Hi Everybody,
It's been two months since my last post. My intention is to be more regular. Not making any excuses, but my mother recently passed away.
She was 88 years old and had been living in a local nursing home for the past year and a half. She spent her time in bed or in her wheelchair. She suffered from dementia and could not finish a sentence, but she always knew her visitors and maintained her sense of humor, always able to laugh at the appropriate times. She loved to laugh. That was her most admirable quality (among many admirable qualities). Especially, she had no trouble laughing at herself. Whenever asked about how she felt, her response was always, "No aches or pains". She was one of the kindest persons you could ever meet. She never spoke a bad word about anyone. Whenever I would phone her after not calling her for a week or two, (this is when she was living at home in Schenectady, NY) there was never any tone of annoyance or reprimand for my neglect; there was only love and a sincere interest in what was going in my life and the lives of my wife and kids.
My mother was a true Christian. She went to Mass regularly and participated quietly as a Eucharistic Minister and an active member of the Women's club. But more than just the externals of a Christian life, she led a Christian life in practice every day. She mentored folks who wanted to become Baptised in the Catholic Church and volunteered in her local hospital for years and years. She quietly served others in a humble Christlike manner, never looking for any accolades, just giving of her time and talents so that others' lives could be better.
She got pneumonia three weeks ago and was not able to fight it off. All her family took the opportunity and dropped what they were doing to be at her side during her last days, travelling from Seattle, Boston, Vermont and Rhode Island to show their love. She spent her last days peacefully in the VNS Hospice House in East Northport on Long Island. I feel blessed to have been able to spend many days with her, especially that final Sunday before she died, sitting by her bedside playing my guitar and singing to her.
She had a beautiful wake and funeral in her hometown. It was a celebration of her life. A life well lived by a woman who had her share of sorrows as well as joys. I look forward to the day when I will be reuinted with her in the heavenly bliss that awaits us all.
In the meantime I intend to live my life the way she did: seeing the Godly side of everyone I meet and spreading joy and happiness to all who cross my path.
Whew..., that took a lot out of me.
Peace to all.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
A NEW IDEA
I teach a weekly course in Personal Development at the DWI Alternative Facility, a section of the Suffolk, NY County Jail. I share the course with the men there. Yesterday I brought in the Secret DVD and played it. It is a long piece, running about an hour and a half. The reaction of the men was similar to reactions I have gotten when I showed it to previous groups. Most were very interested in the new concepts presented in the film. Prior to playing the DVD I asked if anyone had seen it before. None had, but one of them had read the book. There were about 20 in the class. We will discuss the film next week to try to get more out of it.
What struck me was that this film presented some brand new ideas to these men; ideas they had never considered. It was a hopeful session. They saw that there was a possibility to make their lives better. They saw that change is possible. They were presented with new ideas of how to go about improving their lives
I always talk about INTENTION as the first step necessary to making positive changes in our lives, and it is. But what so many of us lack is a new idea that will give us direction. The definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". If we want our lives to get better, we need a new idea. A new perspective on things can be an eye-opening experience. A new perspective can breathe a new, refreshing life into us so we no longer view our lives as the same old same old.
New ideas are out there. We just have to keep our antennas up and search for them. Books are a fantastic source of new ideas. Here are a few books to consider:
Simple Happiness - Jim Ryan (My book; 52 great ideas!)
Ask and it is Given - Esther and Jerry Hicks
Seven Laws of Spiritual Success - Deepak Chopra
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life - Wayne Dyer
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, and It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
You won't believe how many good new ideas there are out there. Sometimes it's not a completely new idea. It's one you've heard before, but it's stated in such a way that now , all of a sudden, it makes complete sense to you. Life can be a wonderful journey filled with awesome experiences. Make sure you put some gas in your tank. New Ideas can be the fuel for that journey.
Enjoy your trip! Send me a postcard along the way.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
What struck me was that this film presented some brand new ideas to these men; ideas they had never considered. It was a hopeful session. They saw that there was a possibility to make their lives better. They saw that change is possible. They were presented with new ideas of how to go about improving their lives
I always talk about INTENTION as the first step necessary to making positive changes in our lives, and it is. But what so many of us lack is a new idea that will give us direction. The definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". If we want our lives to get better, we need a new idea. A new perspective on things can be an eye-opening experience. A new perspective can breathe a new, refreshing life into us so we no longer view our lives as the same old same old.
New ideas are out there. We just have to keep our antennas up and search for them. Books are a fantastic source of new ideas. Here are a few books to consider:
Simple Happiness - Jim Ryan (My book; 52 great ideas!)
