The Time When We’ll Be Present & Content

Today, I only have questions.

We’re striving for happiness and contentment, but when will we be there? I think we often see a time in the future when things will be better – we’ll have a better relationship, job, house, health situation, financial situation, and more. But when will that day come?

What’s stopping us from being content right now?

What’s stopping us from being present right now?

Many of us can point to external conditions that get in the way of being present (some problem on our minds), or that get in the way of being happy and content. But actually, the things that are stopping us are all inside us. We can’t let go of problems and be present. We are frustrated with ourselves, with others, with our situation, with the way the world is, and we can’t let go of wishing they were different.

The obstacles are inside us.

And so, can’t we let them go?

And can’t the time for happiness be right this moment?(Thank you, Leo Babauta)

 

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My Favorites July 2015: Great Stuff I’ve Found Recently

My monthly      “My Favorites”    routine includes posting links to great content I ran across, to encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting for helping you to live a meaningful life.  Enjoy!

 

Do You Know Who You Really Are?

Interesting article by Ed and Deb Shapiro about the masks we wear.  Read it here

 
 

 

3 Little Tricks to Deal With People Who Offend You

Something that we struggle with daily, that eats us up and causes stress and anger: annoying people.

You know those people: they cut in line, are rude to you in the office or at the restaurant, cut you off in traffic, talk loudly about obnoxious things, play loud music when you’re trying to concentrate, interrupt you, and so on.

These offenses are violations of the way you think people should act. And so it burns you up. Don’t worry, I’m the same way.

If you just keep letting these offensive people get to you, you’ll always be mad or annoyed. Life won’t be very good. But it’s something you can learn to deal with.

I have to admit I’m not perfect at this, but here are three strategies I use that are helpful: Leo Babauta, continue reading

 

Brené Brown on Blame

 

Book recommendation: The Great Zen Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh on How to Do “Hugging Meditation”

“When we hug, our hearts connect and we know that we are not separate beings.”  Read about this book here

 


What the Dalai Lama Taught Daniel Goleman About Emotional Intelligence

Two decades before Daniel Goleman first wrote about emotional intelligence in the pages of HBR, he met his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at Amherst College, who mentioned to the young science journalist for the New York Times that he was interested in meeting with scientists. Read the HBR article here

 

Smile, breathe, and go slowly!

Dieter Langenecker
Dieter

 

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Yes, Life is Risky-Dive in Anyway

As a child, your eyes sparkled with the majesty of your dazzling future.

You were connected to your power. You spoke in truths. Your heart was wide open.

The world was a safe place. Open for dreamers of every sort. Welcoming to the possibilities that all of us represent.

Then something happened to most of us…

The doubts of those around us became our beliefs as well. We embraced their limits. We adopted their fears.

This happened quietly + gradually and incrementally, so we couldn’t even see it happening to us. But our highest natures knew it: our boldness was diminishing. And our lights were dimming.

We started to settle. For average work. For minimum health. For scarcity of too many sorts. For a small amount of love in our lives.

And when we say the ones who lived like lions. The Brave Few. We called them geniuses and gifted and otherworldly-denying the same potential hiding within ourselves.

But a day comes in every life when we can no longer run from the call for greatness that inhabits us. We must return to it.

We have no choice.

For some it’s leaving the safe harbor of an old way of being.

For some it will be leaving a job to launch a dream.

For some it will be finding new love.

And for a few of us, it will be battling the critics in the fight for a better world.

I don’t know your dreams. I have no idea as to your desires. I likely don’t even know you personally…

…but I do know what you’re made of. It’s pure possibility. It’s a core made of power. It’s a mind made for visions. It’s a heart built for love. It’s a spirit designed to wow.

And so today, as you move through your hours, let’s go of who you were to become all you are. Please.

Return to Greatness. Model Mastery. Show us what the best of being human is all about. And lift us with your light.

Make this day epic. And let’s not take our tomorrows for granted. (Thank you, Robin Sharma)

 

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My Favorites June 2015: Great Stuff I’ve Found Recently

My monthly      “My Favorites”    routine includes posting links to great content I ran across, to encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting for helping you to live a meaningful life.  Enjoy!

