Attitude

Oct 19

Ripples #1117: Serendipities!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #1117: Serendipities!
Oct 19, 2020

PEBBLE
The universe is always speaking to us. Sending us little messages, causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, to look around, to believe in something else, something more.
-Nancy Thayer, shared by Genna on Sanibel Island, FL

BOULDER
A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change. -Earl Nightingale, shared by Curt in Kansas

PONDER

TRUE STORY: Once upon a time (okay, last Wednesday morning) I had blocked off some time to work on Ripples. I was wading through previous quote submissions as part of my process for assembling these weekly splashes, and I was sidetracked by an email notification from a friend who was asking if I knew anyone who could help her with a specific aspect of her business. SHUT UP STOP THE PRESSES! Still awaiting a reply in my inbox was a message I had received a few hours earlier from someone I know and respect who has recently launched a consultancy to help small businesses…specializing in the specific area my friend needed help with. I quickly and excitedly exchanged email introductions so they could explore mutually beneficial possibilities and then paused to delight in the joy of serendipitous connection.

And then I giggled at myself for a completely different bit of synchronicity. Earlier that morning I had been reviewing notes I took on the nifty book Indistractible (https://www.amazon.com/dp/194883653) as I prepared for a mini-presentation I was giving that afternoon for my Patreon Peeps (https://www.patreon.com/RipplesGuy). In it, Nir Eyal shares two core strategies for gaining traction on your goals and priorities: blocking off time for focused work on specific projects, and hacking back against distractions like the notification dings that emit from our devices. Here I was playing with some new concepts I was about to teach to others and the universe concocted a lovely teachable moment, inviting me to put theory into practice (my grad school professors would be so proud!).

After spending a few minutes disabling notifications on both my phone and computer, the time I had purposely set aside to work on Ripples was rapidly dwindling without much progress. I decided to commit to a handful of really focused minutes with the ambitious goal of identifying the theme and quotes that would help guide the ponder. I reopened the Ripples folder on my computer and spotted a file dated May 6, 2019 has been patiently waiting for me to rediscover it: an abandoned early draft of an issue of Ripples that never quite found the right ponder. It had two quotes all paired up, and a few sentences of the ponder that just trailed off. The theme? Can you guess? Wait for it…Serendipity!

I’ve long experienced coincidences like these as delightful God-winks: merry moments of meaning-making that hint at our intertwined, interconnectedness which too easily falls from our consciousness. And I’ve loved … Read More!

Nov 05

Love1

Ripples #1015: Seizing Control of Life!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #1015: Seizing Control of Life!
Nov 5, 2018

PEBBLE
You may not control life’s circumstances, but getting to be the author of your life means getting to control what you do with them.
-Atul Gawande, shared by Holly in Phoenix, AZ

BOULDER
So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we’ll never know most of them. But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.
-Stephen Chbosky, shared by Sarah in Fond du Lac, WI

PONDER
Let’s start with an understatement: there is a lot going on in the world right now. There might also be a lot going on for you personally with school, work, or just life in general. Sometimes in the swirl of all the things happening around us and to us, we forget that we do have choices about how to respond even when it seems like we don’t.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, stand up and say (out loud if possible): “I want to feel better than I do right now!” See if you can identify some action that often helps you feel better. If nothing comes to mind, you could try one from my list: brush your teeth; walk briskly around the block; or drink a glass of water.

Next, choose a relatively small action to make progress on something that you need to attend to: a household chore, a school/work project, or a small kindness that will be appreciated by someone else in your life. Hopefully it will give you a lift, or at the very least you’ll be able to cross off at item from your to do list. Small wins provide a feeling of progress that serve as motivation to keep on moving forward. And that momentum will help you seize control of life.

Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
P.S. Vote. Please. It matters. So much.… Read More!

Oct 02

Love0

Ripples #958: Shuffle Your Feet!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #958: Shuffle Your Feet!
Oct 2, 2017

PEBBLE
If you get started off on the wrong foot, just shuffle your feet!
-Diana Sherman
written and shared by Diana in Mt. Vernon, IL

BOULDER
Perfection should never be the goal;
practice is the goal.
Live in awareness and nurture your practice.
-Caroline Myss, shared by Marjorie in Carbondale, IL

PONDER
Mistakes exist for us to improve, learn, and grow. They are a vital form of feedback, and are useful as a relatively efficient path to mastery as long as we pause to reflect and learn from them. How much time and energy do we spend regretting errors when we could be investing in further practice that can reduce and eventually eliminate future mistakes? And how often do we delay action in our futile attempts to avoid making mistakes when we could be diving in to the learning process?