Ask and it is Given - Esther and Jerry Hicks
Seven Laws of Spiritual Success - Deepak Chopra
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life - Wayne Dyer
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, and It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
You won't believe how many good new ideas there are out there. Sometimes it's not a completely new idea. It's one you've heard before, but it's stated in such a way that now , all of a sudden, it makes complete sense to you. Life can be a wonderful journey filled with awesome experiences. Make sure you put some gas in your tank. New Ideas can be the fuel for that journey.
Enjoy your trip! Send me a postcard along the way.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Divine You
I bought the latest book by Jerry and Esther Hicks, "The Astonishing Power of Emotions". Inside the back cover was attached a cd that was a recording of a live session given by Abraham (a group of non-physical beings, channeled through Esther Hicks) in Tampa, FL a year or so ago.
Sometimes you know something or at least you think you know something. But then you hear or read something that gives you a whole new, deeper understanding of what it was you thought you knew.
For me is was the reintroduction of the concept that we are made up of a physical and a non-physical being. There is the physical you who is making your way through life doing the best you can to figure things out and to live life to its fullest and experience as much success and joy as possible. Then there is the other You which is the divine You. It's the part of You that qualifies You to say that You are a child of God. Listening to Abraham explain it on that cd, the idea began to sink in. I've listened to the cd several times since then and each time I get a deeper understanding of what it means to have a divine (non-physical) nature as well as a physical one.
Being mindful of this divine You is a major step toward living a life of complete joy. This understanding is not reserved for times of Sunday worship. This understanding is a key that opens You up to a life of peace and confidence. It is the key to opening up Your creative talents that make life easy and fun. Connecting daily with Your divine side gives You the confidence that anything is truly possible. Make that connection part of your daily routine and get ready for an unbelievable life.
More to come.....
Sometimes you know something or at least you think you know something. But then you hear or read something that gives you a whole new, deeper understanding of what it was you thought you knew.
For me is was the reintroduction of the concept that we are made up of a physical and a non-physical being. There is the physical you who is making your way through life doing the best you can to figure things out and to live life to its fullest and experience as much success and joy as possible. Then there is the other You which is the divine You. It's the part of You that qualifies You to say that You are a child of God. Listening to Abraham explain it on that cd, the idea began to sink in. I've listened to the cd several times since then and each time I get a deeper understanding of what it means to have a divine (non-physical) nature as well as a physical one.
Being mindful of this divine You is a major step toward living a life of complete joy. This understanding is not reserved for times of Sunday worship. This understanding is a key that opens You up to a life of peace and confidence. It is the key to opening up Your creative talents that make life easy and fun. Connecting daily with Your divine side gives You the confidence that anything is truly possible. Make that connection part of your daily routine and get ready for an unbelievable life.
More to come.....
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Tell Them Now
Over the years I have had a handful of people who have had a great influence on my life. I'm sure if you really look back you'll see that you have too. I lost one of my mentors last Tuesday night, when he died peacefully in his sleep.
I feel very happy that I kept in touch with this man over the years and expressed my gratitude to him often for his direction and loving support.
That is one of the things that I learned from him. He always told me how much he thought of me; how proud of me he was. His health started to break down over the last year. At times he was in tremendous pain from deteriorating discs in his back. He suffered greatly but never lost his spirit.
Avoid the horrible, helpless feelings of regret. Express your gratitude and love to those who have had a positive influence on you along the way. Pick up the phone. Sent a note. Drop by for a visit. Do it now, do it every chance you get, before it's too late.
I feel very happy that I kept in touch with this man over the years and expressed my gratitude to him often for his direction and loving support.
That is one of the things that I learned from him. He always told me how much he thought of me; how proud of me he was. His health started to break down over the last year. At times he was in tremendous pain from deteriorating discs in his back. He suffered greatly but never lost his spirit.
Avoid the horrible, helpless feelings of regret. Express your gratitude and love to those who have had a positive influence on you along the way. Pick up the phone. Sent a note. Drop by for a visit. Do it now, do it every chance you get, before it's too late.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
"Gratitude Rocks"
This past Sunday was our town's annual festival. It's called "Cow Harbor Day". The harbor at the foot of Main Street used to be called Cow Harbor. Anyway, there is a parade, rides for the kids, crazy boat races, all kinds of food and a craft fair in the park. It always attracts a huge crowd.
