You've got to know when to hold, and know when to fold.

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There comes a time when decisions have to be made.  A time when the direction of your life will play it self out, and a time when what you thought was going to be, ends up not "being" at all.  Wouldn't it be great if everything was perfect and never a set-back or disappointment occurred?

I've watched over the last view weeks as this nation seems to be tearing at the seams.  Half the country wants this direction, while the other half wants another.  I've seen friend pitted against friend, and some friendships ended because one group was more successful then the other group.  I'm watching as this country becomes more and more divided, and to be honest it has set a fire in my belly that quite frankly needed to be set.

Everyone is talking about love winning out, yet what I am witnessing is anything but love.  I'm going to be pretty frank today and if this blog offends some people I make no apologies for it.  If anyone knows me, they know that I speak from my heart, and I speak the truth as I know it.  First things first:  true love begins with the understanding of who and what we are.  We are spiritual beings who just happen to inhabit a mortal body.  There are many who will never understand true spirituality.  There are others who have begun their trek toward spiritual understanding, and there are many who have made the leap to enlightenment.  Where you fall on the scale is up to you, but not understanding the significance of your being is what is tearing us apart.

I was having a discussion with a close friend yesterday.  Both her and I are at a crossroads, and as we were talking it was becoming clear to each of us that the things that are happening right now are happening for a reason and we were both at the right place at the right time with the messages that are resonating in our own spirit.  There is a huge divide but there are loving, spiritually centered people, who have been positioned to close the gap.  There are loving individuals whose only desire is for others to understand what true love is all about.  My calling is to inspire others to reach for their destiny, to understand the reason for their being here right now.  Each of us has a calling, and I will tell you that spewing hate and discontent is never a part of a true calling.

If you look back at history one would have to be an idiot not to recognize some of the dreadful things that have taken place in our history.  The way we have treated certain classes of people is abysmal.  When one group of people tries to overpower and dominate another group simply because they feel they are superior is nothing short of horrific.  If you look back at our history you would have to be an idiot not to recognize that we have made big mistakes by not seeing people for who and what they truly are.  Here in lies the problem:  how can one see people for who they really are when individuals don't have a clue as to who they are?  If you continually see yourself as a failure, as a nothing, how in the world will you ever be able to see the best in others.  You have to see the best in yourself if you are ever going to see what is best in the world.

As I watch the division in our country I have to wonder what some of the people are thinking.  If every person in our country knew how special they were, how incredibly gifted they were, and how unique they were, do you think we would be watching the division grow and grow?  Instead of tearing people down why aren't we lifting them up?  Why aren't we doing whatever we can do to help someone achieve an understanding of their own greatness?

I've been following social media in-depth the last few weeks and let me tell you I've never seen such hate and discontent in my life.  Now I'm not a Dem or a Republican.  I like some of what each party stands for, but I try to be tolerant of each side simply because I would hope others would be tolerant of my stands and beliefs.  What I am seeing right now is anything but tolerance, and it's not getting any better.  I would hope that I'm not the only one that feels this way.  Why is it we have people who truly hate another person and that hate is trumping everything else?  That last statement was not a pun I assure you.

I can't change who is sitting in the Oval Office.  The county has spoken and contrary to what you may say or think, we have a President, and even if you claim he is not, let me assure you, he is.  Why don't we find the areas we can agree on, work on them, and maybe see if there isn't another area that we can come close to an agreement on.  If we work together, then together we can see the changes we desire.  If we remain divided I assure you things will only get worse.  I love this country and I love the fact that I can pursue my dreams.  If we all went after our dreams and didn't get side tracked by other detractors do you think we might see something different going on right now?  I don't know about you but I am tired of the divisiveness.  I'm tired of one party crapping on the other, and I'm so tired of always having to dissect the truth from the lies.

