Searching for that high note...

 Hitting that high note...

Fridays, while the end of the work week, can be and should be, the prelude to the weekend. In my case, I have a performance with my local Civic Chorale this Sunday, so this Friday is a little different for me as other Fridays. But, I think each weekend should be that way, really something to look forward to with eager anticipation. Rather than approaching your weekend with an attitude of resting, we should approach these two days as an opportunity to explore or experience something new.  Granted, this is a theme I've actually mentioned before, but this is a theme worth repeating.

Search for that high note this weekend (in my case I'm searching for this both literally and figuratively).  Build up your Saturday with a crescendo that's ever escalating to a climatic Sunday. Set up your next week on that high note!

Bridging the Mini Gap...

 Bridging the Mini Gap...

Wednesdays are generally known as the middle of the week, although, Thursdays can be a type of mini"bridging" day, connecting Wednesdays to Fridays. Here we build upon what Wednesday left us and set up our Friday, which will either be a TGIF or a OMGIF (oh my God it's Friday) experience.

These kind of "mini bridges" help to build a steady continuation of the week in general, which should extend to the month, year... and so on. However, it's how we build these bridges is what will establish a reliable continuation, even potential back up plans if needed. Let's try to make today's bridge one based upon a reliable foundation rather than one based upon unexpected urgency. Simply put, living a life based more upon "expected outcomes" leads to a more fulfilled life in general, so let's start working on building that bridge.

Digging In...

And so begins Tuesday...

Here we "dig in" and build upon what we established on Monday. This truly is the first day of the "meat" of the week (I consider Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays as such). Stand fast and "dig in" as the week is only beginning to shape up. Also, being a "meat of the week" day, should open up ideas of innovation. For example, how can we more efficiently structure this busy day?

In a sense, think of the day as working hard to find a way to work more efficiently, freeing up time to for other endeavors. It is difficult enough as it is to find time for other things, so we should try to make this time through efficiency, let's dig in today so we can flourish tomorrow.

Ready, Set...

How do you approach your Mondays? Is it with a sense of dread or a sense of anticipation? Do you like to hit the ground running, or are you tip toeing around? Well, now is the time to start this weekly work week race and how we finish this race is determined on how we start.

So, ready, set and go!

Beginning Again...

 An opportunity to begin again...

 Sundays can be viewed as either the end of the week or the beginning of a new week. I'm more of the latter type of interpretation. How we approach Sundays can have an affect on our Mondays. Whether your Sunday mornings have a morning sermon, if you're just relaxing to a good ball game, or just taking the afternoon to browse a good book or going out to a good movie, it all adds up for either a Monday morning jumping off point or a Monday morning blues. 

I've written previously about the benefits of starting something new, especially on the weekends, well Sundays can also be viewed as an opportunity to "begin again". This "prelude for tomorrow" should always be approached with a hopeful promise, as we never really know what our future may hold. However, having a hopeful promise just over the horizon, is an infinitely better outlook than an anticipation of dread. One attitude is encouraging while the other is simply limiting. Time to hit that reset button and begin again!

Here's to a hopeful promise!

Resetting...

And so begins this weekend...

Occasionally, it's just a good idea to hit the "reset" button, and I think that's what Saturdays are meant for. All of which begs the question, how do you define a "reset"? Do you just use the day to "reset" your mind from the past week? Or, do you use this day to begin something new? I guess the answer really depends on the circumstance. If the prior week was more stressful than usual, then perhaps taking a step away from the world for a day, might be your best bet. However, if you're coming off of a productive week, then perhaps beginning something new, keeping your mind on "fast forward", could very well help to start or continue a streak of success.

Beginning something new may just be the best answer for the weekend, regardless of the prior week's circumstances. This process encourages and inspires our inner need to grow. And, it's difficult to grow without the resistance that comes with experiencing something new (and there's always some kind of resistance, it's not easy to change habits). Training our mind to see other possibilities offers us the best potential for growth, so why not hit that "reset" button? Try something new and see where it leads.

Cleaning up the week...

Friday, October 10, 2014

And, so we end another "work week". The reason for the quotations is simple, for some of us, this really isn't end of the work week, but still, there comes this sense of freedom with the weekend, and for those of us who work for others we can set our own schedule with the weekends and possibly look for other opportunities. 

