The STAND OUTS from my conversation with Steve Maraboli today, October 8, 2009 LIVE WITH INTENTION
download the interview at empoweredlivingradio.com or search Steve Maraboli at iTunes
I love my conversations with Steve Maraboli. His enthusiasm is contagious. His commitment to service and to good thinking is inspiring. He’s funny, smart and a great conversationalist. A full hour flies by and it feels as if we have been talking for about ten minutes.
The involvement of synchronicity in the development of our monthly series: the day we were scheduled to talk to each other one to one, Steve encountered my poetry on a poster in a hospital he was at with his mom. The words LIVE WITH INTENTION meant a lot to Steve at that moment and when he realized my name was at the end of it – it struck him as particularly significant.
Things that Steve said in the course of our conversation that I wrote down:
“I’m most honest when I’m scared or in trouble. I wrote things in my notebook when I was in the military being deployed somewhere – I was a genius at those times.”
“Falling asleep is when I most out of my own way.”
“Every day I’m going to do WHAT I can WHILE I can.”
“Each day I wake up and there’s a gift at the end of my bed – waiting to be opened. Each day is a gift. I exhaust myself with the blessings of the day. Many people play with an older box - A box from a different day. I go into tomorrow with no rules -(from the past) just a brand new box.”
“You’re not pulled by anything – you’re driven by your mission, your intentions.”
“A lot of times the truth isn’t dressed for our occasion.”
During our break Steve played a clip from a public speech. In it he talked about how intentions are part of the formula but they are not everything. Intention has to partner with action. And then he challenged people to, “Unass their couch.” And, he assured his listeners that, “Unass” is a real word, by the way!”
Ww explored how our habits, our history, our past…can control our present. Jonathan wrote in and asked how I dealt with difficult days. Days when things are not “quite right.” My coauthor, another Jonathan (Lockwood Huie) in Simply An Inspired Life calls those things that show up in our days, our shadows. People tend to try and disregard the shadows and only pay attention to the positive. The Light. But even the brightest light casts a shadow! I suggested that one must stand up, turn around and face that history. Instead of trying to drown out its impact, allow its voice to speak to you. Ask, “What are you here for and what do you have to teach me?” It occurred to me that another “Marabolism” could apply here…”UNASS YOUR PAST.” Indeed, stop sitting on your past. Rise up. Face it and allow the lesson to occur to you so that you can release it and move on. People can sit with their past on the ride into today. Don’t you love it, Steve? “Unass Your Past.” When it’s a book, I’ll want to read it.
There are patterns that both Steve and I use to focus ourselves in our days. He conducts a “funeral” for each of his days before he sleeps. I write in a dated log my lessons, connections, frustrations I’m letting go and celebrations I want to embrace.
In the morning I have several processes: an intellectual pursuit, spiritual exploration and writing processes. Now I’m using:
THE INTELLECTUAL DEVOTIONAL – AMERICAN HISTORY ((KIDDER/OPPENHEIM);
365 EXCUSE ME (MINA PARKER)
CREATING A CHARMED LIFE (VICTORIA MORAN)
I write in a book dedicated to this process either a general vision/intention for my life or a gratitude I want to express.
I review my written intentions and my personal mission statement that I post in the front of my journal. I write in my journal or on a slip of paper the significances I want to address in the day.
What I forgot to mention on the radio is that I play a word puzzle. It’s the last thing I do before I get out of bed in the morning. It gets my mind in the space of problem solving and strategic thinking. A good mindset readying myself for whatever might come my way in the day.
Mike wrote in validating that the practical steps we provide listeners when we talk are really helpful and that led to this suggestion… CONNECT to you own intentions by recording peak moments, “aha” experiences or things that really motivate and energize you. Write those things down, individually, as they occur on small pieces of paper. Collect those papers. Follow this practice for several weeks and you can review the things you’ve written and begin to identify a pattern of the things which may form the basis of your life mission/intention.
Spiros wrote and asked how I keep my artistic soul alive in my everyday activities. I use my craft to create supportive and personal connections, both for myself and to others. I decorate the journal I use in artful ways that are meaningful and inspiring to me. I create cards as gifts for friends and people I want to acknowledge or thank. I adopt a deployed soldier through Soldiersangels.org and write and send things to support him and to share with our military personnel.
DID YOU LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW? I WOULD ENJOY LEARNING WHAT STOOD OUT FOR YOU?
