LIFE & LOSS

LIFE & LOSS
2 SIDES OF THE SAME COIN!!!!!!

2012 has begun, and I was hoping to have a year without loss. 2011 was filled and ended with quite alot of loss.

I returned home last night to email messages on facebook, that yet again another friend and the first of 2012 has unexpectedly died.

This is now the 7th friend that I have learned on facebook has died. So bizare.

I woke up this morning really wiped out. I looked out my bedroom window and was able to see that there was going to be a really beautiful sunrise. I contemplated going back to bed because I was exhausted. Instead I put on some clothes and ran down to the beach to watch the day begin.
While there I decided to honor my friends life, by claiming this sunrise as his.

After I greeted the day and said goodbye to my friend, I got back home and crawled into bed. I did not know if I was physically or psychologically tired. I slept until 9am, and than forced myself out of bed.

I needed to start my day.......I did not know what that was going to mean today.

It was a GORGEOUS DAY today....I managed to go for a run, and than walked the boardwalk. I decided to just sit at the beach and just BE. While sitting there I met a girl named Bonnie.
She and I had an hour plus conversation about LIFE & LIVING IT.

Upon returning home, I was emotional and realized that I was struggling. I was conflicted about going into NYC for the services. I normally deal with death well.

I AM NOT AFRAID TO DIE.
I think Larry's death is really affecting me because it is a culmination of all of the loss I have had over the past six months. Everyone was with in ten years of my age.
They were YOUNG.

LESON......LIFE IS TO BE LIVED!!!!!!! NOW!
NOT AT SOME LATER DATE.

Like I said, I am not afraid to die, but this has all brought to mind the realization that I may not be able to do all that I want with my life.

Why??? BECAUSE TIME MOVES QUICK AND IS RUNNING SHORT.

DO NOT PUT OFF LIVING! IF YOU DO, YOU MAY NOT GET THE CHANCE.

R.I.P LARRY
You will be missed.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 2 ME.

Happy Anniversary.

It has been three years since I decided to take a huge LEAP OF FAITH.
I decided after almost twenty-five years to go in search of my PASSION.

I was not a very happy person for quite some time leading up to my exit from Los Angeles.
1/28/09 was the chosen day. I had no idea how it was all going to turn out, but I knew it was time to make some major changes. I knew I wanted to get out of LA for many years but was stopped by my FEAR of if not LA, than what?

I must say the past three years have been AMAZING. It has been an incredible MID-LIFE ADVENTURE.
I was in the fortunate position as the global economy was in ruins, I essentially have been on a continueous vacation.

I set myself up so I can really take sometime without the financial pressure of having to work right away. I was able to try new things and see what fit.
I did get certified to teach english. I thought that would be a good certificate to get seeing I loved to travel and eventually would need to start making money again. Throughtout these past three years I have really become very passionate about photography and seeking out the beauty the world has to offer. I want to tell peoples stories.

I have always been a closeted artist. On this journey I have come to appreciate myself as a photographer and know that I have a gift that I want to share.

My business card says " SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH MY EYES " No one other than me can do that.

These three years have been me continually THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
For that I will be forever grateful. I have many wonderful creative projects that I am working on and very excited to be able to soon share with the world.

I am now in the position that I need to get that SURVIVAL JOB again.
I am excited and yet at the same time not really looking forward to having to sell my time for money.

Either way it will all work out.......I am a different person than the person I was three years ago. Now I will do what needs to be done so I can continue doing what it is in life that I want to do.

I encourage everyone to give themselves a break from their routine. Whatever that may be and for however long they may need to FOLLOW THEIR PASSION AND TO SOUL SEARCH.

GIVING MYSELF THAT GIFT, HAS BENEFITTED ME IN WAYS, ONE CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND IF THEY HAVE HAD THE LUXURY OF EXPERIENCING THEMSELVES.

TAKE THE LEAP...IT WILL NOT ALL BE SMOOTH SAILING.....THERE WILL BE OBSTACLES......THAT IS ALL A PART OF THE JOURNEY.

THE OBSTACLES ARE WHAT MAKES US STRONGER. WE REALIZE THAT YES WE CAN.

ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE LIGHT TO GUIDE YOU.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE

One Life to Live

One of the things we all have in common.
HOW WILL YOU LIVE YOURS???????

This weeks entry was inspired by the 43 year run of one of my favorite soap operas which I have watched for 32 years.

The show aired it's final episode on friday January 13, 2012

I have been for years a huge soap opera fan. I was introduced to soap operas by my grandmother who watched General Hospital from the very first episode until she passed away in 1995.

