This is a self improvement blog that is written by life coach Andrew Carlson. He mentors people in the Friends in Film program along with other people searching to find themselves. Make sure to subscribe for new posts, giveaways, and more!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day Two & Three: Gratitude Rock/Friendships - Part 2

Yesterday's practice was to find a gratitude rock (which I already have) and carry it around with me forever. When I take it out of my pants at the end of the day, right before I fall asleep, I think of the BEST thing that happened to me that day. Rinse and repeat daily forever.

Today's practice is to find three pictures of relationships that I would like to make improve or make stronger. Then I need to write what I'm most grateful about for that person. Throughout the day I need to look at the pictures, read aloud what I wrote on the back, and say thank you while really feeling gratitude that they are in my life.

---

There are times in life when it just seems like I'm drowning. No matter how much I practice gratitude, something will happen that will make me... pause. The trick to the law of attraction is to learn how to trust and believe. Trusting that everything will be okay when everything seems like it's crashing down isn't the easiest task. Then when one thing starts looking better, another will happen that will make me question everything which brings me back to that drowning feeling.

It's a never ending cycle or so it feels like. When the Universe throws something at me that has to deal with a portion of my dreams, how can I not feel sad about it? How am I supposed to remain grateful for life when something I've always wanted to do may never be able to happen?

I'll be upfront with anyone reading this blog.

I'm having a surgical procedure that may cause me to never go scuba diving. I may need to have a device installed to keep my heart beating normally permanently which would result in a dream of mine to go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef to be diminished. It brought me to a dark place where I didn't think I would get out of.

Well here I am feeling grateful that there are procedures out there that will help my life be a little easier even with a little minor inconvenience. At least it doesn't stop me from traveling all together, without traveling, I wouldn't be able to pursue my new business.

So I leave you here with my last thought. I want to write my book. My book isn't going to be a fiction story of adventure, romance, and excitement. My book is going to be a nonfiction masterpiece filled with action, adventure, romance, love (which is already noted in my book), and much, much more. Don't waste your life wishing you would do something, or chase after your dream. Do what you love to do. CREATE something that is meaningful to you. Just because 99% of the world can't make money doing something that YOU love, doesn't mean you can't think of the right business to start up which will turn your passion into a money making idea.

Don't spend your life dwelling on things you cannot change. What you can change is your attitude. Your attitude will change the outcome of your life. Focus on the positives, what you are grateful for, and everything that you have ever wanted will manifest into your life.

With that in mind, I'm going to make money taking vacations with other people. Don't believe me? Follow this blog and my journey. I hope you will join me on my vacations in 2013. See you on the plane.

Light, Love, and Blessings.

3 comments:

  1. Andrew,

    Last year I had an awful cold, so bad that I suffered some hearing loss. I went to the clinic and they sent me to a specialist. The specialist basically told me that my hearing is probably going to give out a lot earlier than most people. At the time he thought I would lose most of my hearing within a few months to a year, but thank God, they tested further and found out that I was at least safe for now. At the same time this was going on, I found out that the last of my dad's siblings to still have complete vision had finally been officially rendered blind, meaning that my dad and all of his siblings are now blind, some partial and some totally. More significantly, it means that whatever gene that caused my dad's blindness is likely a dominant gene, so it's almost a certainty that I'll lose my vision to some extent before I hit 50.

    It was a hard time for me, and I had to do a lot of soul searching. You know me. I'm an A/V guy, and probably will be to my dying day. I have been a sound engineer since the young age of 15, and I was running studio cameras for a broadcast not long after that. For someone who is madly in love with all things AV and film related, having to face the possibility that someday not too long from now you will likely be blind and deaf hurts a whole lot.

    In my soul searching I finally came to a conclusion. Sometimes God gives us passion for something, and for whatever reason puts up a roadblock to prevent us from getting there. The only reason I can figure out is that he wants to test our mettle, to give our character a workout and to see if, as you said, we can have the insight to realize that the only thing we're in control of is our attitude, so we aught to make the most of that.

    I'm not going to stop dreaming about what it would be like to be the next Ridley Scott, Stephen Spielberg, or George Lucas, even though the genetic lottery tells me that it won't happen. There's not enough good time left with my hearing and sight to make it as a multi-hit A-list producer/director. Who knows if there's enough time to get my name on one true feature film? But we have dreams for a reason, even if they seem to be difficult or impossible to achieve. Hopefully that makes sense, as it's getting late!

    Be well my friend. You'll be in my prayers regarding this procedure. If all goes well, I hope to see you soon. If not when you finally come here, perhaps when I hopefully come visit in January.

    Peace!

    Jim

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrew,
    You are right on to realize that the existence of the operation to help with your continued good health is a blessing. That hasn't always been the case--how lucky that you can get that done and boom...continue experiencing and enjoying life! Yay!
    Sending good thoughts for the procedure. Let me know when it's taking place.
    Alicia :))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andrew
    The older I get the more I am reminded of how valuable health is. It is so important and truly makes its way into allour lives/ Best of luck to you.

    I really enjoy tour blog.

    Dan

    ReplyDelete