May 30 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
Judge David Young hosts a show on Sirus/XM radio on Saturdays.
This Saturday, May 30th you can turn into Justice with a Snap to hear his guest star… ME!
That is right, I will be on the air with Judge David Young talking about my article The Invisible Generation.
Tune in if you get a chance! I am very thankful for this opportunity!
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May 29 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
The NBA Playoffs are going on right now and Orlando is all a buzz because the Orlando Magic is a part of it. Orlando doesn’t have many sports teams so when the Magic does well, the city goes crazy.
On the news though, you will hear from all these fans complaining about how there are so many fair-weather fans who just started watching with the playoffs. That they are not true fans and did not support them in the hard times.
I can see where they come from but it is only a sporting event. It is great to see the city to come together and we should be grateful. It is not like this a friendship we are talking about…
A great friend of mine had season tickets to the Magic for many years. He went to a lot of the games and he always would invite other friends to come along. They were amazing seats and the tickets were not cheap but it was all about fun. My friend just loves to have a good time and this was a great way to support Orlando and be with your friends.
I couldn’t tell you how many people who offered the come along and the many friends who took him up on the offer time and time again. My friend also never asked one person to pay for the ticket which is common with many season ticket holders. He just wanted you to come and have a good time.
My friend decided not to continue you with his season tickets in these tough economic times. A very hard decision I am sure because he loves the games so much but a smart one.
The Orlando Magic are doing amazing this season. Since he let go of his season tickets, many of his friends purchased their own season tickets or now get tickets from other friends or from their companies. They all have the opportunity to bring someone with them.
Not one has called my friend the whole year.
I understand how fans can be hurt with the city isn’t always loyal to the sports team but, I think we all need to be more concerned with out fair weather friends. The ones that are always there for the party but never around when it is time for the clean up.
Friendship is about quality and not quantity.
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May 27 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
This is my new saying I remind myself of all the time, “Not perfect but done.”
I spend all my time thinking about things and trying to make them perfect. I stress and worry and spend so much wasted on time trying to get something to be perfect.
Perfect means: being entirely without fault or defect.
Spending all my time on creating something perfect leaves me with two major problems.
Change – If something is perfect, this would mean it would never change. That means it would always be as is and I would have to live with it FOREVER.
Anyone who knows me, knows I love change. I love to make things better, bigger or more fun. I always love the opportunity to take anything to the next level. If I was to create something that would be perfect, I would lose the ability to change it as I see fit.
Action – Waiting for perfection means I am always in a state of planning, preparing, editing, etc and never in a place of complete. This also means a lot of my what I am doing never sees the light of day because it isn’t perfect yet. Instead of taking action and making it happen and real zing I can change it later, I keep myself back in a holding pattern over the idea, project, and/or event.
I have learned to let go of perfect. To realize that done is better than perfect because it is at least a start and a new beginning. I have the right to be able to change it as I see fit and play with new ideas.
We all grow in life. We never reach a moment of perfect because we thrive on growth. That is what life is all about.
I am free of perfect and I hope soon you will let go too.
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May 25 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
When I was younger, I always had tons of friends around me. I was always doing so many different events, parties etc. I was always on the go and keeping myself busy. Busy from what, was something I needed to think about.
I felt so alone during those times and did not know why. I was always with people and always doing things but I always felt alone. I thought I was crazy than I realized…I was alone.
I was alone because I had surrounded myself with people who I called “friends” but were not. Sure we hung out, shared laughs but we only knew each other on the surface. It was all social and not real friendship. We were party friends. When the times were good, you were part of the gang. When things we not going good, you were left behind.
No one cared about my dreams, my goals, my fears, my true thoughts. They just wanted to have a good time. When I was the life of the party, I was adored. Nothing wrong with that but all relationships need a balance.
I had to first start with myself. You see I was never really alone because I had me. The problem was I didn’t know who “me” was. I was so use to fitting in that I did not know who I really was. I had to take the time to listen to myself. To truly learn who I was. The more and more I did this, the less and less I felt alone.
Next I learned to be a better friend. I learned what I could give to people instead of take from them. This allowed me to decide the type of friend I was and who I would be friends with. As time went on, I also learned who my real friends were.
I know tons of people and I would refer to them all as friends but I only have a few TRUE friends who are there through it all. They are there because we care about each other and support each other through the good and the bad times.
Life is not like a TV show. Life is real and simple. You are never alone because you have yourself and if you are lucky, some great people to share yourself with.
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May 20 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
I do not know if you were able to tune in and watch the premiere of Glee last night. It is a great show and I recommend watching it.
I was lucky enough to get the full episode way before it aired so I was already hooked for the fall. It is a witty comedy with great performances and SINGING! How can you not love singing!
During the show there is a quote shared:
“Glee is about opening yourself up to joy”
I thought about how true this it. We forget sometimes that we have the power to make our lives great and happy. How many times do we open ourselves up to joy?
It has been raining nonstop in Florida for the last 3 days. It is killing me. I live for the blue skies and sunshine we have here almost year round. The weather is draining me.
I am draining me.
