Blocks of Life

Double exposure of girl and autumn landscape

June 11, 2016June 4, 2016 by Pete Wiley

Signals

The Universe is talking to us all the time; it’s up to us to listen.

We all have signals in our life that let us know something is not quite right—signals that we should acknowledge and on which we should act.

These signals include how we feel, physically and emotionally. They also include how people react to us or the state of our relationships, how we spend our time, our energy level, and our ability to focus. Each of these can say a lot about the state of our lives.

Do we pay attention to these signals? Do we even know what they are?

May 28, 2016December 8, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Time

What is the most valuable commodity?

Plutonium? Diamonds? Platinum?

I bet many people would say that it’s time.

Yes, I know—time is not technically a commodity, but we often treat it like one—we save it, trade it, and consume it.

How do we respond to all the demands on our time?

Some people treat it as a public good, or as something that is available on a first-come, first-served basis, to anyone. They give of their time freely, to whomever asks for it. Although that approach can produce some interesting results, most of us have too many responsibilities to be able to give away our time so generously.

May 14, 2016November 19, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Choice

None of us ever has to do anything.

Of course there are many things we should do, even things we’re required to do. But we don’t have to do any of them.

So many of us get into patterns that make us feel like we don’t have any free will, but that is an illusion.

We all have responsibilities. We all have choices that, in our minds, are not really choices at all.

Each of us has a particular lifestyle. When we are faced with choices that, on their surface, seem inconsistent with our lifestyles, we tend to dismiss them out of hand. This attitude puts artificial boundaries on our lives that limit our experiences and close our minds.

in Open Mind / Proactive 1 comments

April 30, 2016November 23, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Sleep

Sleep is our opportunity to recharge, a time to let the day’s bumps and bruises—both psychological and physical—heal. It is a natural break in our daily routine that allows us to reset and try again the next day.

For some, sleep is just another part of life. Like eating or breathing, it is an activity that sustains their lives and allows them to function.

For others, sleep is a magical place that they can never get to often enough.

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April 16, 2016October 11, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Adventure

When we were children, we were constantly pushing our boundaries, learning what we can do, and then going beyond what we have done. This involves taking risks, trying new things and learning about the world. For a child, everything is an adventure and horizons are constantly expanding.

As we get older, it is easy to become jaded—life becomes routine and we lose our ability to see new things even when they are right in front of us. We begin to acquire commitments and responsibilities, and we tend toward living safer, more stable lives. But does that mean that we shouldn’t continue to take risks or do exciting things? Absolutely not.

Adventure and stability are not mutually exclusive.

in Emotions / Open Mind 0 comments