, like all the swedes I met, reflect a balance of mindfulness and appreciation? Am I as close to nature as I could be? Can I be without judgement of others?
Thank you Sweden and the Swedish people for a great vacation and for an eye opening look at how good life can be.
We must never settle for just okay if great is within reach and I believe it always is. We just have to regularly ask our selves “Am I living the best life I am capable of living?”. If the answer is yes, gratitude should flow from you in abundance. If the answer is I don’t know, it is time for some introspection. If the answer is no, it’s time for a new plan and action.
Thank you for being in the Sundrops community. I think there are some big changes coming and I’m glad to be with you.
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
September 11th, 2017
Where’s your magic wand? You know, the one you use to change people into being more like you. The magic wand that makes other people like what you like and dislike what you like. Oh yeah, the magic wand that makes them act like you too. You know, the good manners and all the niceties that you hold so dear.
Where’s your magic wand, the one that with a simple wave of your hand other people especially the ones you care about see the foolishness of their beliefs and suddenly slap their foreheads and realize that your beliefs were so obviously true and theirs were so obviously wrong?
Where’s your magic wand, the one that makes everyone get along? The one that allows family members and friends to always be on the same page? You know, the magic wand that always ensures peace and harmony among the people you like and the people you love.
Where’s your magic wand? Really, where is it? Go ahead and grab it. I’ll wait. ……Dum dee dum….Doe dee doe….
Wait! What! You can’t find it! You never had one! How can this be true? You’ve been wanting to change other people all your life and now you’re saying that you don’t have the means to do that!!!! You have never had the means to do that!!!!
Well, I believe you. You really don’t have a magic wand. I guess you know what that means. Yep, you’re going to have to give up trying to make other people believe and act more like you. Your going to have to accept people, yeah that includes family, just as they are. You are going to have to finally give up complaining about people who won’t change.
Life is tough without a magic wand and yet some people do change without it. The funny thing is, they only change when they want to change. So, wish and pray for things to go according to your plans but always remember that there just might be a better plan already in place.
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life