I know that today's blog is a little different, but these are different times we live in and someone has to bring a calm into the picture.  We can get through this, but it will only happen when we all become more familiar with our greater side, and trust me there are many, many people out there who have forgotten, or have never begun to see the greater side of who they are.  It is time to heal our land and that healing will begin once you begin to heal as well.

When will it all end?

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We are living in a broken system.  We are living in a time where love and trust has been broken.  We are living in a time when many will ask, "when will it all end?"  When will the hate stop?  When will the division stop?  When will the people come together with one vision, one hope, and with one mind and heart?  If you are standing in the corner, holding your breath,  waiting for each of these things to happen, you may turn blue long before the events ever take place. That doesn't mean they won't happen, it just means we are a ways away from this country being united in anything.

I stepped away from politics several years ago.  The main reason was I was tired and had been active for many years.  My one desire those many years ago was that one day I would be able to witness a country that was truly united.  A country with one vision, one hope, and yes, one heart.  During this most recent election cycle I have seen the best in people, and I have seen the worst.  I have seen dreams dashed, and I have observed hopes fulfilled.  Sadly what I didn't see was unity.  We still live with those who hate, those who despise, and those who say and do awful, awful things.  I've observed all of this at almost every level of government, local, state, and federal.  Here's my question:  when will it end? When will the division end?  When will we finally learn that only when we operate out of one mind, will true prosperity and freedom come to everyone in our country.

I've watched social media since the election, and have seen it inch it's way up the discomfort level day by day.  People who will banish friends simply because they voted for the other "guy"or "gal".  I've seen people fearful of saying one thing because it may not be politically correct, or at least correct in the eyes of anyone who voted, once again, for the other "guy or gal".  I've seen what was labeled as a peaceful protest turn to destruction and hate.  This is not a country united. We are divided and we are broken.  When love is lost or broken, when there is no room for opposing views, all that is left is fear and disharmony.  I've had enough of this, and I have decided to step up my game and take a stand against it.

For the last five years I have been blogging and writing about destiny.  I've encouraged others to step back and determine what they truly desired out of life and have tried to usher in a new revival of vision and hope.  There's an old proverb that says a house divided cannot stand.  Well our country is a house divided.  We are governed by a group of people whose only priority is to either maintain a grip on power, or to obtain power.  These so called leaders have forgotten that government is by the people and for the people, and this must change.

Loving your country is loving everyone in your country.  Love is not based on whether you agree with them politically.  Love is not based on whether they belong to your political party.  Love is based on knowing the importance of each person, and realizing that each person has a destiny, and your only desire should be that each person walks in their destiny.  I can assure you that love is not the governing power behind much of what I have seen over the last three or four months. Hell, love has not governed this nation for many, many years.  It is any wonder we are in such a mess?

If you are as tired as I am of seeing all the hate and division in this country, in our own towns or cities, in our own states, then maybe you will join me in ushering in a new revival of love and understanding.  Face it, love and trust has been broken, and unless we fix it, we will never see what true unity and absolute love can do for us.  We are living in a time where everything is "Gotcha".  How can we spin things to look good or bad, when the truth is neither is good or bad, simply because we really haven't any truth to base things on.  We in this country have been sold such a bill of goods over the last twenty or thirty years.  We have taken one step forward, but ten steps back in terms of openness and acceptance.

If this country is ever going to move forward and be the country we know it can be then we must usher in a new spirit of love.  If this county is ever going to regain it's status as the Greatest Nation on earth then we are going to have to forget about what is best for me, and instead look at what is best for the masses, and let me tell you what is best for the masses is not what is happening right now.  We need to bring love and trust back to our cities and towns, back to our states, and then back to our nation.

