How to Navigate Bad Times

What's on this blog

When I first started this blog, I just wrote - mostly so I wouldn't forget.  Now the time has come to organize this in a coherent manner so that newcomers as well as veterans can find their way around.  And it's for me to.  I know there's a blog out there but can't find the thing!

Starting with the beginning.....

Welcome - this is the welcome message at the top of my main blog page. It has some important links to follow for first-timers.

Warning - Even though I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night, I'm not a therapist, psychologist, social worker or professional counselor.  So if you feel like you need some help, here's some more info.

An Introduction - A series of blogs to introduce you to the site - where is what and what you'll find and most importantly, where I'm coming from.

Basics - These are the main tenants and techniques that have worked for me.  As more blogs go on, I will refine these, but once you see what you are looking for and want to get to the meat of the blog, here it is.  This should also include The List, however that was such a long blog, that I broke it into sections and made it a series.

General - When a blog doesn't fit anywhere else, it goes here.

Resources - This contains locations on the net, stores, wherever, that I have found useful.

Emergencies - We all have them - don't worry here are some ideas to get you through them.  You will need to work on these before you're in a full-fledged emergency as it's hard to gather your thoughts, much less to have your mind in a good state to create your own emergency relief.

Downloads - most of these are free - some may be a nominal fee.  I will try and keep the free stuff here, and the pay resources and material on the Resources section.

Personal - a long the way, here are some personal anecdotes that either illustrate the effects of these techniques or

Series:

• The List - this started out as one of the basic tenants of steps to complete, however it got so long, I had to break it into different blogs...but it still a "basic" step.
• Blossoming - a funny word, but what I mean is unfolding, unraveling  and the spiritual discovery of who you are and what all is possible for you to do.  Like a flower, I want you to spread out and not only find inner fulfillment but to inspire and add your story of success and discovery to the world.
• On Track - This continues with Blossoming...after you're following the steps, this tracks out where you should be and resources for if you don't think you're getting there as fast as you think you should!!!
• Pep Talks - We all get down (not depressed) and we all have those days where everything goes wrong - this is a series to help bring you out of those doldrums and back on track
• Time & Space, etc.  -One of my fav subjects....this is the relation of Quantum Physics and Theory of Relativity to the concept of affecting our lives through certain steps of beliefs and actions on those beliefs.  In case you needed some proof about whether or not you're headed in the right direction, this really gets spooky, but fun!

Where I'm coming from

Even thought I've talked a little about what is not on the blog and some disclaimers, I thought it would be important to talk about what I hope to accomplish on this blog. 

It is my deepest wish and desire to pass on what I've learned the last years about surviving a maelstrom of events that seemed to all turn against me.  Though, I acted on the information I had at the time, that information was very limited and completely out of perspective.  Today, I have a much clearer version of world and the amazing thing is that it is much rosier than I ever thought possible.

I have always been a person of faith and fortunately have always had a good basic knowledge of the Bible, and other religious resources to use and guide me through the worst times.  The difference today is that for the first time, I know that not only will I be on a much higher, better and more challenging path of my life, but it is so much brighter than my former life.

That path does not only take me to places that I thought I would never go, but takes me in a way that is spiritually unfolding.  That means I will be challenged and constantly through my faith and the practices and techniques here on this blog, complete these challenges and become even a more contributing member to my community, family and neighborhood as well as an inspiration to those around me and behind me.

This is the height of what mankind can do on this limited time in history on this planet is to perform the challenges and duties set before her/him with grace, joy and love.  That sounds very lofty and all, but this was my goal.  I felt that you can conduct business in an honorable, fair and upstanding manner even though I may have to deal with people who were shady, underhanded and out-right thieves.

As you can tell, sprinkled throughout this blog are references to Christianity, primarily the Holy Trinity.  I often use scripture and verses from the Bible as resource material.  But as well, I use the latest discoveries and theories from the quantum and relativity field of physics who have made some marvelous and fascinating discoveries, that not only support Christ's teachings, but support the teachings throughout the Bible.

I'm not from the holier-than-thou or fire-and-brimstone school of Christianity, and of late, Christianity seems to have gotten a bad rap lately, mostly due to misunderstanding of where Christians are coming from.  There are those who are full of religiosity, and there are radicals as there are in any religion.  But it seems the same tolerance that is given other faiths and philosophies should be awarded to Christianity and Christians as well.

To be quite frank, my faith is a great part of what got me through this "maelstrom" of disasters.  Such were the magnitude of the disasters that without my belief in God as my father, Christ as my intercessor and the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, I know I would either have lost everything and been the permanent victim leaching off the edges of societal guilt, or would have done myself in.  Now in those dark moments, we all get these feelings, and hopefully after reading this, and reading through this blog, it will give you hope.  That is the great and most secret product of Christianity....hope!

The other side of my success belongs to what was before now, known at the metaphysical world - the (ready with the spooky music) spiritual world....the world of Rod Serling, of ghosts and levitating bodies off the ground.  And quite frankly, that sounded about as grounded and authentic as the Iranian widow who wants to deposit $1,000,000 into your US bank account....for a small fee....yeah....right!!!  Dream on.

