Hollywood

If a movie could be made based on your life, what would it be?
A drama that touches the heart?
A comedy full of laughter?
A horror film with no happy ending in sight?
Or, will it be of a failure that hides from life?

Is it the fear of failing that compels you to live?
Do you pass the time of day only to wonder how time passed you by?

To be afraid is to see death at every corner.
To be afraid of failure is to live in a world where time changes nothing.

Life is unscripted and yet our chaos rhymes with the poetry of a happy thought.
Life is filled with failures, and yet we fail to love the word for what it is.

Failure teaches us that life is but a draft.
A long rehearsal for a show that will never play.

You are the director of your own life, with a destiny that only you can create. Stop living your life only to write about the disasters in the future; instead, become a journal of the power a person has when they are not afraid to fail.

You may never be successul or ever become rich.
However, when the movie of your life ends and the lights slowly become bright; I will be clapping my hands for you because you showed to never give up & fight.

Your life is like Hollywood: a dream that is alive and a story that needs to be told to all.

Imagine a world never knowing the joy that you brought us?
Now, that is a movie I prefer not to see at all.

All In The Head part 2

To be stress-free is not to be careless. It is to have the ability to sort out your problems and solve them.

To be stress-free is not about avoiding or shutting down your emotions; this only ends up numbing your brain. Instead, it is to channel your emotions (i.e. anger, happiness, insecurity, joy, etc.) and be in control of yourself & destiny.

Stress-Free is being in a state of mind to collect your thoughts and balance your emotions.

Defeating and/or eliminating stress can be achieved through exercises of charity and personal reflections. Your soul longs for your inner self to be at peace within the realm of our environment. Your body looks forward to the day when it can be connected to you.

On a personal level, I have gone through a tremendous amount of challenges ever since I was laid off from my job. (For your information, I am still searching). However, I have refused to let that event determine my life and my actions.

Even though there are nights when I go to bed hungry and have bills that I cannot afford to pay, I find it necessary to control my stress in a manner that do not inflict in my life.

There are days when I am successful, other days when I struggle, and some days when I have totally lost it (I am human after all). It is on the worst days of my life when I do not have the strength to carry away a stone that I search for a pebble in the hope of rebuilding my strength to move away the larger stones.

In my prior article “All In The Head part 1” I mentioned that stress is a man-made emotion, a product of our times. For example, the early cavemen faced the pressures of daily life of starvation and searching for shelter. As the time progressed, so have our needs. Nowadays we worry about our physical appearance, credit card debt, college tuition, job promotions, gas prices, etc.

Even though our ancestors did not have the modern luxuries that we enjoy today and faced a tremendous amount of hardships; there is little evidence that they endured the same amount of stress levels that we have today.

When our ancestors were hungry, they hunted for food.
When food could not be found, they farmed.
When hunting and/or farming was not in season, they relocated.
Our ancestors found a way to cope with their pressures and challenges through simple solutions.

Unfortunately, we lost sight of the simple answers to life and replaced them with more complications:
When we are depressed, we take drugs and/or start drinking.
When we are hungry, we over indulge on food or deprive ourselves in the fear of becoming fat.
When we find no easy answers in life, we become negative & loose hope.

Dispute the differences between our ancestors and us; there is one thing we have in common: our need and ability to survive.

As promised from my previous article, I am going to provide some suggestions for ways to cope or eliminate stress all together. You may find yourself adding more or taking away a few of my advices, but I hope this can be the start to a new beginning.

Even though there are the typical remedies such as yoga, exercising, reading, fishing, etc. I am going to think outside the box for you to take action on.

VOLUNTEER
We live in a society that determines the worth of an individual through their social status, the balance of their checking account, and the cars they drive.

Our society has determined to judge the merits of a person by their compulsion to survive rather than by their compassion to serve humanity.

By helping someone in need (disabled vets, the elderly, abandoned pets, the environment, etc), you empower yourself to make a change. You empower yourself with the ability to believe in yourself.

Ultimately, you create a better world and will be responsible for it.