When will it all end?  I'll tell you: it will all end when we put an end to personal greed and power grabbing.  It will all end when we finally make government accountable to the people of this nation.  It will all end when we take a stand and say no more.  It will all end when we finally believe that love is the only answer and anything shy of that is simply fodder and nonsense.  Ladies and gentlemen it is time we take back our country.  It is time we take back our cities and towns, and it is time we let love be the predominate driving force behind all that we do.  To that end, I am seriously thinking about getting back into the Political Arena.  We need people of substance.  Not perfect people, because none of us are perfect.  But honest, love driven people who are not looking for accolades but rather people who are simply looking to make this place a better place for all who live around us.  If you want to help me please reach out to me.  I will be looking at this in-depth and I will be making an announcement very, very soon.

What's Next?

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We are living in ever changing times.  Just about the time you think something has stabilized you turn around and here comes the change.  Technology is changing so fast that what was current yesterday is ancient times today.  At the rate we are moving there's no telling what will be right around the next corner.

Here's the question that I have for you today:  are you seeking change, or wondering about what will be next, because you are really not thrilled with the place you find yourself in at this particular moment?  Certainly there are people who are always standing around waiting for the other shoe to drop.  They are the ones who see despair in almost everything, and they are the ones who are always wondering when Murphy's Law is going to manifest into their life.  On the other side of the coin is the person who is looking for what's next simply because they want to evolve.  These people are looking for ways to use their talents in the hopes of helping others around them be who they are supposed to be.  The "What's Next" club can have two faces and deciding which face to put on is totally up to you.

I love what Phil L. says about one's job.  I tend to look at it in a similar fashion but I also believe that the job should never define you, rather you should define the job.  I've said this so many times before but for today I hope you will show patience as I say it again.  Your self worth should never be based on what you do, nor should you be defined by the position you hold.  I am not my job.  My job is simply a function of what I do.  Sadly there are people out there whose self-worth is entirely wrapped up in what they do.  Society has done a pretty good job of placing worth on particular jobs or occupations.  If you are high up in the pecking order then you have more worth then the person at the bottom of the food chain.  I could care less what you do for work.  What I do care about is whether your work is bringing out the best in you or providing you with the platform you need to be the person you were intended to be.

I think there are two primary groups of people today.  The first group is the group who understands that change is ever present but this change is always meant to move them forward and closer to the place they are supposed to be in.  The second group, and this is the one that causes the most pain and discomfort, is the group where they always want more, always want different, and never seem to be content with anything.  Which group do you fall into?

There are so many people who are always looking toward tomorrow and what tomorrow might bring, and yet they never take the time to see what is already right in front of them.  Now don't get me wrong, I look ahead at things, but at the same time I am always thankful for those things that are present right now. Instead of always asking what is next, why not ask and seek out what is now?  Often the here and now is the one thing many want to run from, instead of learning from.  Granted some of the events of today, or even the events of tomorrow may never make it in the headlines, but these events are what have been orchestrated by the Universe to either teach you something, or get you to a particular point that you need to be at.

If there is one thing that I've learned over the years it's the simple truth that things are going to happen as they need to happen, and you will ultimately learn the things you need to learn, no matter what one might think or do.  I'm of the mindset that I would rather learn things as they need to be learned and stop trying to orchestrate everything.  There are those who always need to be in control of things, but you will never steal the control from the Universe, no matter how hard you try, or no matter how smart you may think you are.  The Universe is perfect, and in that perfection you will be where you need to be at, when you need to be there, and doing the things you need to do.

So you can spend a lot of time always asking what is next, in which case you will miss some very important things right here in the present, or you can grab hold of today and take what is yours.  I love that I get to write.  Writing is my mission, or at least part of my mission, and it is what I identify with.  What is your mission, and what do you identify with?  If you can't answer that question, know that you are not alone, but also know that there will come a time when you will have to answer it.  Knowing your mission, your purpose, is essential to you being the person you were placed here to be.  If you are always trying to figure out what is next because you have given up on what is now, then you will have a more difficult time.

When I am asking what is next I am asking from a point of anticipation for what I know is going to be a fantastic opportunity.  When I am asking what is next I simply am looking at my being able to do something that I always wanted to do.  When I ask what is next I know it comes from a place of having just completed something truly meaningful and now I get to do it again.  Yes there is a time and place to ask what is next, but the first step is to recognize your place in our universe, and acknowledging who and what you are.  Taking the next step is always fun, no matter what direction the step takes you.

