Friday, October 17, 2003

Consistency takes practice   Living a Renaissance life--with fearless joy, open mind, passionate heart--is easy.  If we only had to do it for an hour.  If I am in the right mood, if the weather is great and if everyone is nice to me, I am a Renaissance Spirit.  But what about the other times?   That's when habits kick in.  Develop those habits that move you quickly through the times when you don't feel so passionate and don't want to be fearless or joyful.   No one can stay at their fearless, joyful best every moment--but why not practice moving back into that spirit.  Why not develop those habits which are most fulfilling in life?   "We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."                                                                             --Aristotle.   Let's make Renaissance a habit in our lives. 8:56:17 AM    comment []

How to start Renaissance starts within the heart and mind of one person--you. It is a curious mind and the gracious spirit: a truth-seeking mind and a passionate spirit: an open mind and a loving spirit.   It is the combination of mind and heart that triggers the continuous learning and sharing with others that starts the Renaissance. Simple, yes? It IS simple, because it is inside us already.  We lost it when we got too busy to think, too busy to feel with our real selves.  But it is still there.  It is lost or half-hidden inside us. How do we know our real self?  Think back to your earliest memories as a child. Where was your heart and mind then?  Remember the total focus on the moment, the adventures?  It was not all peace and placid-- there were things to do, lots to learn, and fearless joy.  That's a Renaissance! We need to bring that "joy in life" back out and wrap it around the rest of our life's journey.  How rich life would be if we lived fully every moment, thought, acted, learned in those disciplines that we loved.  Whether it be baseball or astrophysics--each of us have lived enough to know what attracts us.  What do you really enjoy doing?  What moments are filled with that "joy of life" for you?  And when you are filled with joy--how do the people around you feel?  The spirit is infectious. It's a wonderful way to live.  But it does take practice.  We have habits that reduce the "joy in life."  We have old tapes that play over and over in our minds.  We can erase those tapes.  We can change our habits.  Practice.  Every time a habit appears that reduces your mind or spirit, replace it with a good habit.   At first, it will take time to switch a thought or action.  Gradually, switching occurs faster and faster, until it is almost automatic.  And the best news about the Renaissance, you don't need to be perfect. Renaissance starts Now. Whenever your heart and mind are ready, you are in Renaissance. It's your journey of learning, feeling, and sharing deeply that is Renaissance itself. START NOW! [You may also want to visit RenaissanceNow.] 6:36:57 AM    comment []

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