Inside-Out

just because things around you are in a frenzy doesn't mean things inside of you have to be too

calm and peace are achieved from the inside

therefore, surroundings are truly irrelevant

instead of absorbing the madness, and thereby contributing to it, maintain a tranquil disposition and let it spread

lesson: maintain.

I appreciate you lunch rush

Special Care

some things must always be exempt from "cutting back"

you must properly nourish and care for yourself regardless of where you are and how much money you're trying to save

or else, you'll end up with far more expensive issues to deal with down the line

lesson: there's just no getting around some thing.

I appreciate you special needs

Empty Handread

if you find what you went out looking for, get it

shopping around for a good deal is wise

but looking around all day and ending up with nothing sure isn't

zero dollars may be the best price, but zero product is the worst result

lesson: don't go away empty-handed.

I appreciate you Harlem Saturday

Selfishlessness

it's great to lend a helping hand

but you have to make sure you've met you're own needs first

it sounds a little selfish, but ultimately, it's better for the other person really

you can't fully commit yourself to selflessness while you're preoccupied with an unmet personal need

lesson: handle your business.

I appreciate you Environmental Biology

Makes Practice Perfect

don't do things you think are silly

that doesn't mean never do them and always think they're silly

take the time to research for better understanding, which will give the action greater significance

when beginning any new practice, wait until you're ready and open to fully appreciate what you're doing

you don't have to prove anything to anyone

ever.

practice is a personal phenomenon

lesson: don't be influenced.

I appreciate you stubbornness

Sankofa Projection

while dwelling in the past and feelings of guilt is unhealthy, it is important to acknowledge where you've been and just how you've come to be where you are at present

it will give solid indication of where you're headed

when you're driving to a place you've never been to before, you orient yourself using familiar landmarks along the way

and if you make a wrong turn, you simply learn that you need to get off of the road you're on and find a different one

life is the same way

lesson: know where you've been in order to know where you're going.

I appreciate you Fari and self reflection

Lost Cause

you have to love yourself, unconditionally

unconditional love requires forgiveness

you have to forgive yourself

it's very toxic to the spirit and detrimental to progress to harp on things that have happened

the beautiful thing about time is that it never stops moving

and once a moment has ended, it is no more

why bring your mind to negativity that is no longer in existence?

in thought, we can immortalize things that have long passed and extend pain and frustration far beyond their necessary life spans

release guilt

lesson: don't concern yourself with things that are no longer relevant.

I appreciate you Fari

Clairavoidance

"being realistic" doesn't mean thinking negatively

there is no such thing as "hoping for the best and expecting the worst"

the two sentiments are contradictory and confuse spiritual channels, resulting in blocking positivity

don't cheat yourself by attempting to safeguard against disappointment

there is no universal evidence that an unfavorable outcome is more likely to occur than a wonderful one

why not just always--more than hope for--expect greatness?

you haven't failed if things go differently than you foresaw

lesson: there's no shame in not knowing the future.

I appreciate you Ken

Upper Blessed Side

location location location

in order to be in a mental place to receive blessings from the Universe you must be in the appropriate physical place

if you want to be a dancer, you have to live amongst dancers and all dance-related things

you can't have a polar bear in the desert

the Universe can't deliver gifts to environments in which they can't thrive

lesson: live in your dream's optimum habitat.

I appreciate you NYC

Reality Theatre

we are all performers, as well as audience members every moment of every day

what we wear, the way we talk

both are planned and constructed according to where we're going and what we're doing there

the way we represent ourselves, verbally and in appearance, gives clues about our goals, just as a performer's costume is representative of her character

on the other end, we are constantly perceiving and interpreting each other's visual and auditory signals

we are not only performer, but also audience

lesson: put on a tasteful show and be a respectful spectator.

I appreciate you Nyne

Busy Bodies

there's no sense in keeping busy and getting nothing accomplished

there's great value in stillness

making a conscious effort to quiet the mind and the body and having that ONLY as a goal is perfectly fine, and necessary

running around all over the place trying to look like you're occupied is simply a waste of energy

lesson: accomplishment doesn't have to be perceivable from the outside.

I appreciate you frantic "go-getters"

Time Trials

just because you know where you want to be doesn't mean you're ready and able to get there just yet

though, just knowing is a major accomplishment in itself

don't stress yourself out thinking about where and who you think you should be

you can't rush it

and everything you are doing right now, no matter how irrelevant it seems, is preparation for the next step in your journey

you have to build tools and develop skills you may not have even known you needed

every experience is necessary and significant

what you "should be" doing is exactly what you're doing right now.

lesson: don't rush it.

I appreciate you Nyne

Natural Selection

adaptation is overrated

why should we have to adjust ourselves and fabricate personalities in hopes of being accepted into some thought-to-be "elite" social group?

we don't.

instead of seeking to adjust yourself according some arbitrary pre-set standard, seek out, or create, an environment into which you fit perfectly the way you wonderfully are

there's a time and place for everything,

including you

lesson: the change needed isn't in who you are, but where you are.

