Today's Present

What good are tools if I don’t use them?
Getting trapped in my head about circumstances that cannot be resolved with logic.
Enter, Faith.
I close my eyes and practice my meditation;
what good are tools if we don’t use them, right?
Breathing in slowly and releasing the doubt.
Every day invites a new opportunity to find awareness:
I can’t solve tomorrows problems––but I can be present today.

Remember: Anything Is Possible

In this moment anything is possible.
Let go of the past;
Release the mystery of the future:
Be present now––with careful attention to every step––one after the next, I will arrive where I’m supposed to be.

The Past

The past is behind us, and we all know that there’s nothing you can do to change that.
So it’s odd that artists spend so much time living in the distant memory of a life they’ve already lived.
I’m currently in the process of completing my second book; no small task.  Especially because this book is a very personal account of the crazy adventures  and random circumstances I’ve encountered in my life thus far.
In order to accurately convey my story, I’ve spent a lot of time reliving terrible moments in my life––similar to re-watching any movie from the 80′s––you know there’s comedy somewhere in the mix; but you have to sift through a lot of shit before you get to the gold.
Essential I’m examining my life from a more clear point of view, and the majority of events that have transpired feel almost dreamlike.
“That couldn’t have really happened to me, did it?”
The answer, of course, is always, YES.
That was your life and somehow you maneuvered around it.  Once I wrap my mind around that, I continue writing.
It’s oddly gratifying to liberate myself from past indiscretions; and also heartbreaking to relive a tragic moment.
In the end, the truth will always set me free.

The Power of Positivity

Light and dark;
Positive and negative;
Good and evil;
The ability to remain present requires acknowledging the difficult task we face as people––the power of choice; to allow other people or circumstances to effect our ego, or release it and stay present.
Grandpa always said, “If you want to be happy, be happy.” Equally that must mean, “If you want to be unhappy, be unhappy.”
The choice is ours.

Clear Mind

The last thing I want to do on my day off is clean; especially when I'm getting ready to go on tour for a month—leaving behind my family at home.

I wanted to spend quality time with Jeff and our puppies, rather than running errands and vacuuming.

While I was hunched over the kitchen table dusting, I came across a note that is written myself; "Be present."

Instantly smacked down with—yet another reminder that I am here now; tomorrow might not come (I know this sounds bleak, but it's true) so why not make this a fun memory?

I took a deep breath (a common theme lately), turned on Amazon Prime, and rocked out with Jeff and my puppies while we got our household chores wrapped up.

Simply stated: "Awareness leads to a clean mind!" 

Life; Evolution and Awareness

Like tastebuds, emotions evolve.
What an exhilarating moment when you no longer desire acceptance;
Instead, finding inner peace, gratitude, and awareness.
The ability to look back into the past with fond memories––without getting stuck there; simultaneously, looking toward the future––without losing the present.

Awareness

In past years I've struggled to maintain my goals by mid-May.

The year always starts off strong, and unlike many—I usually manage to stay on track well into the year; but once May comes, I start to fall back into old habits.

Thankfully, one of my biggest goals this year was to remain in the present.

In setting such an ambitious goal, it occurred to me that I would be forced to think outside the box on how to go about achieving awareness on a moment to moment basis. 

This realization manifested into series of books about enlightenment, awareness, and productivity.

Today, while lying by the pool, I looked up into the vibrant blue sky and felt an inner peace and happiness that wasn't connected to a job accomplishment or financial gain—it was a gratitude for the beauty of this moment.

My head was clear, calm, grateful.

Awareness is possibly every day; it requires silencing the noise of ego—and accepting this moment for what it brings.

Change Is Happening; Always.

