February 20th, 2017
Many of us buy a lottery ticket once in a while and daydream about having a great deal of money. For one dollar we get to imagine helping people in more ways than we are capable of doing right now. We get to imagine building and traveling and gifting on an immense scale. For one dollar we are the star and the lead in our own movie.
While dreaming big is a delicious flight of fancy, sometimes we tend to forget the priceless happiness in the smaller things in life. How about thinking about someone you love who has passed and while you are imagining that person, a butterfly comes close and gets your attention – priceless.
How about the feeling when a small child notices your presence and quickly smiles and with raised arms begs you to pick them up and hug them – priceless. How about that time that you were just absently looking at the night sky and suddenly a shooting star appeared – priceless.
How about the taste of a certain food that only one relative could perfectly create every time – priceless. How about clean sheets, cool pillows, hot showers, clean cool water when you are thirsty, a stunning view after a beautiful climb, a long hug from someone you love, a great night’s sleep, the smell of someone you love, your favorite song, loving on your pet, feeling good without a reason, a great cup of tea, a sweet memory, a laugh that makes you laugh, a soft breeze, the sound of the ocean, the flames of a campfire, your bed after a long day, a smile from a stranger, dancing until you are the music, holding hands, the middle of a great book, a kiss from a child – each one of these and many, many, many, more – priceless.
Yes, it would be a trip to have a large sum of money but let us never forget the small, priceless joys and memories that fill our life. Let us spend more time focusing on what is right, beautiful and priceless in our life. Let us remember to remind each other and to be grateful when we are reminded of the good things in life. They are always, always there.
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
October 17th, 2016
Who are you? You are a wonderful, heart centered, compassionate, seeker of equality, justice and positivity shining as brightly as you can. Always? Yes, always!
Truth?No!
Oh, maybe on a good day when the temperature is perfect and the blue sky is filled with beautiful, white puffy clouds and everyone smiles back at you and the scale said you are making amazing progress and you remembered to take your vitamins and you actually found time to meditate and wow, wasn’t that a great night’s sleep.
My goodness, isn’t it easy to feel good when everything is perfect? But really, how often does that happen? Uh, let me think about that. Hmmm. I’ll have to get back to you on that one.
Truth? Yes!
If you are looking to things outside of you to make you feel good you are nothing more than a dead leaf being blown in whatever direction the wind is blowing. If however, you are looking inside for the source of your happiness then you are more like the green leaf on the tree that shakes with each storm but still clings to the source of its life.
Life outside of you can be mind numbingly chaotic, difficult and painful. Life inside of you can be gentle, strong and centered unless it is tainted by bringing the outside inside. Let me explain.
When something distressing happens, we immediately judge it. Has this ever happened before to you or anyone you know or in any book, movie or TV show you have seen? If yes, what is the best way it was handled and can I copy that? If no, freak out, freeze and/or run away.
There is another way. It’s letting what is inside of you determine your response before the outside stuff overwhelms you. When you sense a “disturbance in the force” immediately start your positive self talk. “Whatever this is I can handle it.” “I am connected to a power that creates worlds” “I will maintain and bolster my inner strength”. “I will not succumb to the darkness and weakness of drama.” “I am not diminished by anything or anyone”. “I control my level and volume of wellbeing”. “I am me and that is more than enough to handle this”.
Lots of people say lots of words every day but the words that determine how you feel are the words you say to yourself. Always make them strong and supportive. It’s who you really are.
Truth? OH YES!
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
August 22nd, 2016
The percentage of people who will die is astounding. It has stood at about one hundred percent for quite some time now. So how does one go about preparing for something that seems like such a certainty?
The short answer is you can’t. Oh, you can buy life insurance but it’s not life assurance. In fact it’s not for you at all. You can build something like the pyramids but it probably won’t be completed in your lifetime and whoever is in charge after you leave might change it to a theme park and put their name on it. So how does one prepare for the inevitable?
Well you could try to put it off for as long as possible. You could go up into the high Himalayas and find the immortal nectar and live forever but it only works if you stay in the high Himalayas. You could keep getting new organs but who knows if they are going to like their new home. You could put your brain in a solution that feeds it forever but it makes dating awkward.
The only viable option is to just live. Live every minute of every day. If your time is indeed limited than don’t hate a Monday or a workday or a sick day or any day. Each one is precious. If it’s a great day, fill yourself with its greatness. If it’s a not so great day, sift through every second of it to find a small gem. There is no day that doesn’t contain at least one.
You’ve got today, maybe some of it or maybe all of it. Whatever you’ve got, make it count. Life is way to short to stay mad or stay sad or to worry. Find something good about yourself and focus on that without allowing any thoughts to the contrary. Bring to mind your favorite song. Imagine your favorite color. Plan a trip. Reread the most uplifting book you have. Take a walk and really look around. The sky is yours. The air is abundant. Understand that each moment is perfect. Understand that you are alive. Life is your gift. Unwrap it and use it.