We are a Country Divided.

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We are in deed a country divided.  It all starts with a single individual, then moves to a family.  From the family we go to the town, maybe a city.  After the city it reaches the county level, and before you know it, the entire state is divided.  One would hope we could stop there, but no.  Once the state goes then it's on to the entire country, then continent, and ultimately the entire planet.  There are many ingredients that go into a divided country.  One is neither more or less important then the other, they all simply play a part in the division.

I bet you're  wondering what this is all about, as I rarely enter into the political arena in this blog.  Well let me tell you that I am not going to break my rule so I will not comment on what is going on within politics other than to say that I hope everything works out.  What I am going to focus on today is the reason we are a divided country, and if we are ever going to put the pieces back together again we are going to have to make some fundamental changes in each of us.

Here's the bottom line:  we are a divided country because we singularly are a divided person.  We are torn between what we know to be truth, our own truth, and the truth that others tell us we should believe in.  We are torn between what we would love to be doing, and what we are almost forced to do.  We are torn between our own destiny and the destiny that someone else is trying to design for you.  All of this is the start of division and all of this is what needs to be fixed if the rest of the division is to stop.

If you believe as I do that everything happens for a reason, then why are there so many people out there who are refusing to accept that the Universe is perfection and everything that is going on right now is what is supposed to be going on?  I get that more then half of this nation didn't vote for the other candidate.  I also get that feelings are very strong about what direction this country is either going in, or not going in depending on your political leanings.  I've watched with amazement at some of the actions that people have taken, are planning to take, in respects to the upcoming administration.  To be totally honest it breaks my heart.  I'm not here to tell you what to believe in, or even who is or isn't the best person suited to run this country.  What I am here to do is to get you to look at you first, and then make decisions based on what is best for you.  I will never stomp on someone's right to speak their mind.  I try to speak my mind every time I sit down to write. I don't expect everyone to believe every word I write, but these are my truths, and I hope that my thoughts will somehow help you discover what your own truths are.

We are a divided country because we have allowed others to rob us of us.  We have become so focused on being something we are not, that in the process we have lost the true essence of who and what we are, and why we are here.  You are not here to simply make it through each day.  You are not here to simply do what others want you to do.  You are here to do something very specific, but you must first discover and accept what that one thing is.  I've spent years and years being everything to everyone because I thought that was my role.  In the process of trying to be perfect I lost track of what was really important.  Your happiness, your survival is what is most important, and the only way you are ever going to experience true happiness is when you are doing what you were designed to do and start doing it.

Imagine for a moment a world where every single person was aware, accepting, and holding true to the reason they were placed here.  Imagine if you will a world where every individual was walking in their destiny.  The landscape of this planet would be completely different and the results would be staggering.  When you know the real you, the authentic you, then all of this other nonsense seems to pale in comparison.  We are a divided country because so many people are divided.  How many people do you know who simply hate what they do for a living?  How many people do you know, and maybe you should include yourself, who would give anything to start all over and not fall prey to what others expect?  How many people do you know who are just miserable and hate life in general? Is it any wonder we are divided?  Divided as a person, divided as a household, town, state, country, and planet, this has to change.

There is a tendency to want to give up when you see the division that exist.  Fight the urge to give up or give in, and instead look deep into your heart and accept that there is a very specific reason for your being here.  When you see the rest of the planet seemingly almost ready to self-destruct tell yourself that you have the answer, and the answer is you.  If each person accepts their own destiny then things will happen that need to happen, and when they do, all will be right.  The Universe knows what is going on and the Universe knows what will go on.  The question I have for you is will you be in the right place at the right time to do your part?

We no longer have to be divided, and if you agree with me that division never helped any cause move forward, then maybe just maybe you are at a place where you can help bring things back together again.  You think about it for a bit and get back to me with your answers.