When I was in preschool our class sprouted bean plants;
We set a dry bean on a wet paper towel and carefully placed it in a ziplock bag.
Over the course of a week we watched the progress of the bean.
The first night I could hardly sleep;
I was anxious to return to the classroom to see my new bean plant.
Alas, I arrived the following morning to the same light brown bean––no change.
The second day I had a similar reaction.
By day three, I believed I could see the side of my bean splitting; still not the result I was expecting.
Every day I carefully monitored the bean––and was in agony over how long the process was taking.
By the end of the week, I was on my way to school and I had given up hope of seeing a dramatic difference in the bean.
To my surprise (and satisfaction) the bean was completely transformed overnight!
There was long light green sprout which curled back on itself, and several little roots.
The bean experiment is the perfect reminder for life:
Change is happening constantly.
As an adult I realize that bean didn’t sprout over night.
Every second there was change.  The beans exterior was softening.  The embryo was forming. However it would not have been able to penetrate the beans surface if the outer shell of the bean was not ready.
It sometimes feels otherwise; but my life is constantly evolving.
The energy I spend writing, reading, meditating, exercising, working, and creating are helping me transform.
I cannot expect to see results over night;
but if I’m patient, I will experience a lifetime of joy.

Be Here Now.

Knowing that I am one with the universe,
Trusting that God has a plan for everyone,
Believing in something even if those around me don’t,
Grateful for every journey, adventure and lesson;
Faith when all else fails––trusting that my path will always be clear.
Aware of how short life is,
I live in this moment, and that is all that I have.

Trust

The journey to self-discovery begins within;

Consuming information and expanding ideas through reading and writing—eventually you just have to trust.

Trust that you have invested wisely and will respond accordingly to every circumstance, or that you have the Faith to trust in a higher power.

Enlightenment comes through awareness and faith.

Faith

Freedom
Awareness
Infinite
Trust
Happiness
Once you release the idea that Faith is intangible;
You can begin utilizing it.
We can’t reach out and grab a handful of air, but that doesn’t stop us from breathing.
Those who need proof of the existence of Faith––should look for the absence of it;
There they will find hopelessness, anger, fear, darkness and doubt.
Now, look for someone who radiates light, positive energy, fearlessness––all trusting.  It is no accident that they succeed and achieve remarkable things.  It is a belief in a higher power, energy or collective consciousness.

I Am

I am here in this moment;
Nothing more, nothing less––
The past is behind me and cannot be changed,
The future is in the distance and cannot be promised.
I exist in this moment: Aware, Grateful, Focused; seeking enlightenment.

Awareness

I live in a town full of glamor, fame and ego-driven success;
Los Angeles has a reputation (almost as famous as the movie stars who live here) for being fake.
Admittedly, there are a lot of bodies that have been enhanced, résumés that have been exaggerated and conversations that are less than honest.
Despite the negative aspects, Southern California is surrounded with art, culture, massive mountains and an impressive coastline.
The sun shines, wildlife thrives and those who seek adventure can find it anywhere in the form of almost anything from snowboarding to surfing, opera to  art openings.
So how does a location with so many extraordinary features invoke such negative attention.
Let’s be honest––everything ego-driven in LA can be said of New York City, Paris, London, Rome; yet Hollywood takes the blame.
Los Angeles (the city itself) has become an analogy for the people who comprise the city.
How does fixating on the negative aspects of a circumstance; whether it be a person, city or dream serve me?
How can I shift my perspective to help others become aware of the beauty that surrounds them––wherever they are?

Yoga

You
Obviously
Gain
Awareness

YOGA

You
Only
Grow
Aware

A Moment Of Awareness

I love those moments in life when an important piece of your past reveals its true worth in your present.
Like a coded message you sent back from the future to experience as a child, so that you'd know exactly when and how to use it as an adult.
These life shaping discoveries are usually painfully embarrassing, sometimes even horrifying- but are followed with a new found strength.
As you continue along your journey through life, you forget these bookmarks, until one day the adult you, has a flash of recognition, and for one magnificent moment everything makes perfect sense.
The setbacks and realizations you fought so hard against as a kid, then suppressed as a teen, and ignored as a young adult slowly start leaking out-
The beauty is, at just the right point in time, you're finally able to comprehend the importance of those hurdles along the way. More importantly, you accept that all of those things that you rebelled against for so long, are precisely what made you who you are.
Once you can finally embrace them, you have the key to unlock who you're meant to be.
Life is so cool that way-