But what Quantum Physics and Theory of Relativity have discovered is that we humans affect the matter around us.  There is an actual correlation between our very observation of the world/universe around us and the change that occurs in the matter and substance that makes up that very world/universe.  Not only that, scientist now theorize about time, that it is not as linear as we have always thought (check this out).  What science today is telling us is that if we believe (and how many times did Christ only ask....do you believe?), then it will be so.  So for all those who thought that the miracles were some window dressing to make Jesus look good, fooey!  Jesus did those miracles and it looks like science is on the verge of proving it!

My blog doesn't contain tricks or slight of hand or try to fool you, your friends, family or any one.  These machinations do not last long.  They are temporary at best with the ending position usually being worse than where you started.  That is NOT my purpose here.  The purpose and methods I use are for long-term success, satisfaction and fulfillment, not short-lived, temporary fixes.

The plethora of literature and anecdotes similar to mine of ordinary people who simply followed some basic simple rules, who, for no discernible reason, seemed to have succeeded through the most difficult if not impossible of conditions, are filling the mainstream thought and media.  They can be in the form of discoveries of ancient philosophies or newer meditation techniques.  They all have an eerie common thread to them.  They all have the same basic steps. And they all have the same outcome:

The realization of your dreams.

Here's a simple organizational outline of what's on the blog.  Check it out to help you find either what you're looking for, or to get you started on a wonderful journey that has a fabulous ending for you.

Everything has a beginning...

I love the beginning line in the Dune movie:  " A beginning is a very delicate time...."  NO JOKE!!!  It's really very scary!

Or how about this one: 

Oops!  Honey I think I shrunk the 401K!  or 

Uh-Oh, I don't think we have a 401K anymore, Toto! 

or how about just simply, The Abyss! 

However, you want to say it, when it happens, you can taste your adrenalin - that's that funny taste in your mouth. 

You're scared - no this is not like Halloween or your neighbor's practical joke - this is real fear.  This is the fear of you've-just-opened-the-front-door-and-there's-a-2-ton-grizzly-coming-at-you kind of fear.  It's that kind of fear that there's-no-way-out kind of fear.  It's a mess that is endless; it doesn't stop and worst of all it builds on itself.

Or maybe you can't taste the adrenalin...maybe you've just sat down and really haven't thought.  You just sit.  You can't think.  You don't think. 

You just sit. 

You can't/don't/won't call for help cause it doesn't enter your mind. 

You just sit.

You may get up and poor yourself a glass of water and then you just sit.

Thinking about what to do?....what has happened?....what will happen?....what can/should/ought to do?....none of that enters your mind.

OK - that's a no-brainer - so what's insightful about that?  Well, first of all you gotta label, admit and talk about your fear before you can begin to deal with it.  

You're broke (or you're headed that way....fast).  You have no job.  You have no prospects.  You know there's not going to be anything available in your vocation for years (or is that decades) to come IN THE WORLD.  You're too old/young/not enough time/not enough money to start over again.

HOW IN THE WORLD COULD THIS HAPPEN?  WHO ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN?  HOW DID I GET MYSELF IN THIS MESS?  HE-E-E-E-LP!

And yet at the bottom of your gut - if you really want to look hard, you could see it coming.  You knew it was out there on the horizon, but you though, well, maybe I can just squeeze a little more and then I'll be OK.

Part of what's so delicate and hard about a beginning is that it usually involves an ending - and it's usually not pleasant, nor is clean, neat, quiet, contained or certain not controlled!!!

My Personal Story - just a little

At the very beginning was the ending of a long relationship.  Something that had died many years ago, and I refused to see....refused to let go.  So it disintegrate on it's own - which is what happens when something is dead or broken and can not be fixed.  It was abrupt, quick, down and dirty and in a flash gone - without notification, just gone - like dust in the wind - all gone.

As humans, we sometimes need to be hit over the head with the truth like Wile E. Coyote.  And in case we don't get it the first time, no worries, it will come around again real soon till we get the message!  So how about getting the message NOW, and we don't have to do this again, thankyouvermuchladiesandgentlemen! It's one of those thoughtful little things about life that all know and understand, unless of course it's in our own back yard - then it's like on the other side of the planet!

The truth is that this is a very scary time - cause we're entering the unknown.  The unknown is like a big scary dark, and our demons are telling us "Don't go in there!  You'll be sorry!"  It's like the spook house on Halloween that you didn't quite have the guts to go into, and it's just as well!

But sometimes we don't have a choice.  Here it comes ready or not!

So what happens?....well, we can sit down and cry and mope and feel sorry for ourselves or we can fight, but how?

Here's what to learn from this. 

1. If there is anything constant and unchanging in this universe it is that things change - always.  This is infallible - repeat this over and over again - write in on the blackboard with Bart Simpson -  get it into your head now!!!
2. Without hope we're doomed - yeah, OK this is from the "Duh" Department, but this is very important
3. Where in the world do I go from here?...do I need professional help?....where do I get it?....what sort of help is there?....what sort of help do I need?...well you get the idea - just fill in who, what, why, when, where and how and you'll get the idea!

Never fear - just about the time things could get worse - they usually do....only joking!!  Read on.  I really am optimistic about your life ahead - it really is worth the read.