The Official Website of Michael Corthell

Support, confidence...hope. by Michael Corthell Discouragement is part of life or we wouldn't have a word for it. So the question is, how do we tame discouragement and ultimately eliminate that feeling altogether? ''In spite of everything I shall rise again: I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing.''  — Vincent Van Gogh Rejection, criticism, frustration, tough obstacles and 'learning failures' are all part of the deal. There are some fortunate souls who are immune to discouragement, this writer certainly is not and I suspect that you probably aren’t either. We must always push back the negatives in life. Push them back to the fulcrum or balance point. We do this through focused determination. Then what we need to do is recharge our motivation. It's just like resting for a day can help relieve sore muscles. R...

  True reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” ― Louis L'Amour There are two types of seeds in our minds: those thoughts that create anger, fear, frustration, jealousy, hatred and those that create love, compassion, equality and joy. Spiritual mindfulness causes the germination and sprouting of the latter and the transformation of the former. “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz

A man of quality is never threatened by a woman of equality. ― Jill Briscoe Do you like chess? I like chess, although I have never played chess. I like it for this reason― sort of a reminder: when the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box. “The Pledge of Allegiance says 'liberty and justice for all'. Which part of 'all' don't you understand?” ― Pat Schroeder

 People spend a lot of time and energy fighting the devil. If they spent the same amount of effort loving their fellow men by being kind, evil would die of neglect. 

“What I want is so simple I almost can't say it: elementary kindness.” ― Barbara Kingsolver Do you know what people really want? They want just one person they can talk to, a person who can really understand them and the person they are―who would be kind to them. That's what people really want, (if they honestly look deeply inside themselves). “When we treat people merely as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat them as if they were what they should be, they will become what they should be.” ― Thomas S. Monson

The information meme above is describing a 'nudge'. A nudge makes it more likely that an individual will make a particular choice, or behave in a particular way, by altering the environment so that automatic cognitive processes are triggered to favor the desired outcome. An individual's behavior is not always in alignment with their intentions (termed a value-action gap ). It is common knowledge that humans are not fully rational beings; that is, people will often do something that is not in their own self-interest, even when they are aware that their actions are not in their best interest.  For example, when hungry, people who diet often underestimate their ability to lose weight, and their intentions to eat healthy can be temporarily weakened until they are satiated.

  What are Social Nudges ? Nudge is a concept in behavioral economics, political theory, and behavioral sciences which proposes positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions as ways to influence the behavior and decision making of groups or individuals. Nudging contrasts with other ways to achieve compliance, such as education, legislation or enforcement.... In other words we tend to mirror the general behavior of our family, group or tribe, so therefore our lifestyles can be contagious. 

  All animals (human and nonhuman) can feel pain, and can suffer, and ought to be treated the same - with love, kindness and respect.

“I made the choice to be vegan because I will not eat (or wear, or use) anything that could have an emotional response to its death or captivity. I can well imagine what that must feel like for our non-human friends - the fear, the terror, the pain - and I will not cause such suffering to a fellow living being.” ― Rai Aren Just one question for you to 'chew on' concerning carnism. Would it upset you if restaurants started serving puppy and kitten meat instead of cows? Robin's eggs instead of hen's eggs? Squirrels instead of pigs? Gorilla milk instead of cow meat?? ' “Being vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? Of course there are. But in a patriarchal, racist, homophobic, and ableist society, there are social pressures to participate and engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. At some point, you have to decide who you are and what matters morally to you. And once you decide that you...

And further, it is true that God is manifest in everything. There is both the unity and a dynamic interplay between the one(the whole) and its parts. "All is one" doesn't mean a homogeneous sameness, but instead it refers to a dynamic interconnection and co-evolution between parts that are not different on a fundamental level(that is the unity at the quantum level). More on all of this later. :) 

  Life has a way of balancing( compensating for ) things. For example, those who have things in abundance will tend to worry endlessly about petty things like what to wear, how big a house to buy or what kind of car to drive.

