The Tao Te Ching is an ancient Chinese text that has been translated and interpreted in many ways. However, at its core, the Tao Te Ching is a guide to living a simple, peaceful, and harmonious life.
The Tao Te Ching teaches that the Tao, or the Way, is the underlying principle of the universe. It is the source of all that is, and it is characterized by simplicity, spontaneity, and non-action.
The Tao Te Ching teaches us to achieve a more fulfilling and peaceful life by following the Tao. This means living simply, without striving or attachment. It means being spontaneous and responsive to the moment. And it means acting without force or coercion.
There are many benefits to living a life following the Tao. Some of these benefits include:
Increased peace of mind and tranquility
Reduced stress and anxiety
Improved relationships with others
Greater self-awareness and self-acceptance
Increased creativity and productivity
A stronger sense of purpose and meaning in life
If you want a way to live a more fulfilling and peaceful life, the Tao Te Ching can provide you with a valuable guide. By following the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, you can learn to live in harmony with the natural world and yourself.
Here are some specific examples of how the Tao Te Ching can be applied to our lives today:
Simplicity. The Tao Te Ching teaches that simplicity is the key to happiness. When we live, we are less stressed and more content. We also have more time and energy to focus on the essential things to us.
Spontaneity. The Tao Te Ching teaches us to be spontaneous and responsive to the moment. Living in the present moment makes us more open to new experiences and possibilities. As a result, we are also more likely to make decisions in our best interests.
Non-action. The Tao Te Ching teaches that we should act without force or coercion. When we work this way, we are more likely to achieve our goals without causing harm to ourselves or others.
Many resources are available if you want to learn more about the Tao Te Ching. You can find translations of the text, as well as commentaries and interpretations. In addition, many books and websites offer advice on how to live a life following the Tao.
The Tao Te Ching is a timeless classic that can offer us guidance and inspiration on living a more fulfilling and peaceful life. If you want to improve your life, I encourage you to learn more about this ancient text.
Simplicity can help us to focus on what is essential. Living a simple life makes us less distracted by material possessions and other unnecessary things. This allows us to focus on relationships, health, and personal growth.
Simplicity can help us to reduce stress and anxiety. When we live a cluttered and chaotic life, it cannot be easy to relax and de-stress. However, when we simplify our lives, we can create a more peaceful and serene environment. This can lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety, which can improve our overall health and well-being.
Simplicity can help us to be more present in the moment. When we are constantly bombarded with stimuli, staying current at the moment can be difficult. However, when we simplify our lives, we can slow down and focus on the present moment. This can help us to appreciate the beauty of the world around us and to connect with our inner selves.
Simplicity can help us to be more grateful. When we live a simple life, we are more likely to appreciate the things that we have. This is because we are not constantly comparing ourselves to others or striving for more. We are happier and more content when we are grateful for what we have.
If you are looking for ways to simplify your life, here are a few tips:
Declutter your home. Get rid of anything that you don’t use or need. This will help to create a more peaceful and serene environment for yourself.
Simplify your schedule. Take some time each week to plan your schedule and eliminate unnecessary commitments. This will help you to reduce stress and anxiety and to make more time for the things that are truly important to you.
Simplify your diet. Eat whole, unprocessed foods and avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol. This will help you to improve your health and well-being and to reduce stress and anxiety.
Simplify your relationships. Spend time with people who make you happy and who support you. Avoid negative people and toxic relationships.
Simplify your finances. Create a budget and stick to it. This will help you to save money and to reduce stress.
Simplifying your life can be a challenge, but it is worth it. Living a simple life makes you more likely to be happy, healthy, and content.
Don’t you sometimes wish that you could tie everything in your life together? Career, relationships, marriage, and parenting. That all these aspects of your life to harmoniously work. Instead, our lives get fragmented, one minute our job is on top of the world, the next we’re in divorce court. Nothing ever seems to run hitting on all eight cylinders running smoothly. The trouble is one part of our life can crater with a trickle-down in all other areas of our life.
Chapter 1
I can’t | I don’t have
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”—Thomas A. Edison
First, we get out of our language anything to do with lack. The “I can’t” or “I don’t have” is not part of the English language of your new life.
