I Freely Admit That I Am A Sam Fanboy. Simple Things, Friends, Simple Things.

I freely admit that I am a Sam fanboy. Simple things, friends, simple things.

One of the most frustrating things for me is dealing with people who constantly complain about anxiety and depression and expect that some words from me can help but will not even do simple things like get more sleep, eat a healthy diet, take a 30 minute walk at dusk or meditate for 20 minutes a day. They are in a prison of their own making with the key in their hands. Yes, these simple things can change lives.

Simpler Times

When people wish they could return to simpler times, what do they truly mean? Often, there is a desire to return to childhood and youth, or even to travel back to a different era of history, one without the fears and complications of our modern world. But what are they really seeking?

If we look at the times they wish to return to, the trend seems to be to relinquish a certain amount of control and power over their lives. No more managing your appointments and meetings and trying to find time for love all on your iPad, your Blackberry, your fifty different planners. And to be sure, having so much control over every waking minute of our lives is a scary thing. As I talked about before, there is definitely a comfort in relinquishing control.

But it is not the control that people really wish to relinquish, but the opposite: they wish to relinquish the feeling of powerlessness. Having such a technological world gives us immense power over our lives, but it also highlights the areas where we lack power. We are very much at the mercy of our bosses, our government, even our neighbors. But this would not change, even if we were to travel back to our youth, back to the romanticized past. The world will always be divided into areas where we have control, and areas where we will not, and this is okay. What is needed, then, is a change of perspective. We must give up trying to control that which is beyond us focus on the choices we can make right in front of us. We cannot change the minds of other people any more than we can change the weather around us. By accepting this, we can find much more happiness in our lives and compassion for the lives of others.

(via 109. ZEN FABLE: The river crossing)

Optimism is Not Insane (by vlogbrothers)

This is what gives me faith in the Path.

This, I believe, is a fairly bold and accurate expression of Dao.

This is the need for discernment.

I often refer to these images from the HSBC ads a few years ago to talk about interpretation of images/symbols in artworks and how our experiences can alter how we read things.

edit: added more from @sevenhued-cerise