I am a member of our local Rotary Club. We are always trying to come up with different ideas to raise money. We use the funds to support many charitable endeavors, both local and worldwide. One of our pet projects is the local food pantry. You'd be surprised, even in an affluent village as ours, how many families rely on the food pantry to keep their families fed. I thought it would be a good idea to have the food pantry be the beneficiary of my fund raising efforts because it was a village fair and the money would stay in the village.
I decided that I would take a page out of the movie (book) "The Secret" and set up a booth to sell "Gratitude Rocks". I thought it would be an opportunity to raise some consciousness as well as some money. My first thought was to sell the gratitude rocks for $10. apiece, but then decided to make them more affordable and lowered the price to $5.; 3 for $10. In order to fill up the booth I decided to sell my book, "Simple Happiness" and donate the proceeds to the same cause. Many of my fellow Rotary Club members were quite skeptical to say the least. There were a few, however, who supported my undertaking.
I went down to the harbor the Sunday before the event at low tide and gathered what I thought were attractive rocks, small enough to carry around in one's pocket or purse. I washed and sanatized the rocks and got them all ready. My wife contributed some colorful polished rocks that she had brought back from a trip to San Francisco - these turned out to be the best sellers by far. Finally, my assistant, who created some beautiful signage, contributed a bag of rocks that she purchased from Pottery Barn.
The big day finally arrived. My wife helped me set up the booth and stuck with me the whole day, occasionally bring me food and drink to sustain me throught the day. What a day it was! Crisp, cool, perfect blue skies and a big crowd. Hundreds and hundreds of people passed by my booth. Some snickered, thinking the gratitude rocks were some crazy notion like the old "pet rocks". They couldn't have been more wrong. I had the opportunity to explain to many folks the real meaning of a "Gratitude Rock".
You see, you put it in your pocket in the morning and as you do, you think of something that you're grateful for. In so doing, you feel good. As you sit down at your desk at work you feel it in your back pocket and it reminds you to bring to mind a thought of gratitude, and what do you know? - you feel good. Later, at lunch you reach into your pocket and feel it, once again it reminds you to bring to mind a thought of something you're grateful for, and guess what? - you feel good.
Little by little you start to understand that you have the ability to feel good throughout the day, simply by thinking a thought of gratitude. When you notice yourself feeling stressed or low, you realize that you can change your thoughts and lose that low mood. Good things start to happen as you cultivate these good feelings during your day. The law of attraction says that the more grateful thoughts you think during the day, the more things will come into your life to be grateful for. This little gratitude rock could be the catalyst to help you live with an attitude of gratitude. It could be the start of a life filled with joy and happiness.
The sale turned out to be a big success. 21 copies of "Simple Happiness" were sold, bringing $168 to the bottom line. A grand total of $262 was raised from the sale of the "Gratitude Rocks". A total of $430 was given to the food pantry. On top of that, I know that there are fewer skeptics among my fellow Rotarians, and probably most important, there are a lot of folks in my village who are practicing gratitude, and feeling good.
Little by little the world is changing. Changing for the better!
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
I am a member of our local Rotary Club. We are always trying to come up with different ideas to raise money. We use the funds to support many charitable endeavors, both local and worldwide. One of our pet projects is the local food pantry. You'd be surprised, even in an affluent village as ours, how many families rely on the food pantry to keep their families fed. I thought it would be a good idea to have the food pantry be the beneficiary of my fund raising efforts because it was a village fair and the money would stay in the village.
I decided that I would take a page out of the movie (book) "The Secret" and set up a booth to sell "Gratitude Rocks". I thought it would be an opportunity to raise some consciousness as well as some money. My first thought was to sell the gratitude rocks for $10. apiece, but then decided to make them more affordable and lowered the price to $5.; 3 for $10. In order to fill up the booth I decided to sell my book, "Simple Happiness" and donate the proceeds to the same cause. Many of my fellow Rotary Club members were quite skeptical to say the least. There were a few, however, who supported my undertaking.
I went down to the harbor the Sunday before the event at low tide and gathered what I thought were attractive rocks, small enough to carry around in one's pocket or purse. I washed and sanatized the rocks and got them all ready. My wife contributed some colorful polished rocks that she had brought back from a trip to San Francisco - these turned out to be the best sellers by far. Finally, my assistant, who created some beautiful signage, contributed a bag of rocks that she purchased from Pottery Barn.
The big day finally arrived. My wife helped me set up the booth and stuck with me the whole day, occasionally bring me food and drink to sustain me throught the day. What a day it was! Crisp, cool, perfect blue skies and a big crowd. Hundreds and hundreds of people passed by my booth. Some snickered, thinking the gratitude rocks were some crazy notion like the old "pet rocks". They couldn't have been more wrong. I had the opportunity to explain to many folks the real meaning of a "Gratitude Rock".