Second, nay Sayers are just that. People who can’t do a thing themselves and naturally you can’t either if you listen to that bilge. What you’re now looking for are Mentors, people who uplift you.
Throughout history, people have done things that others said could not be done. Or invented products that folks needed. All the while, naysayers are “It can’t be done.” Horse hockey!
Limiting beliefs placed in our sub-conscious over years of saying I can’t. Also not limited to just that phrase. Years and years of self-defeating language has us convinced we cannot.
Dogpile on top of that, family, friends, managers, whomever, telling you that you don’t have what it takes, you don’t have the education, people who do that are gifted. What? You can teach yourself anything.
Okay, I give. You can’t teach yourself to be a brain surgeon. My point with this statement is I doubt you’re looking to become a brain surgeon, don’t overthink what your ability can or cannot achieve. Start, try, give it a shot, jump, swim, begin is the point!
So, in this chapter, we’re going to start replacing limiting language and thoughts. How you say, well I have an answer to that. Without this step in the process, later in the book, you will have more difficulty if you don’t make the changes now.
What do we have to change:
Replace limiting thoughts with thoughts of okay how do I achieve this (the what is irrelevant at this point).
Be aware of the language, the words that we use. I can’t, is NO longer a word in your mind’s dictionary. Don’t worry; I am going to share how to get rid of this stuff.
Self-defeating actions. Self-sabotage, and worst of all, procrastination.
There is a lot more to the life changes than just the three I listed. You get a general idea. As we move through chapters, we will cover a great deal more ground.
For many years we teach ourselves unknowingly that we can’t achieve certain things. Limiting beliefs are ingrained in our subconscious mind over the years. Taking the time now to change this old habit and create new ones will take work and time.
What I have found that helps me declutter my mind so that I can see myself in a better state-of-mind, meditation. Learning to meditate can get you back in touch with your inner self.
Getting rid of limiting beliefs takes retraining our mind not once to say, “I can’t do that.”
“I don’t have what it takes to achieve this.” In your meditation practice, you begin to see yourself through your mind’s eye in the place you want to be — not just a physical place, but where you see yourself emotionally.
Our brain will tell us to run from something that raises our stress level. It’s like what Marathon runners experience when they hit what is called the wall. That point late in the race where the brain is saying you can’t make another step, stop, your mind is telling you that your legs are injured. Push past this without risk of injury to your body.
Studies that prove it’s the brain talking to you, not physical injury. Pushing through this emotional wall is possible.
This bond your brain has with flight will be hard to break. Meditation is a daily practice. It’s the best way I have found to quiet my mind so I can reprogram my thoughts for growth, not defeat.
Let’s cover a few points on how easy it is to begin to meditate before you start if you have a spouse or partner have them give you a brief shoulder neck massage before beginning your practice — the tension out of your body as much as possible.
“Everything that’s created comes out of silence. Your thoughts emerge from the nothingness of silence. Your words come out of this void. Your very essence emerged from emptiness. All creativity requires some stillness.”—Wayne Dyer
Let’s begin:
Pick a time when you can have thirty minutes to an hour to yourself. With no interruption. My favorite place is my bedroom. I can either sit on the floor with my back to the bed or lay down (don’t fall asleep).
Music playing, outdoor sounds, ocean, rain, can be calming and help you relax. It’s best if you can use headphones. You can find lots of cool stuff on YouTube® that’s commercial-free. I find that with headphones, I can concentrate my mind more sharply.
Take several deep cleansing breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. It helps clear your body and ease tension.
Then with the eye’s closed in a relaxed posture. Breathe. Follow your breathing with your mind, nice slow breaths filling your body with oxygen. It’s good to feel your belly as it moves up and down. Get a rhythm.
Begin to relax your feet, move up your legs into your hips, and let your body go. Breathe and relax all the tension out of your body. Just focus for a time on relaxing your body.
As you relax feel yourself floating, imagine your light enough to float on clouds.
When relaxed and breathing rhythmically. Begin to focus your minds-eye towards happiness. See yourself happy. That can take any form you like. Use your imagination to see yourself happy. What is something YOU love to do? What makes you the most comfortable. It could be from childhood or adulthood: no right or wrong way, just a happy place.
Placing your mind there now begins to allow that emotion to fill your body. Feel it from the balls of your feet to the crown of your head. Feel happiness; fill your body. Allow yourself to be in this bliss. Stay as-long-as you like.
