Last Friday was Bike to Work day, and though I usually bike to the bus stop, I decided to go farther in honor of the day. So I biked from my home in Lake Balboa to the station in North Hollywood. And Jeremy joined me.
It was GREAT! Took about 40 minutes biking at a relatively easy pace (its usually 20 on the bus) and felt really fabulous. By the time I got to work I was awake, alert and calm all at the same time.
What was even better was getting to do it with Jeremy. We talked, and smiled, and were just together. It felt wonderful. And most of the trip was on the bike path that is next to the Orange line, so it was wide enough and safe enough for us to bike side by side and talk. Yay!
In contrast, this morning I woke up late, have been groggy and unfocused most of the day, and can't get much done. I'm starting to think biking to the station in North Hollywood on a regular basis is a pretty good idea. At least while its still cool enough to consider.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Check this out!
I know I've mentioned it before, but here's a direct link to Robert Kiosaki's book in progress: The Conspiracy of the Rich.
The latest chapter, Ch. 7, begins the discussion of "ok, now what?" that we have all been feeling. The most important point he makes is the difference between capital gains and cashflow. Most people invest with capital gains in mind: profits you make when something goes up in value. Think stocks, real estate, commodities. But these types of investments are completely dependent on how the market moves. If the value of your investment drops, then that's it. You lost money. (Unless you were shorting a stock, but that's a different conversation)
Investing for cash flow is different. Cash flow is money that comes into your pocket no matter what the market does. For example, selling a house for a profit is capital gains. A one time payment that can only happen if the value of your house goes up. Owning a house and renting it brings cash flow. That rent check will come in whether the house's value goes up, down or sideways.
I LOVED getting this reminder, because, with all the focus on what's going on in the market, I'd almost forgotten that there is another, smarter way to invest. One that Jeremy and I will eventually get into, though when is a bit up in the air.
The latest chapter, Ch. 7, begins the discussion of "ok, now what?" that we have all been feeling. The most important point he makes is the difference between capital gains and cashflow. Most people invest with capital gains in mind: profits you make when something goes up in value. Think stocks, real estate, commodities. But these types of investments are completely dependent on how the market moves. If the value of your investment drops, then that's it. You lost money. (Unless you were shorting a stock, but that's a different conversation)
Investing for cash flow is different. Cash flow is money that comes into your pocket no matter what the market does. For example, selling a house for a profit is capital gains. A one time payment that can only happen if the value of your house goes up. Owning a house and renting it brings cash flow. That rent check will come in whether the house's value goes up, down or sideways.
I LOVED getting this reminder, because, with all the focus on what's going on in the market, I'd almost forgotten that there is another, smarter way to invest. One that Jeremy and I will eventually get into, though when is a bit up in the air.
Monday, May 11, 2009
The difference between Positive Thinking and Positive Being
This seems to be coming up a lot lately in my life: people asking me what I thought of The Secret (odd timing since its been out for years), or talking about how to get things in life, or how I feel about what's going on in the economy, world, etc. Which all culminated in an amazing thought provoking conversation with my Dad, one of the most masterful people with this topic that I'm close to.
We talked about a lot of stuff, and I have a feeling that I'll be talking about each topic in turn, as it bubbles to the surface of my brain and I'm forced to process it and chew on the ideas like, um, mental cud. Ew.
Anyway, the question that seems to come up from the outside universe is how do I handle difficult times and still seem happy? (most of the time, anyway) Recently, I've tried to explain it using an expanded (and convoluted) theory of positive thinking. The trouble is that no one is ever able to understand me. I've internalized the process so much, I have real trouble explaining it. But, I've had a revelation about how I frame things in my mind, and how I live. I don't practice Positive Thinking. I practice Positive Being. What the difference and why does it matter?
Positive Thinking as people usually understand it is lacking: Note something you want changed and think about how you want it to be. This is probably the least effective and most frustrating form of positive thinking, yet, from what I hear from others, is the most common form. But look at it. All you do with this type of thinking is remind yourself why you want x changed to begin with. There is nothing powerful or life changing about this type of thinking. You want x, and you don't have it, and you are reminding yourself of not having it in a deceptively positive way.