The weather can not change how I feel. I change how I feel and I am letting the weather to be an excuse for it. So, I decided to change it up.
I turned up My air so the house would be warm, put on my bathing suit, started burning my Sun and Sand candle and put on my DVD of the ocean and relaxed on a blanket. I brought the beach and sunshine to me.
I felt better.
Who knows what helped me feel better. The pretending to be in the sun. The excitement of setting it all up. Maybe it was even the fact I was being silly. It might just be that I was actually taking action and doing something about how I feel.
Regardless, sometimes we forget that underneath every cloud is a sliver lining. We just have to be willing to “open” ourselves up to the possibilities…
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May 18 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
I hate waiting. I do not know why but it drives me insane. I can remember at a young age deciding to always be a little late so all my friends would be there already when I arrived. This way I wouldn’t have to sit and wait as many time before for everyone to arrive.
Of course that was not the best way to handle dealing with waiting.
I think part of the reason I hate waiting is boredom. I am stuck with my own thoughts and feel I have tons of things I could be doing instead.
My life is go go go!! I am always over committing myself and double booking myself. I love to say yes and I live on the higher stress level than most because that is just what I am use to.
I think this began when I started college. I kept testing myself and seeing if could handle working full time while taking a full load of classes. As I pressed myself, I learned more and more how I could squeeze so much into my day. I got use to it.
This made it easy for me to move in to grad school as well as take on starting my own business. All of this was not east but I did it all. I made it happened by stretching myself way too thin.
I am my own superman.
Watching Justin struggle with a little pressure makes me laugh. I tell him suck it up!! You can do it! I can not believe the little stress he has can cause him so much drama. What I forget is that he is a mirror of a normal stressed life. I do not need him to become me. I need to become him.
Being in your 20’s you can handle all the stress because you balance it with exercise and your metabolism is a lit stronger. Now in my 30’s I start to feel the burn that stress has on my health, my thoughts, my sleep, my life.
It is so easy for me to say I will stop but I won’t. It will take a lot of time to learn to settle down and find my new comfortable space.
Stress will always be a part of life but you have the power to choose what you do about it and how much you create for yourself.
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May 15 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
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May 13 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
Mother’s Day passed this past Sunday. I was trying to plan out what to get my mom this year. I looked into tickets for a show but she gets nervous she won’t be able to walk to the seats or leave to use the restroom. I wanted to take her to a great brunch but it is too loud for her to hear the whole conversation and she would just prefer a simple breakfast.
It is easy for me to tell her she is young and to suck it up. Why miss out on life? Why don’t you just try it? Why not stretch yourself? It is easier for me to say it then do it myself.
It is her day and she has to live her life. You can not celebrate someone by giving them something they do not want. It doesn’t work that way. So, I surprised her with brunch. Justin and I cooked up a huge feast and brought it over to my parent’s house. It was a surprise and we enjoyed the meal and then watch the movie Doubt she had been wanting to see. A true present is one the receiver really wants and appreciates.
Of course this doesn’t compare to the surprise my friend Nick gave his mother for Mother’s Day…
Make sure you leave a comment on YouTube and let him know what a great son he is!
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May 11 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
I have mentioned how much I love to have control. I really hold on tight to my life and choices. I hold on so tight I can literally feel my knuckles turn white from the fear of letting go. I spend months researching a choice or an event. I like to make sure I know what will happen or what may not happen.
I am always setting goals to better the future. I set the goals, work the goals and create more goals. I even revisit the goals and self doubt my choices. I live life with complete control.
Well the perception of complete control…
Do we truly ever have control of our lives? Or do we just tell ourselves that to feel safe and secure in our minds?
A great coach asked me what would happen if I let go? I know what would happen. I would cry. I would cry because of the fear of no longer having control and for finally feeling free.
What is the worst that could happen? Nothing that isn’t already happening in my life. I don’t have control right now just the perception that I do. The only difference is I would be free to enjoy the ride. Enjoy the present and live my life.
What keeps me from letting go? FEAR! Fear of the unknown.
Do I ever truly know what is going to happen in my life? Of course not. I only hope or should I say…believe.
Believing is really all I can do to help me move forward past the fear of letting go. Life has a funny way of turning left and then quickly right but you survive. Life gives you options and you have to make a choice, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but in the end…you end up back on your feet once again.
This great coach told me how life never throws more than you can handle and it doesn’t make a difference what you plan for because you are right where you need to be. Right where you should be and you will end up where you are supposed to be. Just how life works its way out.
This is hard to listen to and force myself to let go but I just have to believe. I have to believe that life will never throw anything at me I can not handle. I have to believe that everything will always work out. I have to believe in myself.
Life rewards courage. Isn’t time I let go?
Isn’t time you let go and just believe?
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May 08 2009
Posted by Michael under Uncategorized
I am always setting goals and moving the bar to reach higher and higher. I realized I am always chasing the future and forget to enjoy the here and now. I wondered what are the simple pleasures I get each day that I do not even notice?
Well I kept a list and here they are:
That was just in a few hours. Could you imagine what I would find in a few days?
What is a one of your simple pleasures?
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