As you begin to come out of your meditation, slowly allow your body to unwind, let go of any thought and be in the moment. Open your eyes and smile.
Begin this process tonight! What you will learn in this book is we act now, not tomorrow! Procrastination is not in our vocabulary anymore. Begin today, please, and thank you.
If you want to make it through times when you will hit the Marathon wall, and it’s like you just got hit by a Mack truck, you must train to overcome what we will have to face as you begin this process.
You will have challenges to be sure. Don’t worry; our emotional training starts here. You will find the strength. So exciting.
Years and years of Garbage is overflowing your mind. This book is a garbage truck.
The “I can’t” do this or that. Who says? 99% of the time you. How do you know if you’re not even willing to try? Saying this to yourself, I can’t is conditioned into your mind so profoundly that you believe whatever your head is telling you. Hard to imagine that we can lie to ourselves unknowingly. It’s packaged to a negative response you accept.
We’ve all heard the story of breaking the four-minute mile. Once achieved, then many athletes now can claim they can run four-minute miles.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”—Nelson Mandela
Twenty years ago, if you would have asked anyone in my family, do you think Robert will write books years from now. They would have laughed until they peed their pants. Not even my friends would have believed this to be true.
Fear is also going to hold you back. We all fear failure. The difference between success and failure is people stop because they get scared. “I have a family I can’t risk failure!” Ask yourself if you have enough money to stand a year-long layoff (heaven forbid) if tomorrow your company said we’re cutting back?
We’re all a paycheck away from disaster most of our lives. So, don’t use this as an excuse.
What if I could show you a way to conquer fear enough to allow you to formulate a plan to save your life, strengthen your family, and will enable you to walk with peace-of-mind. Be great, wouldn’t it?
Okay, follow along.
Everything you’ve learned in life plays it safe; I am going to teach you how to play it smart.
Stop buying the sack of manure you sell yourself every day that you can’t. Get the I’m shy; I’m weak, I’m feeble, get that the hell out of your vocabulary.
How?
Every time you say I can’t, take a rubber band and pop the crap out of your arm. However, take a moment to say that it was the old me, the NEW ME CAN! I can be happy; I can be in shape, I can learn more, I can have a happy marriage, I can have great kids, I can, I can, I can!
If you screw up guess what you’re not alone. Acknowledge, you had a time of weakness but your back. Guess what you can make a mistake and get right back on track. Right now, I want you to stop and run a mile as fast as you can no walking. Could you do it! Probably not is my guess. Could you if you trained for a month or so? Sure.
You’re not going to overcome this the first time. You’re not going to change without practice. Set in your phone reminders that buzz, ding, ring, whatever. Tell yourself to smile, or be strong, put an affirmation as a reminder.
Put all the good in your noodle today that you can plunge into your brain. Guess what we do this over and over. Day after day!
Shy people hello. Man are we going to need to get outside our comfort zone. Fear not time to train. How can we overcome fear?
“People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you’ve figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness, and confidence. Don’t be shy or feel intimidated by the experience. You may face some unexpected criticism but be prepared for it with confidence.”—Jack Canfield
Here are some fun ideas:
Find social meetups. Places that you can go to a book club, movie review club anywhere that you must socially interact with friendly people. Nice folks won’t eat you I promise.
The best way to get outside yourself is to help someone in need. It can even be an animal shelter. Put yourself in situations where you can gain strength. Social interaction helping someone is a blessing beyond words. Single parents take your kids.
Go to Yoga, meditation classes; take a cooking class.
Finding ways to strengthen our life resolve is just a matter of getting off our butt and doing it. I wish I could say something or give you a pill. My friends, we must work to achieve. Good news, it’s not hard, most of these costs no money.
Through your meditation practice, when you visualize yourself, see yourself healthy, assertive, and happy. Show your subconscious what you want it will manifest for you. Take this to prayer, let God know you no longer say I can’t, or I don’t have.
God will supply abundance in all areas of your life. Keep in mind this is not about starting a business, jobs, or material things. Yes, it’s a part of if you want it to be. This book is teaching you how to have an all-encompassing life. Mind, Body, Soul.