Make friends with your past mistakes and thank them for all they’ve helped you learn; be gentle with the mistakes you’ll make today and tomorrow so they can more eagerly help you grow.

Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
P.S. I feel like this is a good time to apologize for the typos that I often notice after Ripples zooms out on Monday morning. I try to build in a final read through that is just for typos and grammar/spell check; sometimes I run out of time, and other times my mind mentally corrects them as I read so I don’t notice them. D’oh! Now I’ll let that go, shuffle my feet, and focus on next week’s issue. Namaste.… Read More!

Apr 03

Love0

Ripples #932: Still Riding!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #932: Still Riding!
Apr 3, 2017

PEBBLE
If you fall off a bike and get back up, you are no longer the person who fell – you are the person who is still riding.
-Marie Forleo, shared by Loreal in Corpus Christi

BOULDER
Anyone can give up, it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would understand if you fell apart, that is true strength.
-Chris Bradford, shared by Leslie in Madison, WI

PONDER

What. A. Week.

I won’t bog you down with details, but here’s the short version: a few people really liked last week’s Ripples, and a few people really did *not*. I spent quite a bit of time crafting apologies–not so much because I thought I messed up in some significant way; instead, I was genuinely sorry that I wasn’t able to communicate what I believe is an important message in a way that several people–including some longtime readers–not only couldn’t hear, but actually experienced as hostile). I attribute much of the unfortunate miscommunication to the erosion of civility we’ve *all* witnessed and participated in over the last few years. These are the times we live in, and they are unfortunately not going away any time soon.

It was the first time in over 900 weeks that I seriously contemplated taking a break and pressing pause on the weekly splashes long enough for me to catch my breath a bit and reflect on the future. After processing with a few people whose perspective I value highly, I recognized that this is precisely the time I need to forge ahead despite any turbulence I encounter. And so, my fellow Ripplers, I’m here to assure you that I am still Riding, and still Rippling!

I hope that whatever difficulties *you* are facing this week provide the right amount of opportunities for healing, learning, and growing. Rest when you must, then hop back up and keep riding. I promise to do the same!

Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
P.S. For those who really enjoyed last week’s Ripples: yay! For those who didn’t: I hear you, and I’m sorry it rubbed you the wrong way. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed enough issues that you decide on balance Ripples is still for you. If not, that’s perfectly okay. Every week 30-50 people decide Ripples is no longer for them and they unsubscribe. Some of them eventually come back because they miss us, and others find new sources of inspiration that work better for them. Either way: Namaste.… Read More!

May 02

Love0

Ripples #884: Treasury Within.

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #884: Treasury Within.
May 2, 2016

PEBBLE
Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life.
-Grenville Kleiser, shared by Nora in Beverly Hills, MI

BOULDER
Everything we do in life goes into the treasury of the heart. The ideas with which we fill our hearts determine the way we live our lives. Those are the things we draw on in those moments when we need to reach down deep inside ourselves for character, courage, endurance and hope. That’s why what we read, what we see and what we do from day to day counts so much in life.
–Joan Chittister, shared by Kathy in Kennewick, WA

PONDER
Last week’s issue reminded us about the ripply nature of kind actions towards others, so this week I thought we could explore the benefits of inner-rippling. Here comes some bad news and some good news…. The BAD news is that the yucky stuff we inevitably encounter can sometimes linger stubbornly in our thoughts and feelings because our brains are wired to warn us and protect us from danger. The GOOD news is that there is increasing evidence that we are also wired to appreciate the good stuff: celebrating, savoring, and gratituding* are innate abilities that we can cultivate to improve our relationships, our work effectiveness, and our happiness.**

That doesn’t mean we have to force ourselves to always “think happy thoughts” or ignore the inevitable grief and frustration that accompany a full life. It *does* mean that each time we consciously choose to embrace and act on positive thoughts and emotions, we strengthen our ability to enjoy life AND to be more effective during challenges.

Each internal positive ripple you initiate contributes to the treasury within, which in turns helps every single soul you encounter. Splish, Splash, Rapple, Ripple!

Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
*P.S. Yes, I realize that “gratituding” is not actually a word….yet!
**P.P.S. If you’d like to learn more about research I mentioned, this week’s blog post from Eric Barker is a quick and worthy read: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/05/way-to-improve

… Read More!

Apr 14

Love0

Ripples #777: Infinity of Choices.

