chaotic whimsey, unhinged

count the red flags that dot an ever ending field of scattered pathways.

adherence to muted principles leads one to reconsider the source of all social gluten.

infused with creative drippings that motivate muscle, positive harmonic imbalances,

and simulated creative leakages in patterns I could only wish to articulate.

desiring only to share enough to get others thinking, talking, taking action,

questioning, and impulsively digesting their own chaotic whimsy.

-b2

Go HERE Now.......(please) - Bryan Byrd - without makeup

-b2 'dream big, act swiftly....'


https://www.facebook.com/b2publishing

Small, incremental changes can improve your life - Restitutions PART 3

Back in school I knew guy who literally ran off an joined the circus. He didn't have to run far. We lived in Central Florida and were only a couple of hours drive from the home of the Greatest Show on Earth and their world famous Clown College.

When I caught up with him a few years later he was following the elephants with a wheel barrow and shovel. I asked him if ever thought about getting a 'real job'. He said, "What? And give up show business!"

Seriously, sometime the fear of change can immobilize even the bravest among us. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Since New Years day I've been writing about making RESTITUTIONS instead of resolutions. And together we have been wrestling with the idea that there are some things we owe to ourselves that can be accomplished through small, incremental changes.

If you haven't yet read the first two installments, I strongly encourage you to go back and check them out right now:

How to make a New Year's RESTITUTION

Restitutions Realized - Making Good in the New Year - Part 2

So far we have:

• taken a quick look in the rear view mirror
• made a list of 3 things we feel need to be RESTORED in our lives
• Read the list out loud to ourselves
• Shared the list with another human being / potential accountability partner

Congratulations! You have already made some serious progress towards positive change that can lead to the life of your dreams.

Now that we have our road maps, it's time to 'hit the road'. We are ready to begin making small, incremental changes to our daily lives.

Pick one of the items from your list. Don't over think it, just grab one.

Take a blank piece of paper, or open a new Word document, and write this item on the top of the page.

Spend no more than 3 minutes writing down every roadblock you can think of that has kept you from accomplishing this, or has deterred you from trying. We need a complete brain dump here. Right it all down. You will NOT be sharing this with anyone, so let it all come out on the page.

Go ahead, do it now. I'll wait.

This is me waiting.

Okay, all done?

Great!

 Here is what I came up with when I did this exercise:

Submit three short stories for publication and / or writing contests

Roadblocks:

• Only have two half written stories
• My third story idea isn't 'flushed out' yet
• Have not been making enough time to write
• Not sure who to submit to
• feel overwhelmed by amount of contests and publications
• havn't made time for proper research
• need to read the publications or past winner of contests to better understand expectations
• Fighting doubts about the quality of my writing, my ideas, and my execution of story lines
• Will anyone read it
• I'll get rejected
• I won't get a response at all

Okay, I think you get the idea.

Let it all out. Then, when you are done with your list, remember no more than 3 minutes, I want you to put it way. That's right, put it away in a safe, private place and let it sit there. Just for a day or two. Let it simmer.

Besides, we've made some real progress. Time for a break.

So, go read a book, take a walk, or what ever it is you do when you do what you do.  



Please send your questions, comments, and good gazpacho recipes to b2publishing@gmail.com

If you wish to receive email updates on this blog enter your email in the box at the top of the page, or click
HERE

Or, if you want to let me have it and let the whole world see, you can post a comment below.

But either way, don't forget,......... 'dream big, act swiftly....' - b2

RESTITUTIONS Realized - 'Making Good' in the New Year - Part 2

I couldn't help but notice that the grocery stores have moved all of the protein shakes and energy bars to the front end caps. They are obviously hoping to cash in the on the many, yet often short lived, promises to shed a few pounds before spring.

While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with using the momentum of a fresh calendar as a spring board for well intended self improvement efforts, I do share in the well publicized cynicism of February's failures to execute. Let's face it, most resolutions are doomed from the start and are rarely taken seriously by your contemporaries.

In my recent post How to make a New Years' RESTITUTION.....  we explored the idea that what we really needed was to restore what was rightfully ours to begin with: our hopes and dreams. By 'making good' the promises we had made to ourselves in years gone by we can recapture the magic and passion that lifts our souls and inspires us to live mighty.

If you have not yet I encourage you to take a moment to read the original post - Click HERE. Because before we can move forward and discuss next steps, you need to have completed your homework assignment.

Here's mine:

3 things that I need to 'make good' or restore in my life:

1. Finish gathering at least 80 of my most inspirational poems for potential inclusion in my first book - 'Find YOUR Mountaintop', uncommon poetry for everyday folks
2. Submit three short stories for publication and / or writing contests.
3. Send letters of inquiry to at least three literary agents (one lock, one stretch, and one dream).

There it is, down and dirty. Nothing complicated, nothing expensive, no long term gym memberships. Just three things that have been on my mind, kept me up at night, and have been hanging over my head for way too long.

But by simply writing them down I have taken a very important step in make them come to fruition, and therefore helping my wildest dreams come true.

Now it's your turn. Go ahead and pull out those lists. Keep in mind this is my third year doing this, your list does not need to be as long winded or have to have a cohesive theme. You may remember that list back in 2011 was quite a bit simpler:

• Find and use the farthest parking space from a building entrance.
• Use stairs and avoid escalators and elevators whenever possible.
• Train myself to do 1 'real' push up

 So take a moment, right now, to pull out your list. And if you did not do your homework, I'm not here to judge, just to encourage you to finish what you started.

You may notice something about both of my lists, then and now. I don't get into much detail about HOW I am going to accomplish these tasks or refer to any tools or partners that may be utilized along the way.

The list is merely our road map.

'If you don't know where you are going, you might not get there.' - Yogi Berra

NEXT STEPS:

• Make your list (if you have not already done so)
• don't dwell, keep it simple
• if you find this intimidating please read THIS. (go, read it now. I'll wait here.)
• Read your list out loud to yourself
• this will either help it sink in, or help you realize where it may need more honesty
• Share it with another person
• someone who will not be quick to judge or criticize (a potential accountability partner)
• email it to me at b2publishing@gmail.com  (I promise not to giggle or snicker)

That's it for today. Remember, we aren't going after a quick fix or a band-aid. This is about small, incremental, changes to daily life which can, over time, develop into healthy habits that will help you realize your dreams.


*Be sure to share any thoughts, ideas, or challenges by using the comments field below.

**If you have question that you feel may not quite be ready for prime time, send me an email at b2publishing@gmail.com.

***Also, don't forget to sign up for email updates so that you won't miss a beat - Click HERE.

But MOST importantly, 'dream big, act swiftly....' - b2