Liz Esquirol

Four Letter Word

Thank Buddha It’s Friday my friends.

There is a four letter word – that starts with an F….and it’s really powerful. (No, it’s not the one that ends with a K.) The word is Fear.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Although it’s an unassuming little word, it’s a master at its game. Fear is the mask that blinds us, the chain that immobilize’s us. And even though it is part of our nature – our species – to feel fear as a means of physical protection, it is the emotional and imagined fears that wreak havoc in our lives.

I had 3 thoughts recently….

Fear the Fear.
Feel the Fear.
Face the Fear.

Fear the Fear – What seems interesting to me here is that we should fear, fear. Fear is the one thing that keeps us from moving forward. We have these fear tapes playing in our heads – we are afraid to do so many things because we fear rejection and pain. And the funny thing is, since we can’t predict the outcome of events, we are simply projecting from our imaginations. It’s not real. Fear keeps us in its grip….good reason to fear, fear itself.

Feel the Fear – Feeling the fear can make it powerless. Embracing our fears and accepting them for just that, that we are afraid of something, is one way to deal with them and move on. I went to a seminar years ago that discussed the book, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”….which pretty much says it all. Feel it….and do it.

Face the Fear – Now, here is the tricky part. You can be afraid of fear and feel the fear, but can you face the fear? Facing it will make it disappear – you will pass through it and come out the other side. Then you will see that fear has no hold over you, no legs to stand on. Facing our fears – whether they be anything from going to the dentist to opening our hearts to love, will make us stronger and happier.

I am trying to practice these ideas…to identify what makes me afraid, find its source, feel it and face it. It’s not a walk in the park, more like an obstacle course. But it’s worth it. – BB

Buddha Balboa

Carry A Banana

On the bus to work today, I saw a guy get on, holding a banana. That’s it, just a banana. He had ear buds in, listening to music off his phone (which was tucked in his pocket), but all he was carrying was a simple piece of fruit.

What struck me was the apparent “lightness of being” he had. He wasn’t weighed down by any type of bag – lunch, work or gym – so he was free to move about his morning commute with ease. His needs were met – breakfast in hand, what more did he need to start his day?

Many of us, unnecessarily carry a ton of personal objects around. Ask any woman to dump out her purse, and chances are she doesn’t even know half the contents she is carrying. And with the explosion of portable electronics, between our phones, iPods, tablets, laptops and video games, we are buried in our techie treasures. Never mind our briefcases, backpacks and gym bags – which are filled to the brim with all the goodies we need to get through the hours. Some of us even carry several bags at once – essentially turning ourselves into human pack mules. (Guilty as charged.)

It reminds me of the old program “Let’s Make a Deal.” At the end of each show, as the credits rolled, Monty Hall would ask the costumed crowd if they had a particular, random or obscure, item on their person. If they could produce such item, they would receive a cash prize. It could be anything from a safety pin to a wrench. And the crazy thing was, 9 times out of 10, the audience member had it. Digging deep within their bounty, they would whip out a wrench, smiling and clapping.

So here’s my version of deal making – let’s all try to lighten our load – both spiritually and physically. Let’s discard or remove that which we don’t need to carry around with us…let’s get rid of the thoughts and the objects that burden us, that take away our ease of movement, our peace of mind. Let’s only bring through our day, that which enhances our experiences, and leave the rest at the bottom of the bag. We don’t need it.

Carry a banana. It’s healthy. – BB

Quotables

Quotable Abe

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

God, that Abe character knew what he was talking about, didn’t he? I heard this quote recently…and although it is simple, it is powerful. I think it’s something we all want – to be a good one – a good parent, a good spouse, a good friend, a good worker. I know I do. I would like to be great, but I’ll take good.

And it doesn’t matter whether you are a chicken plucker or a Shakespearian scholar (maybe there’s a chicken plucker scholar out there?), all that matters is that we try to do our best – to strive to be a good one. That is where success lives.

Thank you Mr. Lincoln. – BB

(ps I read this picture is the last portrait taken of Lincoln, 4 days before his assassination – made me stop and pause.)

Two Cents Tuesday

Remembering

Today’s Two Cents Tuesday is about remembrance.

It’s 9/11. And we all know what that means. It’s a sad day for our country and a day we will never forget.

As a writer and a happiness guide, my skills fall short today. Because words, although beautiful and healing, can never completely capture the pain or provide relief for an event this big. All I can do, we can do, is be kind to one another today – to let our hearts be our guide, to use a hug as expression.

It is our duty as a nation to remember those we lost and this horrible day in our history. Not as a way to keep us in pain or in a state of anger, but as a pathway to hope and forgiveness. To let this day be a reminder that we are meant to be vessels of love and compassion, not intolerance and violence.

We can’t change what happened that September day, but we can always remember and honor those who died and those who fought through the endless days of recovery. We can treat each other with the respect each of us deserves. And we can create a future that is filled with joy and happiness for generations to come – so that we will never have to live through this again.

We have the power to do that – by always remembering. – BB