You see, you put it in your pocket in the morning and as you do, you think of something that you're grateful for. In so doing, you feel good. As you sit down at your desk at work you feel it in your back pocket and it reminds you to bring to mind a thought of gratitude, and what do you know? - you feel good. Later, at lunch you reach into your pocket and feel it, once again it reminds you to bring to mind a thought of something you're grateful for, and guess what? - you feel good.
Little by little you start to understand that you have the ability to feel good throughout the day, simply by thinking a thought of gratitude. When you notice yourself feeling stressed or low, you realize that you can change your thoughts and lose that low mood. Good things start to happen as you cultivate these good feelings during your day. The law of attraction says that the more grateful thoughts you think during the day, the more things will come into your life to be grateful for. This little gratitude rock could be the catalyst to help you live with an attitude of gratitude. It could be the start of a life filled with joy and happiness.
The sale turned out to be a big success. 21 copies of "Simple Happiness" were sold, bringing $168 to the bottom line. A grand total of $262 was raised from the sale of the "Gratitude Rocks". A total of $430 was given to the food pantry. On top of that, I know that there are fewer skeptics among my fellow Rotarians, and probably most important, there are a lot of folks in my village who are practicing gratitude, and feeling good.
Little by little the world is changing. Changing for the better!
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
Friday, September 14, 2007
THE FIRST STEP
I was watching "The Secret" dvd this morning. (By the way, you should get it - http://www.thesecret.tv/). They speak about how to use the secret to manifest what you want into your life. They tell you just focus on what you want and feel good about having it. They tell you not to worry about how you're going to get it - that's the job of the universe. Your job is to visualize the end result and feel good about it. However at times you will receive an inspiration dealing with what you desire to manifest. That's your second job. Pay attention to these inspirations and act on them. It may not be totally clear where these inspirations will lead you, but it's up to you to take the first step.
There are several concepts explained in the movie (or book) that give you the courage to take that first step. Martin Luther King talks about how climbing a staircase begins with taking the first step, even though you may not see the top of the stairs. Jack Canfield says that you can drive from California to New York at night without any big deal. All you have to see is the next 200 feet in front of you which is illuminated by your headlights. Keep trusting in what you see right in front of you. Eventually you will arrive at your destination.
The trick is YOU have to take that first step.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
There are several concepts explained in the movie (or book) that give you the courage to take that first step. Martin Luther King talks about how climbing a staircase begins with taking the first step, even though you may not see the top of the stairs. Jack Canfield says that you can drive from California to New York at night without any big deal. All you have to see is the next 200 feet in front of you which is illuminated by your headlights. Keep trusting in what you see right in front of you. Eventually you will arrive at your destination.
The trick is YOU have to take that first step.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
Friday, August 24, 2007
LET ME REALLY SEE
I was reading about Helen Keller this morning. One of my favorite quotes of hers is "Self pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it we can never do anything wise in this world". In 1933, she wrote an article that was published in the "Atlantic Monthly". In the article she talked about what she would do is she were able to see and hear for three days. On the first day she would "look long" into the faces of her friends, a baby, her home, a dog, nature in general. The second day she would rise early and see the "thrilling miracle" of the sunrise. The third day she would take in the sights and sounds of New York City.
She concluded her article urging her readers to "Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. Make the most of every sense: glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty which the world reveals to you.
We take so much for granted, don't we. By following Helen Keller's advice we would begin to be more relaxed and live more deeply in the moment.
I have a long time friend who is a Christian Brother, currently teaching in Africa. He sent me a Christmas card a few years ago, with a saying on it that went something like, "When we come to the end of our days and we stand before our Creator, one of the questions He will ask us is, 'How did you enjoy My creation?'." What would your answer be?
Now is the time to really start enjoying it like never before.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
She concluded her article urging her readers to "Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to the other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow. Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. Make the most of every sense: glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty which the world reveals to you.
We take so much for granted, don't we. By following Helen Keller's advice we would begin to be more relaxed and live more deeply in the moment.
I have a long time friend who is a Christian Brother, currently teaching in Africa. He sent me a Christmas card a few years ago, with a saying on it that went something like, "When we come to the end of our days and we stand before our Creator, one of the questions He will ask us is, 'How did you enjoy My creation?'." What would your answer be?
Now is the time to really start enjoying it like never before.
Jim Ryan
Jim Ryan Talks
Programs That Empower
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