May seem silly seeing many people think soap operas are stupid mindless television, that one would learn lessons from the world of soaps.

The lesson that I have learned is that NOTHING LASTS FOREVER.
We do not know when ouR own story will come to a CLOSE.

We are all here because we have a story that we are suppose to tell.
Our stories are very personal and are all different, just like our DNA

So many of us put our stories on hold for many reasons. I believe one of the biggest reasons is FEAR. Fear of exposing ourselves and leaving ourselves open to critisism, or not feeling that our story is worth telling.

What we need to realize is that by sharing our stories, we could inspire others to share theirs.

After my many years of reading self-help books, What I have learned is that our purpose as human beings is to SHARE OUR GIFTS and TO BE OF SERVICE.

We are on this planet together and need to work to preserve what we have, and to repair what has been damaged for future generations.

I wish for all of you who are not telling your story, PLEASE START.
Remember you never know how sharing your story can help another to begin their BEST LIFE.

On the eve of the Martin Luther King Holiday, DO NOT FORGET YOUR DREAM.
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO LIVE IT, AND TO THE WORLD TO SHARE IT

Removing the Net or WWJD

So here we are almost two weeks into the new year.

By now resolutions that were made have been broken by many.
It is so important to STAY FOCUSED.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE GOAL.

It is crazy, I have two friends a married couple from back home, that for lack of a better word I have been coaching. They are life long friends who have been married for many years and throughout their marriage decided not to have children.

They have a nice life. They are free agents and love to travel.

They moved back to the hometown after years of being away. Family illness brought them home.
First it was my friend's mom and than step-dad who both eventually passed away. After that a cancer diagnosis for her sister who thankfully is ok now.

Well fast forward ten plus years and they wound up staying and are now feeling stuck.

THEY WANT OUT.

Over the past couple of years since I have been meeting with them they have wanted to start fresh somewhere.
MAKE A CHANGE.......ANYWHERE. They just are not sure where.

They both think more like me, and would like to live the way I do, but they are surrounded by people living that 9-5 life. You know LIVE WITHIN THE LINES.

So they have become fearful because they are surrounded by those who play SAFE and those who do not play at all.

I told these friends they have NOTHING TO LOSE and EVERYTHING TO GAIN.

They are letting fear creep in and stop them. I told them that fear would keep them STUCK.

Fear is crippling.

FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.

There is absolutely no reason these two should not be on an amazing adventure.
They are finacially sound seeing they saved well. They also have a house they can sell.

It is just the two of them.....They need to only be responsible to one another.

During our first meeting, my friend said she was going to make a braclet that said WWJD

I said what does that mean. "What Would Jesus Do" She said, "NO, What Would Joey Do" I laughed.

For the past two years I have been a cheerleader for them.

I can't wait until they finally say Yes to their life by removing the safety net and beginning the JOURNEY OF THEIR NEW LIFE.

I keep telling them like Nike said..........JUST DO IT.

YOUR LIFE IS WAITING FOR YOU.

Go team Shelly and Billy.

GO FOR THE GOLD.

Your ship is ready to take you on your adventure.

A Fresh Start

HNY-2012
Chance to begin again. Chance to do things different.

I as many of us am always excited as one year ends and a new one begins.

A new one filled with PROMISE and HOPE. A year that will be my best year ever.
We go into the new year with such enthusiasm. Saying things like "It is going to be different this year" or "This is going to be my year"

I have been on a three year amazing journey filled with wonderful adventure,travel,creative
re-birth, loss and many lessons.

What I realized is that it is crucial that we our true to ourselves.

That road can often be a long and lonely road with many sacrifices along the way.

We must trust that in the end, whatever the cost is worth it.

The new year for me is always a mix of emotions of yes I am going to take the world this year and at the same time exhausted by thought.

In creeps the self-doubt that I am so familiar with.
That area is one that I still have to work on.

2011 has been filled with excitement and PASSION FOR ME.
I want to remain in that state of NIRVANA that I have tapped into.
I MUST STAY THE COURSE. STAY FOCUSED.

It is easy to get distracted by all of those that live their lives safely in the box of COMFORT and STABILITY.

Sometimes I wish that could be me. IT JUST IS NOT.

I am a boy with a DREAM that I want realized.
So I must take the pledge to honor my DREAMS AND DESIRES.

I Encourage each and everyone of you to do the same.

Ask yourself the question.......What would my life look like if I was living my dream?

If your life does not look like that than you have some work to do to live YOUR BEST LIFE.
You own it to yourself and the world to SHARE YOUR GIFT.

All the best.
Peace