we come out of the world … in the same way a tree blossoms, the universe ‘peoples’* Oliver Burkeman
What is the new thing that is trying to spring forth from within us and among us?** Philip Newell
It’s the way of the universe: New things want to happen, but a flower isn’t the telos of the tree, nor even the fruit, rather it is a new tree; and new things want to come from you, From everyone, not only the “special ones” – I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
When you choose a behaviour, you choose its future consequences.* Derek Sivers
What a pity if we do not live this short time according to the laws of the long time.** Henry David Thoreau
It may appear a good choice right now, but what will it look like tomorrow, in a month, or five years?
We’re thinking about eating, interactions, language, buying, and how we use our time.
It’s important to be present in the now, but it also pays to be able to visit the future.
I explore both the present and the future through my story, comprising abilities, energies, and values.^
This shift from being to doing to becoming occurs as your thoughts, actions, and feelings align with your dreams and values. And what best governs your values? The story you tell yourself about yourself.^^
*Derek Sivers’ How To Live; **Bina Venkataraman’s The Optimist’s Telescope; ^Drop me a line if you would like to find out more: geoffrey@thinsilence.org; ^^AleXander McManus’ FutureU.
Learning how to read metaphorically was a major turning point in my life.* Derek Sivers
It is impossible to go on as you were before, so you must go on as you never have.** Cheryl Strayed
What if it were only possible to read or watch that which directly pertained to our work or interest?^
How many new ideas, possibilities, and paths would remain hidden to us?
Of course, the changes are not only out there, The really interesting ones change us along the way.
*Derek Sivers’ Hell Yeah Or No; **Jonathan Hoban’s Walk With Your Wolf; ^My aim is to use the acronym TEASE to guide my reading and discoveries: Technology, Environment, Art, Society, Entrepreneurship.
Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. 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.** Mae Jemison
This shift from being to doing to becoming occurs as your thoughts, actions, and feelings align with your dreams and values. And what best governs your values? The story you tell yourself about yourself.^ AleXander McManus
In answer to the question: Probably not long enough.
Some skills, we’re honing for a lifetime.^^
Some of the experimentations in new areas and directions*^ needs to go on longer.^*
Thinking needs to become doing, And then becoming.
Each person is capable of different, and therefore, unique.
*Some musical accompaniment from Ace; **Anne-Laure Le Cunff’s Tiny Experiments; ^AleXander McManus’ FutureU; ^^Which of your powers are just getting stronger? *^What are the new things you sense that you need to pursue? ^*100 days is a good length of time; I began Thin|Silence with a one year experiment. Anne-Laure Le Cunff writes about making a PACT, an experiment that is Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous (repeatable), and Trackable.
Drawing is much more than GOOD OR BAD. IT IS A language FROM another part of you … Cartooning isn’t just a way of drawing, it is a way of seeing.* Lynda Barry
Copying is how I learn, it’s a way to understand what’s really going on, and drawing is a way of slowing down long enough to really look at something.** Austin Kleon.
Slow down, Look and see, Understand, Find more of yourself.
Don’t let yourself or anyone else, tell you that you are no good at drawing; All drawing is copying, whether it is something in front of you or in your imagination, and if in copying it becomes something else, well, That’s part of the purpose and the fun – That’s where the your originality begins.
Slow down, Look and see, Understand, Find more of yourself.
Doesn’t everything die at last and to soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life.* Mary Oliver
My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return. Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.** Oliver Sacks
Perhaps there is much still to happen within and through us, An unfolding, tendril-like, from our deep gratitude and residue of days, Even for the joy of others.
Wandering is a form of exploration that we often think to embrace only when travelling, but it has great value on a more daily basis … Sometimes we must choose to leave our maps behind.* Rohit Bhargava
When you walk in peace, you are overwhelmed by the wonder of the universe and the beauty of life.** Erwin McManus
Maps offer a narrow way of seeing the world, and ourselves, and others, and god – Openness is wandering, Wandering is openness, is the possibility of surprise and the surprise of possibility … and connection, unfolding into beauty and peace.
When we embrace flexible, renewable, and diverse approaches, we create actual progress.** Seth Godin
Before you react, Or respond, you may want to
pause.
Is this really what you want to say do think feel?
In the pause, there’s at least a confirmation that this is best, but, More likely, There’s a better word action idea emotion.
We get to choose, That’s the point of the pause, And we all have it, though it must be used and trained^ to become the power for life that it can be.
*Ryan Holiday’s Discipline is Destiny; *Seth Godin’s blog: Strength through resilience; ^We may explore practising silence, stillness, detachment, and noticing as immediate responses, stretching the space between stimulus and response.
Gratitude is how we acknowledge our humble place in the universe, our place in the big dance.* gapingvoid
Stoic joy – the joy that comes from purpose, excellence, and duty. it’s a serious thing …** Ryan Holiday
I am grateful to be here, the odds were stacked against me (and I would have no idea had they won, But they didn’t); even so ingratitude comes too easily – I don’t want to be a moaning ninny – so I work on my thankfulness, I admit my knowledge of what I can see and hear and touch and smell and taste, All that is other, all that is more than my casual glance might afford, I see how I can increase my gratefulness through purpose and mastery and responsibility, how I may not only dwell thankfully now, but in my past and future, too.
Gratitude works. Gratitude scales. Gratitude creates a positive cycle of more gratitude. When in doubt, default to gratitude.^
He who cannot howl, will not find his pack.* Charles Simic
As the tamed horse still hears the call of her wild brothers and as the farmed goose flaps hopeful wings as his sisters fly overhead, so too, perhaps, the wild ones amongst us are our only hope in calling us back to our true nature.** Joel McKerrow
Why can’t we be more like the “good” children? Why can’t we just learn like all the others? Why all the questions? Why can’t we fit in? Why can’t we just do our job? Why can’t we enjoy having a good time and being comfortable? Why can’t we admit we’re just too old for that? Why can’t we not be trouble to others?
howl Howl HOWL – Inside, Deep down, struggling to keep it in – Got to let it out.
I hear your howl,^ Can you hear mine?
*Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run With the Wolves; **The Northumbria Community‘s Morning Prayer: meditation for Day 29; ^A howl is my epithet for real possibility for our lives, not normally found on our civilised job lists.
THIN|SILENCE 
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