I appreciate you Tru

Grudges to Gratitude

the worst thing that has ever happened to you in your life

is one of the best

had it not happened, you wouldn't be who or where you are right now

so if you were angry or upset about something difficult, or even horrible, that happened,

be grateful instead

lesson: give Thanks.

I appreciate you tough times and beautiful outcomes

Family Matters

family is so important

often, your family members aren't necessarily blood relatives

sometimes those people are the closest to us

you have to have somebody to share your joys and your sorrows, to cheer you on, to keep you grounded, to look out for you

it makes life so fulfilling

lesson: stay in touch.

I appreciate you Illini fam

Happy Hunting

you can't ever allow anyone or anything to cause you to lose your joy

no one can steal it

but you can give it up

and you can lose track of yourself and time

anger is something that we personally own

even though you can say you're angry at something or someone, that negative energy is directed inward and affects you more than anyone else

it's pure poison.

lesson: be happy.

I appreciate you Lisa

Not As I Say, Do As I Do

lead by example

it can be offensive and overwhelming for someone to be told what to do, even if it's sensible and positive

just show them the way

plus, action is much easier to describe by demonstration, as opposed to explanation

lesson: be a living success story.

I appreciate you many Muses

A Penny for Your Thoughts

money is simply a concrete symbol of abstract ideas

first, freedom

we all equate having money with having freedom

the two are not synonymous, though

the absence of money is also quite significant, as financial strain often incites creative thinking

instead of getting bent out of shape about stretched finances and focusing on the absence, focus on what is available

your're likely to come across an idea or opportunity that would have been imperceptible had you not been "forced" to find it

lesson: everything isn't money.

I appreciate you renegade economy

World to the Wise

heed the Wisdom of your elders

...this doesn't necessarily refer to only those who are temporally "older"

it also refers to those who are experientially more advanced as well

and this doesn't only refer to direct verbal exchanges

watch what they do as well

you're sure to learn something valuable

this expands to those folks in our extended EXTENDED community as well (people we don't personally know...yet)

it really is ok to talk to strangers

they're just messengers of the Universe

lesson: don't block the knowledge channels.

I appreciate you Morgan, Marianna, and countless fellow colloquists

Natural Relaxation Aid

old habits die hard

and so do you if you don't let go of the toxic ones

even if you have a good reason to feel bad about something, it's always a bad idea to not feel good about everything

stress has physical manifestations that make everything in life more difficult

it takes a lot to "just get over it," but it takes a whole lot more out of you to hold onto negativity

lesson: release.

I appreciate you childbirth class instructor and Morgan

Selfish

the road to the top is very narrow - fit for one

there's no room to carry any extra baggage

in order to reach your dreams, you have to focus your energies fully on doing so - and nothing else

this can be hard to handle, whether you're the one on the path or one of the ones on the sidelines

on the sidelines, it's easy to feel forgotten and left behind

but the positive focus is on the forward movement of the one in progress

lesson: love and let live.

I appreciate you Morgan, Trulon, and *Lester*

Your-Year Plan

there is certainly value in completion

but who's to say when a task is complete?

you may embark upon a prescribed four-year college plan and decide just a semester in that it is not in your best interest to continue with the program

for you, you have completed the task

just because something is designed to be followed over a certain amount of time, does not mean that every person will get the most out of remaining for that entire term

life is an experiential patchwork

lesson: take your time.

I appreciate you Devan

Team Spirit

it's great to have a support system

a whole team of people who have the same vision and dreams for you as you have for yourself

it only serves to reinforce the signals you're sending to the Universe to ask for its help

it's like when a bunch of people write letters or protest together - more spirits generate more energy and build stronger influence

however, you have to show the Universe that you want that for which you're asking

meaning that you have to actually work toward it

you and your team

to each of your respective abilities

lesson: work together.

I appreciate you *Lester*, Trulon, Clary's, Lisa, and Morgan

Please, Take Mine

chances are there's somebody out there who needs something you have way more than you do

as the over-sold bus i was on was juuuuuuuust about to pull off, i noticed that a girl was hysterical about not being able to make it onto the bus

she obviously had something very important to do on the other side under a time constraint

i didn't.

so i gave up my seat

my bus did end up getting stuck in an hour's worth of traffic, but i ended up right on time

i hope she did too

lesson: if you don't need it, give it to someone who does.

I appreciate you grateful recipient

How May You Help I?

we can't do everything ALL by ourselves

so ask for help

but also be willing to give it

there is always something that you can offer that someone is in great need of and vice versa

if it's money you need, there is someone who has it, who is willing to share

if it's friendliness and gratitude you have to offer, that may be all someone is looking for

ask for help when you need it and give help when and how you can

it's ALWAYS possible to get done what you need to, you just have to be willing to put forth the necessary effort, which includes asking for assistance

lesson: use and be used.