However, business is still business, today marks what I term as a "clean up" day. We make sure all of the affairs for this past week are up to date and then begin plans for the next. For many, today is usually greeted with a TGIF (thank God's it's Friday) and for others (especially owners and accounts payable people) today can be OMGIF (oh my God, it's Friday), but either way it's a clean up day.

I hope this Friday is more of a version of a TGIF rather than an OMGIF.

The anticipation...

Thursday October 9, 2014.

I guess Thursdays can become an anticipation of things to come (this anticipation being a good Friday of course). Whereas Mondays, are a blank slate, Tuesdays a grind, Wednesdays the mid-point, Thursdays can be a set up to Fridays (which tend to be a wind down). As each day, sets up the next, increasing the importance of our immediate past, so to is the importance of a more immediate anticipation of things to come. 

However, even in the midst of potential angst, there is always this answer for any today, it's called tomorrow. 

Climbing over the hill...

Here we are the middle of this week, here we begin to find out if this weekend will indeed be a good one or not. Granted things can change day to day, but it's always good to have a bearing on things to come.

Wednesday are generally known as "hump" days, it is precisely the mid week day for most, and if we can just get over this "hump" all will be good (or so is the common thought). However, in this aspect all days are in fact "hump" days, "if we can just get by today, maybe tomorrow will be better".

I've written earlier all days are in fact "preludes for tomorrow" but it's also good every now and then to look at a general period of time from a spectator's point of view. What have we done and where are we headed are important concepts to lay out the foundation for your life, and if life continues on a path that doesn't feel right either from an spiritual concept or even the more mundane monetary concept, then perhaps it's time to change course. We really can't live a fulfilled life if this life is full of worry, where we're in both a state of spiritual strife and where we can't pay our bills if the money isn't there after all. And, while we need to deal with the problems that appear from time to time, we shouldn't be in a position where the problems of day to day are a constant, frankly it's hard to grow as an individual if there are.

Let this day be begin your "hump" year, take a step back, ask yourself  "where are you headed" and determine your path from there.

A Fact of Life...

Today, I'm helping out with a funeral of a long time Church member and a leader of the local community. I didn't know this man personally, but I've gotten to known the community he represented so well. As a member of the choir, I'm a part of a whole which represents a musical extension of this spiritual connection of my faith and this man wanted this connection present.

Death, after all is a part of life, we all have to experience this and how we chose to live helps to set up our lasting legacy through death and beyond. I hope we all live up to the kind of legacy that invites others to share in this fulfillment of a life well lived, an invitation that in my case especially, extends out to others beyond his own inner circle of friends, but to the community in which he lived.

Prelude to tomorrow...

This begins my "daily musings" series. A process I have stopped and started over the years, and I hope to continue with this attempt. I'm neither a young man nor am I an old one, and I sincerely believe life isn't about where or when you begin, but just beginning. You have to start before you can truly finish, perhaps that's the point or meaning to life, just beginning.

Each day we experience is simply a prelude or a preparation for the next, life in essence begins anew with each brand new sunrise. And, the growth we experience comes from trying something new, such as this experiment. But, there can't be growth without some kind of resistance we just need to be able to push back and to persevere. Complacency as such, is the antithesis of growth, try to always push back never settle always pursue.

I'm a religious person, but I believe the best way to display your faith (and thus invite others to your faith) is to live by example by setting examples we learn through our own theological backgrounds. We all have these theological backgrounds, whether we are Protestant Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim...etc or even Atheist. These are belief systems directly relating to how we see (or not see) God. I'm of the Christian Tradition, and the example I try to live my life is the historical interpretation of Jesus Christ,  I don't even come close, but I try and it is through this attempt I try to better myself.

However, the example I live by is but one of many viable variations. One need not even be religious and that person can still live a productive, just, moral, charitable and completely fulfilled life. Each path we choose can be different and yet just as important as the next. Life shouldn't just be about trying to reach Heaven but to at least have respect of each other while we live out our mortal existence. I see this respect for one another as the best option for peace, but this won't happen if we continue fight amongst ourselves. I believe we shouldn't just seek a reward only in our afterlife but we should seek a reward while we live this life, and I think this is core message of all religions (including non-religions); a core message that is often overlooked.

I hope this series, and whoever chooses to browse over these musings of a "nearly invisible" man, helps to relate this message of hope and inspire you to continue to seek an earthly spiritually or emotionally based reward in this here and now. Let this be your prelude for tomorrow.