SIMPLE PLEASURES
Having the ability to enjoy the small stuff will add up to having a great life and being able to think collectively. Enjoying the simple pleasures cultivates taste.

Enjoy the feeling of your hand grasping the sand. Throw some stones and watch them skip on the water. Watch a leaf fall from a tree. Splendor the taste of happiness.

CONTROL YOUR ANGER
Holding onto to anger is like holding a hot stone: the longer you hold onto it, the longer you are going to get yourself burned.

Learn to let go and move on.

HAVE NO REGRETS
No one else will ever match your value in this world. There is none like you. No one else can touch my heart like you do.

Live your life the best you can. Learn from your mistakes and build on the things you do right. Have no humility in admitting your faults. Open your eyes to this world.

In conclusion, keep your life and answers simple.

All In The Head part 1

The Earth is wonderful but it can also be frightening and overwhelming.

The stress of life is constant and never relents on its presence. We are reminded of that through the cycles of night & day.

Slowly its grip brings us closer to our worries and causes us to self-inflict our spirit.

Stress revolves around our work, it roams freely in your family, and howls loudly against the reminiscence of peace.

We stress ourselves about meeting our expectations.
You stress out about the insanity of humanity.
I stress for the sake of adding pressure to my life.

Stress is found in our sleep, reflecting trouble through our mirror and wrecking havoc to our health.

Why did it ever reach this point?
How did I loose control?
Can salvation ever be found?

As children, we are taught that each one of us is unique & different. Yet, we all share the same joys & displeasures about life. Ultimately, we allowed ourselves to be caught up in the material of Man.

The price of our sins is paid through stress and will spread to the next generation. However, this does not need to happen if you can remember that stress is simply a matter of the mind.

Stress is materialistic as the type of car your drive or the brand of clothes you wear.

Stress is as real as you allow it to be. You can allow it to surround you in darkness, or it can fly over you like a feather in the wind.

The power of the mind is so incredible that it is taken for granted for being the creator of stress. And yet, we allow ourselves to feel powerless to control it.

Not anymore!

On my next article, I will write a few suggestions that can help you overcome this issue.

Until then, be at peace and carry away one stone at a time.

Open Letter 9/4/2008

Dear JP,

I want to let you know that I just started to read your blog and I am so happy to have stumbled upon your website. I have been in such a terrible mood but I feel like I can really connect with your readings.

If you could please give me some advice, it would really help me out. I feel like I have no one to turn to when I want to talk about my marriage. My husband and I have been married for 5 yrs and have a wonderful boy.

We were both raised as Christians and both have wonderful parents. Our friends and family think we have a great marriage but I am really miserable. I cannot explain why, my husband is a great man and everyone I know loves him (except for me) which makes it really hard for me to talk to anyone. Please help.

Alone & Miserable
-------------------

Hello Alone & Miserable,

It is tough to be in a relationship/marriage that is falling apart; it is as painful as watching a petal fall from a rose. A feeling that I think we all have come to known before.

I will be honest to tell you that I do not know the answer for which door for you to leave open & close in your life. To fall in love is as easy, but to maintain it is a different story.

From reading your email, I sense that you have shame in you. Each morning there was a sunlight that burned brightly inside your eyes; through the course of time it has dimmed to cover the void in your soul.

But just as there is freedom for an eagle to soar in the sky, so too you will be healed from the crying in your eyes.

No marriage is alike and neither are the circumstances, my advice may not help or work for you, but I am opening myself up to you and the tools that I used.

There are some questions that you need to ask yourself before you come to any conclusion (s):
1- What were the reasons that you fell in love and for marrying your husband?
2- What has changed?
3- What will make you happy?
4- What objective do you want to achieve (i.e. stay together, separate, divorce, etc.)?
5- What are your reasons to achieve this objective?

Once you have the answers, open yourself up and gather the courage to share them with your husband.

Please remember that I am not a professional or hold any certifications; I am just a normal & vulnerable human being. Only God knows the number of times I have had trouble in my marriage.

However, I always find myself asking myself those questions during the troubled times in my marriage. Each time I answered, I found myself wanting to work harder in my marriage for the reasons I truly believe in my heart.