When you find yourself in a difficult situation, go to God in prayer, let him know that you need help, what I do when times in my head get dark. I say, “God has me” over and over. Eventually, I get calm.
In times of stress, let God know you’re not losing anymore. Power your way through. Even if you see no hope at all, hold onto hope with blind faith. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Talking later in the book, we will do an entire chapter on Resources vs. Resourcefulness. When you can master how to be resourceful the I can’t, and I don’t will go straight out the window. Also, strengthen your ability to fend off fear.
Fear manifests when you don’t have a solution. Then your mind starts to say “oh boy we’re going to crash” and away your head goes, and down you go. Think about being able to on command say “I have an app for that” metaphorically speaking.
You can know in your heart that today; an answer does not exist. Give me some time to sort this out and away you go. Having that knowledge to, in a sense, trick your mind into saying “we got this” will give you the inner strength to overcome any obstacle.
Landlocked in West Texas putting our expedition together. We have some good news that our friends in Honduras have agreed to host us for a short time. We’re going to trek into the jungle and see if we can’t capture some film of Panthers.
Exciting news. This part of our journey will be a massive leap out of my comfort zone. I have to overcome fears, like, bugs, snakes, and other creepy crawlies. Yes, I scream like a girl when confronted with creepy crawlies.
Today is also the first day of my diet. Need to trim off a few pounds and get into real shape. I would not be able to trek through a jungle this out of the way. So it’s time! Being here in the desert will allow me to train in pretty hot conditions. Also going to make some time to trek through the desert to confront some of my fears.
We’re working on what we could study here in the desert before we head out to the mountains in Colorado. Thinking we may do a little work with Roadrunners. The other morning I opened my door in my RV and right there next to my truck was a Roadrunner. That has to be a sign, right?
Currently, I’m talking with a sailing instructor in Seatle that seems very good. He has circumnavigated the world several times. Part of what I need to learn is open water sailing. So I have been searching for the right teacher for a couple of months. I love Seatle to it will be fun if this works out.
This amazing photo below was taken by Oliver Sjöström
That’s the update for our expedition documentary. The title of our documentary is still up in the air. We have a ways to go and may go through several working titles. We started the Life Research Project, so that is a possibility.
Yes, friends, I can hear you saying, “have you ever had a Cinnabon?” Of course, I have who hasn’t but and this is a big but, challenges mean HUGE change is coming!
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You can say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.”–Eleanor Roosevelt
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Challenges have to drug me through change that feels like rolling down a briar patch hill at full speed. Bruises, cuts, stickers and a BIG owe damnit. If you’re like me, sometimes we fight change because of old habits and paradigms we need to shed like a snakeskin.
A Challenge, Quit or Win it’s your Choice!
When you learn to embrace challenges, life opens up in a whole new way. An easy analogy would be beginning a diet. At first, it’s a real challenge to put down a Soda, put down the ice cream bowl, put down a big juicy hamburger. It takes a reconditioning of our mindset to conquer this challenge. Willpower is tested to the nth degree.
Often we cave into temptation because of the pain of change at that moment is too high. Until we overcome that challenge to our will, we continue to struggle.
Here is how I overcome challenges that, in the beginning, maybe painful. Most change for a brief time is painful, just saying!
Resolve yourself to the fact that on the other side of this change, is that which you truly desire. Meditate on the end result daily, multiple times if needed.
Keep faith in your heart. Hope that you can do that which you desire.
Any discomfort is temporary. Change does not take the balance of your life to achieve. Really, you can’t take a month or two to make a notable lasting difference in your life? Come on!
No matter how dim it looks, how challenging it becomes never lose hope.
Make time every day to focus solely on the challenge and overcome fears that surround it.
Some will say easier said than done. Agreed!
If you don’t overcome fear, overcome pain, then nothing will change. You have to want it bad enough, the discomfort is temporary.
When challenge rears its head, you can be sure the enemy is behind this. The enemy does not want you to win. Don’t cave in! On the other side of this is the life God has for you. Nothing worth having comes without a price.
The price you pay when you successfully navigate to the other side of the challenge you will tell yourself, “I would have endured a thousand times more to have what I have achieved today.”
Giving up is a bad habit for a temporary problem. Make a choice with me today, that giving up or giving in is no longer an option in your life! God bless.
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