 

4 Questions to Help You Find Your Passion

It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. Article by H. Lovelyn Bettison.  Read it here

 

 

Finding Focus

Do you ever have one of those days when you just can’t seem to find focus? When you fritter away your time on nothingnesses, distractions, wandering without really doing something important?

Or one of those weeks?

I have those days regularly. I can find myself “working” for several hours, but at the end of those several hours have nothing to show for it. I feel like I’m floating around, with no anchor, no focal point.

So how do we find focus?

Leo Babauta, continue reading

 

How Do You Stop the Mind’s Chatter?

 


The Infinite Hotel Paradox – Jeff Dekofsky

 

Smile, breathe, and go slowly!

Dieter Langenecker
Dieter
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Seized by the Thunderhold of Fear

They’re all around us, affecting our lives in unseen ways, causing worry, hesitation, confusion, anxiety, avoidance.

They bring us to our knees.

Fears control us in ways we never realize, unacknowledged and more powerful because of their unknown workings.

Fears stop us from following our dreams, from taking risks, from pursuing love, from seeking adventure, from speaking in public, from going into the unknown, from starting a new venture, from reveling in discomfort. We procrastinate, overeat, find distractions, because of fear. We are seized with constant worry, from fear.

And yet, these fears are just clouds.

They float into our field of vision, unbidden and unwanted, like a dark stormy cloud. We get caught in the rainshower and thunder, and feel that this is our entire world. We immerse ourselves in this cloud, as if there’s nothing outside of it and it will never go away.

But the cloud will pass.

The cloud floats away, like anything else. It’s nothing to run from. It’s just a passing cloud.

So watch the cloud of fear arise, acknowledge it, and watch it float away, like any other thought. Enjoy the chill of the shadow and the wind as it passes over you.

Then step into the sunshine of the present moment, beautiful and joyous now that the cloud has passed.

In each moment, we are OK. Even when fear arises, we are OK. Learn to trust in this OK-ness, the goodness of the present moment, the enough-ness of you, right now.

See the fear pass, and see that you’re still OK.

Once you develop this skill of watching the fear pass, and trusting in your OK-ness and enough-ness, you are equipped to deal with life, and get up off your knees. (Leo Babauta)

With kind regards,

Dieter

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My Favorites May 2015: Great Stuff I’ve Found Recently

My monthly      “My Favorites”    routine includes posting links to great content I ran across, to encourage you to check them out if they sound interesting for helping you to live a meaningful life.  Enjoy!

Who You Really Are – Alan Watts 

YES, LIFE IS RISKY-DIVE IN ANYWAY

Life comes at us in waves. Sometimes the surge ripples gently by. Other times it can pound the daylights out of us and leave us gasping for breath. How do we respond when that happens?    Read  here

My Pursuit of the Art of Living

For many years I simply lived, and got by.

But in the last few years, after learning a bit about habits and mindfulness and simplicity and love, I have changed my approach to living.

Now I see living as an art form, to be studied and played with and practiced and mastered. Of course, few ever master the art of living, and I don’t know if I ever will. Probably not.

But I can pursue this art. I can appreciate it when others do it well. I can learn about it, through experiments and observation and introspection.

My pursuit of the art of living is only just beginning, but I thought I’d share a bit about this pursuit with you, my good friends.

Leo Babauta, continue reading

Performance-Based Goals vs. Getting Better Goals

It’s time for more straight talk today on goal setting. So let me ask you this: What IS your quota this year? How about your revenue goal? I’ll bet it hasn’t gone down. Interesting approach. Read it here

Fascinating! – Leonard Nimoy Reveals the Meaning of the Vulcan Hand Gesture

With Leonard Nimoy’s passing, many fitting tributes are showing up in various places to honor “Mr. Spock.” Many of the pictures of him show his hand raised in the “Vulcan greeting.”

But, few people know the origin of that now internationally famous hand gesture.  In fact, many people would be shocked to learn the truth. Watch here

 

Smile, breathe, and go slowly!

Dieter Langenecker
Dieter
PS: How can you live a really meaningful life? Visit

 

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