Abundance to me is the inspired life I live, plus the highest quality of life I inspire in others. Having stated that. There's a lie that has infected humanity's thinking. It's an untruth that acts like a virus within our collective mind. And that lie is, 'There’s not enough to go around'. Gratitude (and sustainability) are the means of abundance. Just be thankful you have the ability to reduce suffering.... ''This is what you should do: love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men ... re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss what insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem''. ― Walt Whitman

 

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh We all need a thing that takes us out of our day to day, and reminds us that all will be well. Meditation, a nap, does that for me. Let it be. “The period between four and six in the morning is called the Brahmamuhurta, the Brahmic time, or divine period, and is a very sacred time to meditate.” ― Sri S. Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras

Some people want God, the Universe, to come to their rescue, and give them a new life, a new job, or some new and improved situation, but they don’t want anything in their lives disturbed. That's crazy, right?  For instance, if I wanted to remodel my home and told my contractor that I didn’t want him to touch anything, he would have told me that I didn’t really don't want to remodel. If I wanted new paint, a new floor, or new cabinets, none of that would be possible if the old stuff wasn’t changed out first.  Many times we need to be stripped, broken and removed from what we have come to rely on in order for us to be rebuilt with greater spiritual strength, focus and stamina.  It never feels good when security and other things are being taken from us, but if we can trust the process, we will experience greater good on the other side of the process. We need to trust God, and give Him permission to tear things down so that He can make things new(and improved).  It...

“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy; I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” – Art Williams When we turn the corner, and find ourselves facing in the right direction, then all we have to do is keep on walking. “Recovery didn’t open the gates of heaven and let me in.  Recovery opened the gates of hell and let me out!” – Anonymous

 

 

“Gaslighting are lies with a purpose to confuse and control.” ― Tracy Malone Invalidation, and the devaluation done by psychopaths and narcissists makes people feel crazy and unmoored ― it is the root of gaslighting ― either in personal relationships or in politics. Victims are told not to believe their eyes and ears. Their feelings are then purposely denied or manipulated in order to make them question their own reality and even their own sanity. “Remember, a fact is a fact, no matter how hard the liars  amongst you might try hushing it up.” ― Billy Childish

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.  Without them humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama Compassion can be painful but it doesn't have to be. Many of us hurt because when we feel connected to everything, we also feel responsible for everything. And we cannot turn away from injustice. Our destinies is bound up with the destinies of others. We must either learn to embrace the Universe as One(holy) or be burdened by it. Each of us needs to grow strong enough to love the All, but also be 'empty' enough to withstand its worst horrors. “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ― Mother Teresa

“I don't know what good it is to know so much  and be smart as whips and all if it doesn't make you happy.” ― J.D. Salinger Everyone seeks happiness in the world and there is ONE best way to find it ― by controlling your mind. Happiness doesn't depend on what's happening 'out there'. It depends on what's rattling around inside your head. We are all as happy as we can be if we WANT TO BE.  Be POSITIVE in thought and deed. “Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting some on yourself.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

 First recognize the universe is in you -- you are part of it. Many believe it is all 'out there'. Not true. We somehow think some external force is going to swoop into our lives and save us from all the challenges we are experiencing. Again not true. The Universe is inside you, it is your partner. Two, we have to let go of what is preventing us from succeeding. When we’re caught up in the "I just need to trust the universe” state of mind, we can focus too much on the practice of "letting go" as an abstract thought. But trusting the universe isn't just about hoping we'll be saved. It's about being practical, about approaching our fears head on and learning what specific limiting beliefs we have that we need to let go of. When the desire for change is bigger than the desire to stay in our comfort zone, big things can and will happen. Three, The universe will serve you, but not always please you. For example, would really please me to get a boat load...

  And at the very least; Everybody is a somebody to somebody.

Think positive, be positive and positive things will happen. Thoughts create emotions, emotions create more feelings and these feelings dictate our behavior. Therefore, it’s vitally important that our thoughts be positive. Staying positive greatly increases the probability of attracting positive people, events and circumstances into our lives. “Plant seeds of expectation in your mind; cultivate thoughts that anticipate achievement. Believe in yourself as being capable of overcoming all obstacles and weaknesses.”  – Norman Vincent Peale