Sundrops On Life -Better Thoughts. Better Days.
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
December 28th, 2015
“The new year is almost here and I can’t wait. I just wish it were here already. Don’t you?”
Uh, NO!
“WHY???”
Because today is the gift I just opened. I want to sit with it, explore it. I want to open my heart and my mind to it. I want to be here, to be grateful and to be aware of every minute of it.
I have no fear or love of the new year simply because it’s not here yet. I would not step out into a chasm now because there was going to be a bridge there in a few days. I want to savor what is here now. I don’t want to be eating my lunch and discussing what I want for dinner. I want to enjoy every bite of my lunch and to be grateful for the taste, the nutrition and everything that brought it to me.
I don’t want to start thinking about the weekend on Monday. I don’t want to think about Monday on the weekend. I want to tell you I love you so that you will feel my love in this moment and not because you will remember this moment in some future.
When we hug it could be the last hug for either one of us. I want to be there when we hug. I don’t want any part of my day to be on auto pilot while I go rummaging around in the past making believe it was different. I want to go out and feel today’s sun and not sit inside fantasizing about the possibility of next summer vacation’s sun.
I want today, right now, to be forever. I want to walk slow enough to take it all in. I want to eat slow enough to taste every bite. I want to hear the music and the words. I want to love so slowly that every moment is ecstasy.
Don’t live today as if it were your last. Live today like it was your only day and you had the power to do anything.
In a few days I will wish you a Happy New Year but right now I want to wish you a happy today. A today that is so deliciously slow that you don’t miss a thing.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
September 14th, 2015
We all know the problem with clutter. It stifles creativity and it overwhelms But how about the clutter inside of us? How about the endless unresolved issues? How about the thoughts that are piled up in every corner of our mind? How do we declutter that???
There are three essentials for clearing mental clutter. Number one is gratitude. Be thankful that you have a mind that works. Be thankful that in all those thoughts there are some real gems. Be thankful that you can take control and think what you want to think.
Number Two is exercise. Your mind is housed in a physical body. They are connected. Anything good that you do to benefit your body will benefit your mind. A little exercise pays big dividends.
Number Three is repetition. Anything that you think over and over will strengthen. Choose wisely. If you constantly think about your unresolved issues you will make them stronger. Make decisions! You cannot make a wrong decision. There is an amazing amount of guidance in your life. What we call bad decisions are just lessons that we couldn’t or wouldn’t learn any other way.
Our minds are an infinite source of thoughts. Think the ones that make you feel better. Cut short any thoughts that make you feel bad. Make a list of thoughts that make you smile, that make you feel really good. Refer to it often!
Think about what feels good. Think about what sounds good. Think about what looks good. Think about what tastes good. Think about what smells good. That’s right, your senses are ready, willing and able to cut through the mental clutter and deliver a good feeling to you any time, any place.
A better feeling is one thought away.
(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
June 1st, 2015
No matter how honest, transparent and authentic we may believe we are, in truth we are all actors. We act differently in front of our parents. We act differently with our best friends. We act differently with our boss or teachers or strangers. Let’s face it, we act differently with different people.
How about conditions? Do you think you act the same way when you haven’t had enough sleep or when you don’t feel well or when you are upset?
How about the positives? Do you think you act the same when you are in love or when you are praised or when you win a game?
Most of our acting happens unconsciously. Somebody says or does something and once that button is pushed we act in a certain way. Our thoughts and emotions can trigger a complete change in how we act in mere seconds.
None of this is wrong. It is just the way human beings act every day BUT if all is acting than all is changeable. Like suddenly being handed a different script or a different prompt, we can act differently in any moment we consciously choose to make a change.
We are not puppets of our programming. They are merely our default settings. The truth is we can act any way we want to at any given time and circumstance. That’s right, we can actually choose how we act.
If you don’t like the feeling of how you are acting, change it right now. If you do you will begin to understand what liberation really means. You are free the moment you begin to consciously choose. Welcome to choice. It is all yours.
(c)2015 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
November 18th, 2013
Sometimes you look around and you know that you should just be grateful for all of your blessings. You know you should feel satisfied with all you have but there seems to be a something that isn’t there, something missing. Maybe your health isn’t exactly perfect or maybe it’s your relationship or your job or your dreams. You can’t exactly put your finger on it but you know there is something that you need to add to your life.
With that in mind, you set about adding. Maybe some shopping will do it. Maybe a new book will do it. Maybe a seminar, a therapy session, a massage or maybe a new friend will do it. More often than not, none of this does it. There is still that nagging sense that things could be better and you know what? YOU’RE RIGHT! You are absolutely, positively right.