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #777: Infinity of Choices. For our tribe of busy people who believe in the power of uRock: unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness 14 Apr 2014 PEBBLE: You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to an infinity of choices. —Deepak Chopra BOULDER: The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone. -Orison Sweet Marden PONDER: It is sometimes so tempting to focus on options taken away from us: we don’t get a job that seemed like a perfect fit, the other person ends a relationship we thought was worth pursuing, or even something simple like a beloved dish being removed from the menu of a favorite restaurant (are you listening, Cactus Pear?). When someone else removes an option, we have a tendency to concentrate on that which we can no longer choose, often ignoring a bounty of other possibilities that still exist. Of course it is appropriate to spend some time grieving a lost opportunity, but remember that infinity minus one is still infinity. The sooner we finish saying goodbye to that which is no longer an option, the sooner we can turn around and say hello to the options that are still excitedly whispering, “Ooh, pick me! Pick me!” What choices are available to you today? Peace, Paul… Read More!

Feb 04

Love0

Ripples #715: Smart Cookie!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #715: Smart Cookie!
For our tribe of 31,322 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
02/05/2013

PEBBLE:
You can’t be a smart cookie
if you have a crummy attitude.
-John Maxwell, shared by Sue in Lincoln, NE

BOULDER:
I am determined to be cheerful and happy
in whatever situation I may find myself.
For I have learned that the greater part
of our misery or unhappiness is determined
not by our circumstance but by our disposition.
-Martha Washington, shared by Nick in New Jersey

PONDER:
We all have crummy days, that is for sure. The trick is not to crumble when you encounter them. I don’t know if you have to follow Ms. Washington’s strategy of ALWAYS striving for cheerful and happy, because sometimes tears need to be shed and frustration needs to be vented.

Just remember that you need to put your bestest, highest self in charge of choosing the best mood for the occasion. Avoid getting TRAPPED in grief or anger and remember that at some point it can be useful to jump up, dust yourself off, and remember what a smart cookie you really are.

Peace,
Paul
p.s. I apologize if, like me, this week’s theme instills in you a temptation to devour sweets.

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Jul 22

Love0

Ripples #687: What Happened?

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples One Comment

Ripples #687: What Happened?
For our tribe of 30,992 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
07/23/2012

PEBBLE:
Life is all about how you handle Plan B.
-Suzy Toronto

BOULDER:
Life is rarely about what happened;
it’s mostly about what we think happened.
-Chuck Klosterman, submitted by Jen at Marian University, WI

PONDER:
Something blechy might have happened recently for you; it could have been a minor annoyance, or possibly it was a real doozy. Whatever it is and however much it has knocked you off your best game: I’m sorry it happened AND I know you can handle it. You did what was necessary to make it to this particular moment, and that seems a good indication that you can hang in there and keep making things better. Remember that you don’t have to be GLAD something happened in order to GROW from it. Hang in there and bring your best possible self to this challenge; the best part is that your BEST SELF will likely grow stronger, wiser, better on the other side of this!

Peace,
Paul… Read More!

Jun 27

Love0

Ripples #579: Choosing Thoughts!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples #579: Choosing Thoughts!
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Ripples Project is a tribe of 25,548
who believe tiny actions create big possibilities

_______
PEBBLE

The thoughts we choose to think
are the tools we use to paint
the canvas of our lives.
-Louise Hay, submitted by Terry H., Oak Creek WI

________
BOULDER

It’s not about what happens.
It’s about perspective.
I may not be able to change what takes place,
but I can always choose to change my thinking.
-Michelle Sedas, submitted by Tena B., Carbondale IL

_______
PONDER

As those of us here in the U.S. prepare to celebrate Independence Day this
weekend, I want to remind as all that a key component of freedom is having
the right to choose. I have mentioned this a few times already in previous
issues AND I think it is worth repeating: we can choose how we respond even
when we do not get to choose what has happened.

If something or someone is bothering you this week, one way to celebrate
your independence is to choose a different way to think about it and perhaps
that will lead to a different way to respond.

Peace,
Paul… Read More!

Mar 02

Love0

Ripples v11.09: Your Best Thoughts!

By Paul Wesselmann Ripples No Comments

Ripples v11.09: Your Best Thoughts!
The Ripples Project is a tribe of 22,032
who believe tiny actions create big possibilities
1999-2009: 10 years of Ripples!

_______
PEBBLE
Nurture your mind with great thoughts,
for you will never go any higher than you think.
-Benjamin Disraeli, submitted by Diane H.

_________
BOULDER
Changing your thinking
can indeed change your world.
So choose the best thoughts
that you can possibly imagine.
-Ralph Marston, submitted by Jennifer G, Sheboygan Falls WI

_________
PONDER

What are you thinking about right now?

Whatever you have to think about or do today, it can all be improved if you are able to access YOUR BEST THOUGHTS! So take a deep breath, let yourself be fully present, and remember that your highest, bestest self is ready to help you have an incredible week. Think your best thoughts, and enjoy your crazy life!

Peace,
Paul
March 2, 2009… Read More!

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