New beginnings, New adventures.

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The crazy and hurried days of the past holiday season are past us now. If you are like most people you are looking ahead to what one hopes is a year full of promise, full of hope, and full of everything that was missing from the previous 12 months.

Each new 365 day period ushers in new beginnings and new adventures.  The question I have for you today is will you go after each of your adventures or will you allow them to simply fade into the background with no action from you on them?  Come on, it's the New Year, and why duplicate last year's efforts, or in some cases lack of effort?  I've seen so many people who have given up on their dreams and quite frankly they already have half a foot in the grave.  If you always want to be young, feel young, and act young, then simply move forward on your dreams. You will never get old if you go after those things that are deep in your heart.

So what's the first thing you should do this new year to usher in those things you desire most?  Well quite frankly you have to be willing to admit to the things you want most in life.  There are many, many people out there who for what ever reason are unwilling to acknowledge what they want in life.  This may be a result of having been mocked or ridiculed for what they desire. Face it, the world can be a very mean place.  I saw screw the naysayers and simply scream out what you most desire right now.  Once you are able to accept those things that reside inside of you, then those things that you desire will come out to the surface, and then all you need to do is simply own them.  Here is a simple truth:  you will never have what you don't believe you can have.  There are plenty of people out there who desire wealth, but the simple truth is they don't believe they are deserving of wealth, so quite frankly wealth is something they will never have.

You are just as deserving, just as worthy,  of having whatever your heart desires as anyone else walking the planet.  Man has done a pretty good job of screwing with our minds and making us believe that success, happiness, and joy, are only for a select few.  That is utter hogwash, and the sooner you realize that your worth is based only on the fact that you are alive and breathing at this moment, the sooner you can step into those things that were always intended for you.  I've had people ask me if I ever get tired of trying to motivate others and my response is an emphatic NO!  Helping someone achieve a dream or a goal is what I was put here on this earth to do.  There is no greater joy then seeing someone who is doing what they love, and loving what they do.  There is no greater joy then knowing that I had a small part to play in someone achieving a life long dream.  The is simply no greater joy then knowing that someone has discovered the purpose behind them being here right now and then walking in that destiny to the best of their ability.

This is what a New Year should bring for in you: If you are wanting to do more with the dreams that reside in you, then recognize the simple fact that there is something you should be doing with them.  Dreams and visions are not something that simply hang around to occupy space or time.  Your dreams and visions exist because there is something you are supposed to garner from them, and the sooner you are able to gain whatever perspective you are supposed to gain from them, the better all of us will be.  I say all of us because most dreams and visions are there to help mankind.

We see people who set New Year's Resolutions.  Some are able to stick with them, and others simply let them fall to the wayside.  Let your resolution be what gets you up each morning with a joy in your heart because you are free to go after anything you desire.  I for one am extremely excited for what this next year is going to mean for me.  I have the opportunity to do some things that I have always wanted to do, and I'm eagerly anticipating success in whatever I lay my hands to.  This is the mindset that each of you are going to have to get if you want to walk in those things you desire most.  It is time to cut loose from the expectations of man and simply be the person you were always designed to be.  It's easy to try to fit into a mold that others have made for you, but that mold is not your mold, and the sooner you can free yourself from other's expectations the better off you will be.  Isn't it time that you are the one who captures all the goodness that life has to offer and not be the one who is simply watching from the sidelines as someone else gets all the glory for doing something great?

This New Year is your New Year.  It is absolutely a time of new beginnings and new adventures.  I will bet you that deep inside of you is something that wants to come out, and I am encouraging you to let it out.  Your life will change in such a dynamic way when you are able to walk in those things that you have wanted all of your life.  It's never too late to change, and it's never too late to be the person you were meant to be.  I stand with you this year and I for one am looking forward to each new adventure.  Join me in this endeavor and see what wonders will appear right in front of your eyes.