You are not greedy or selfish by wanting more than you have because the fact of the matter is that there really is something missing. That missing something is zest. You need zest. No, not the outer layer of a citrus fruit! You need enthusiasm. Every segment of life is improved with the addition of enthusiasm. You can’t buy, beg or borrow enthusiasm. You generate it.
You say your generator is broken? Or maybe you misplaced it? Balderdash! Your intent to be enthusiastic is all that is necessary. Your generator is automatically turned on the moment you decide that you are going to be more enthusiastic about your life.
So go ahead, fantasize, dream, imagine. Think about anything that excites you. Thought always precedes manifestation. Get excited about the possibilities in every area of your life. Enthusiasm gives you the strength to attempt the impossible. Enthusiasm is the boredom destroyer. Enthusiasm is the stress destroyer. Enthusiasm is the super hero of emotions and it’s yours any time you want it. Get excited about something and then about everything and don’t look back.
(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
Facebook – Sundrops On Life
September 9th, 2013
Are you wise? That question begs another question. What is wisdom? Contrary to popular opinion, wisdom does not automatically come with age. It’s not like a welcome to AARP letter that magically shows up in your mailbox on your 55th birthday. Nor is it like some fancy font certificate that tells you that you that you have completed some academic or vocational milestone. It is actually much simpler than most people believe.
Ready? Wisdom is the realization that not everything that goes through your mind needs to come out of your mouth.
The person with a couple of drinks in them that wants to be “honest”. Not wise. The person that believes a convincing lie will make everything okay. Not wise. The person who says “I love you” when their mind is screaming not to be vulnerable. Wise. The person who says “I need help with this” even though their mind is telling them to be independent. Wise. The person that looks at themselves and says “I accept and delight in everything about myself” instead of repeating endless criticisms. Wise. The person that says “There is something greater than me.” Very wise.
The way to be wise is to pause before talking. Take a moment to filter what thoughts should make it from mind to mouth. Err on the side of love and compassion. Stop for a moment and ask yourself “Are my words coming from thoughts that are tainted by missed meals, missed sleep, petty annoyances or possibly just fodder for my ego?” Or “Are these words coming out of my mouth better than what I was thinking?” Very, very wise.
(c)2013 All Rights Reserved
www. PatrickInspires. com
On Facebook -Sundrops On Life
August 12th, 2013
When you look into your past, do you ever think “I should have done that differently” or “I should have made a better choice”? And then get upset with yourself? Of course you do. We all do.
How about if you look into your past and you see yourself getting lost somewhere at ten years of age. And you say “I was so stupid. I should have just looked at my smartphone!” And you start getting really upset that you didn’t use this useful device but then you stop and say “Whoa! What am I doing? They didn’t have smartphones when I was ten!”.
Seem preposterous? Of course it does but we do it every day. We look into our past with the eyes, the knowledge, the wisdom, the experience and the lessons we have learned and accumulated since then and we harshly judge our past self who had none of that! There is little in life that is more unfair.
Remember, you have always done the best you could with the knowledge that you had and the conditions that you were under. Your past is merely a history book. It is just the facts of what happened. It is not evidence to be used to prosecute yourself or shame yourself or denigrate yourself. It is just your story, written and unchangeable. Look at it with compassion and kindness and remember it is not who you are now.
You are better, wiser and more aware than you have ever been. The past calls to you but so does the future. One is a story already written and the other is a story that you will write fresh or copy from what has already been written. Let’s start a new story today, one of strength and confidence and love. Ready?
(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
July 29th, 2013
What kind of day are you having? Is it a day of upsets, catch ups and overload? Is it a day of “there must be a better way”? Well, you are right and this is your lucky day!
First of all, it’s a lucky day because you are alive and if you are alive you can change things and if you can change things they can start getting better. Secondly, this day isn’t over yet. That means you can still pull this off. This day might have been going into the books as a bad day or a just get through it day but right now you can change it into a day that turned around and actually turned out very good. Ready?
If you decide that you actually have the power to make this a better day (you do), for the next hour you are going to feel like a salmon going up and over the falls. All the really great reasons for this not being a good day that you were comfortably flowing along with are now going to be rushing at you when you turn around. All the people you got to agree with you this morning are going to be trying to turn you back around to flow with them. Don’t do it!
Start by picking two things that you are grateful for right now. Just two. Only two! Think about them. Visualize them. Uh-oh, what’s happening? You’re smiling a little bit. There’s kind of a good feeling bubbling through your body like little club soda bubbles. It feels kinda good. Oh wow, the smile is responding by getting a little bigger. Well what do you know, there’s suddenly a better feeling in your belly, in your heart, in your eyes, on your face. Hey, maybe it’s not such a bad day after all. You know what would make it even better? You staying fixated on what’s right on not on what’s wrong. Wow, that salmon made it! Amazing!
Have a great day. There’s still time.
(c)2013 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com