Some people I know have a more powerful way of understanding Positive Thinking: Note something you want changed (x) and envision x in its changed form. This at least has you begin to act as if x is changed already, but only when you keep the new form of x in the forefront of your mind. Thus, it is also limited. You have to concentrate a lot, and it also sets you up for disappointment, because if x changes in any way but the one you envisioned there is a potential that you either won't notice it (cause that's not what you were looking for) or, you will notice but be unhappy with the result.
The way I live, and the form of Positive Thinking that I find to be the most powerful isn't thinking at all. Its being. Being a person to whom positive things happen. Its like being a red-head, or being a 29 year old, or being a woman. Nothing that happens to me, or that is said to me, can change any of those things. Sure, there are times when I feel older or younger, or maybe less of a woman, or less of a red-head, but those times are short lived, and, because they are inherently false, it never occurs to me that I will feel like that permanently.
The same concept applies to being positive. I am someone for whom life works. I am someone who has a great life. And because I am not just thinking these things, but being them, there isn't any space for anything negative in my life for long. In fact, because I am BEING positive, I rarely think positive at all. Why would I? Its like feeling the need to think red-head. I am one. Why would I think about that?
What's truly amazing, is when you are being something, you draw that to you. Because I am positive, I experience everything in a positive light. I see openings for more positivity that I might not if I wasn't keyed into it. I draw positive people to me, because everyone likes to be around people who are like them.
Positive Thinking can most definitely lead to Positive Being, but they are not the same thing. Each has their place, and if transforming your being is a difficult process for you, if it is new to you, then thinking is a good place to start. But if you find yourself frustrated with the results you get, or don't get, with positive thinking, look at who you are being. I would bet that's where the answer is.
We talked about a lot of stuff, and I have a feeling that I'll be talking about each topic in turn, as it bubbles to the surface of my brain and I'm forced to process it and chew on the ideas like, um, mental cud. Ew.
Anyway, the question that seems to come up from the outside universe is how do I handle difficult times and still seem happy? (most of the time, anyway) Recently, I've tried to explain it using an expanded (and convoluted) theory of positive thinking. The trouble is that no one is ever able to understand me. I've internalized the process so much, I have real trouble explaining it. But, I've had a revelation about how I frame things in my mind, and how I live. I don't practice Positive Thinking. I practice Positive Being. What the difference and why does it matter?
Positive Thinking as people usually understand it is lacking: Note something you want changed and think about how you want it to be. This is probably the least effective and most frustrating form of positive thinking, yet, from what I hear from others, is the most common form. But look at it. All you do with this type of thinking is remind yourself why you want x changed to begin with. There is nothing powerful or life changing about this type of thinking. You want x, and you don't have it, and you are reminding yourself of not having it in a deceptively positive way.
Some people I know have a more powerful way of understanding Positive Thinking: Note something you want changed (x) and envision x in its changed form. This at least has you begin to act as if x is changed already, but only when you keep the new form of x in the forefront of your mind. Thus, it is also limited. You have to concentrate a lot, and it also sets you up for disappointment, because if x changes in any way but the one you envisioned there is a potential that you either won't notice it (cause that's not what you were looking for) or, you will notice but be unhappy with the result.
The way I live, and the form of Positive Thinking that I find to be the most powerful isn't thinking at all. Its being. Being a person to whom positive things happen. Its like being a red-head, or being a 29 year old, or being a woman. Nothing that happens to me, or that is said to me, can change any of those things. Sure, there are times when I feel older or younger, or maybe less of a woman, or less of a red-head, but those times are short lived, and, because they are inherently false, it never occurs to me that I will feel like that permanently.
The same concept applies to being positive. I am someone for whom life works. I am someone who has a great life. And because I am not just thinking these things, but being them, there isn't any space for anything negative in my life for long. In fact, because I am BEING positive, I rarely think positive at all. Why would I? Its like feeling the need to think red-head. I am one. Why would I think about that?
What's truly amazing, is when you are being something, you draw that to you. Because I am positive, I experience everything in a positive light. I see openings for more positivity that I might not if I wasn't keyed into it. I draw positive people to me, because everyone likes to be around people who are like them.
Positive Thinking can most definitely lead to Positive Being, but they are not the same thing. Each has their place, and if transforming your being is a difficult process for you, if it is new to you, then thinking is a good place to start. But if you find yourself frustrated with the results you get, or don't get, with positive thinking, look at who you are being. I would bet that's where the answer is.
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