I appreciate you Monsieur Elriz and Kara

Get Under It

anger, sadness, frustration

they are superficial indicators of spiritual misalignment

not states of being

they are natural and human

but they are simply meant to signal the presence of something much deeper that needs to be addressed

if something makes you angry, you know that an adjustment is necessary

either externally, with the thing that you believe caused you to feel angry

or internally, with whatever in you caused you to respond by feeling angry

we shouldn't suppress or ignore such feelings

on the contrary, we should acknowledge them attentively

in order to discover the true cause and devise an appropriate course of action

if we simply allow such feelings to go unaddressed, then we will never clear the blockage

lesson: feel what you feel when you feel and feel better.

I appreciate you Kara and Morgan

Rough Draft

there is nothing more frustrating than losing (or having stolen) something irreplaceable

especially something you created like a piece of art or a written work

you know that you will never be able to recreate what you had originally put together

maybe that's not so bad

it's likely that what you end up with the second time around will be even more inspired, having been fueled with the passion of a strange mix between utter disappointment and pure necessity

the Universe just forced a do-over, surely with good reason

lesson: don't sweat it.

I appreciate you thoughtless thieves and their unsuspecting victims

Mental Exercises

flexibility is essential

while the Universe will certainly provide that which you request of it, the request may not be fulfilled in the exact form you had expected

don't hold too tightly to expectations

also, don't worry about what you want not happening

because those thoughts will send the wrong signals, keeping your desire from manifesting

interestingly, it's much easier done than said

lesson: don't worry.

I appreciate you Donnalynn

Ped Antics

when you're on an important mission, you have to provide your body with basic needs or else you'll be really distracted from your work

you have to take the time to rest, nourish, and comfortably clothe yourself so that you can focus only on the goal at hand

lesson: take care.

I appreciate you feet (even though I haven't been showing it)

People of Earth

i was thinking this weekend about our connection to the Earth

and i came to the conclusion that the human body is simply a microcosm of the Earth

just like Earth, our bodies are equipped with all of the necessary elements to maintain, replenish, and heal themselves

under optimal conditions, of course

it is our impatient nature and lack of faith in this autonomy that leads us to so much illness - in ourselves and in the Earth

you break a bone and have surgery, so you're prescribed a steroid to reduce inflammation

that steroid causes depression, so you're prescribed an antidepressant,

which causes insomnia, so you take tranquilizers

that cause anxiety, so you get an anti-anxiety drug that leads to a host of other issues and so on and so forth

that's the way it works in America

deal with the condition at hand superficially without any regard for consequences...until the effects appear

it's the same way we treat the Earth

we think in terms of what we want and need in the moment without any regard for the environmental cost, with the attitude that we can just fix it later

later is now

but fixing one thing just leads to ruining something else and then you end up with irreversible destruction

Nature provides us with all of the necessary tools to be healthy

we just have to wait for them

rushing a delicate biological process always ends up with disastrous results - they just may not be immediately perceived

or they may not seem to effect you personally, so it's easy to consider yourself removed from the condition

we have to start taking better care of ourselves and our surroundings and exercising a little patience

lesson: good things take time to create.

I appreciate you *Lester*

In a Dreamlife State

saturday,

sometimes you just have to be stubborn

when you KNOW what you need and you know what's right for you, nothing else matters

it takes a lot to reach you goals

and many of the experiences along the path will not even seem relevant

before you take off for the very top, you have to start from the very bottom

you have to strip yourself down to your bare core in order to build the most effective you from scratch, which can be a very painful process

but if you're willing to give up everything, even yourself (or what you know it to be currently), then you will be able to have whatever it is that you heart desires

it won't be immediate

and you may not always understand what exactly is happening or why

but eventually, you'll get there, if you remain open, faithful, humble, and thankful

the Universe provides us with all necessary tools, we just have to let it know what we need and work toward it every moment of our existence (even when we don't know we are)

lesson: give it your all and you'll get it all.

I appreciate you *Lester* my Inspiration

Hopeblessed

friday,

hopelessness is a form of Deception

it multiplies and intensifies very quickly and overcomes one's entire being

and it's impossible to think positively and progressively under those conditions

no matter our physical condition, we have to work to float above hopeless negativity that can pass through our spiritual space from time to time

if you let yourself get pulled in, eventually your thoughts will no longer be your own and you will begin to take action that works to bring you further from contentment and success, thus adding to your sense of hopelessness

lesson: there is always a way.

I appreciate you Kara

Cheap Skate

thursday,

i saw that you don't always have to pay more for higher quality

sometimes it's just a matter of shopping around to find the best deal

just because something costs more does NOT mean it's better

lesson: sometimes less means more.

I appreciate you MegaBus