For me, it is also as important for my wife to learn of my feelings and objectives. It was not always easy for me to explain them to her (or vice-versa); however, telling the truth to each other has set us free from the shadows that have held us down.

Telling the truth to each other has made it possible for us to work as a team to solve our problems and work them out.

To maintain or dissolve a marriage is always difficult, especially when children are involved. Regardless of your objective and result, give yourself the ability to think things through clearly. If need to, consult with a family, friend or professional.

In the end, only you can determine your level of happiness & satisfaction in life. Sacrifices and compromises will need to be made. Allowing yourself time & patience will be critical for your success.

Before anything else, make sure your decisions fall in line in the best interest of yourself, your marriage and your child.

I have seen the morning burn gold above the mountain in the sky, slowly but surely, you will carry away the stones that will allow seeing the rainbow in your life.

Do not be afraid to roll the dice and ignore the fear in your eyes because you hold the key to open this world.

A Star Shines For You

Blame it on the moon.
Blame it on the planets.
Blame it on the universe.

Something wonderful is going to happen today, something amazing is about to be seen, something special is about to be felt.

Through the perils of this earth we searched through light & darkness only to find solace in emptiness.

In the realms of our soul, there is a room in our heart with no one inside.

As of today, that will no longer exist anymore.

The screams & sounds of “I am lost” will be found.
The screams & sounds of “I am scared” will be comforted.

Look across at the sky and you will find a sound that sparkles, listen closely and you will see a smile.

Feel it closely, think about it clearly; tonight will be the night when you realize that the stars we see at night shine for you.

They shine because we love you.
They shine because we are thinking of you.

Across the threshold of the galaxies, a star shines through a million light years in space to shed light in your life.

We live in a beautiful world. We live in a wonderful time.
We are reminded each night of that when a star shines brightly for you.

If you are sad, if you are in trouble, or confused; please know that the stars shine because you are connected to me and the rest of the world.

So brighten up and smile because even if you don’t know it, you are special because you are giving us a light and would be impossible to see without you.

There is a star shining bright for you; you are a star shining bright for us.

The Meaning of Poverty

When we think about poverty, many assume it is describing a person’s economic condition. Poverty is also used as a mechanism to rank people and group them together in our social & economic ladder.

Poverty does more than just hold back people from their financial freedom; it destroys the soul. It melts away the dignity inside us. It troubles the mind and hinders our happiness.

Poverty is a disease that has inflicted humanity since the dawn of time.

If you think that being in poverty can never happen to you or your family, you may want to think again? Millions of Americans are only a paycheck away from being homeless; millions more suffer through ailments that prevent them from working. What makes you different & immune?

The truth is that poverty can strike anywhere and at anytime; it does not discriminate nor does it sleep. Poverty can steal your wealth like a thief in the night, or it can slowly rob your possessions through course of time. It is easier than what you think to fall in this category, and difficult to get out. No one is safe. No one is immune.

If you fall under this category, or feel like you are, or may even know a loved one that is going through this spell: the answers to overcome this hurdle are not always present, they are not always clear, and they may not always be available.

But if you dare to be strong and dare to have a better life; then, you can carry away the first stone in your road to success.

Success will not be easy, or come quickly. Success will need to be defined by you.

Poverty can be defeated, but it must come from within you to believe it.

A miracle will appear within you, and you will find yourself back on your feet.

Although I cannot tell you the road for you to travel, I do want to leave you a few advices for you to have in your life:

1. Don’t Stop Dreaming
2. Don’t Settle For Second Best
3. Don’t Give Up.

I wish you the best in your life and may God be with your on your journey to overcome poverty. May success, joy, and happiness find you along your path.

-J.P.

A Fool's Hope

Sitting here, talking to you, I start to wonder about the tough times people & families are going through right now. Somehow, trouble seems to find us and each day piles on one more burden that we are not strong enough to carry.

Each one of us has gone through a moment in time when everything that we ever worked hard for was lost. Each day we know that the sun comes up, yet, we only find a cloud of darkness above us.

Our worse moment happens when we look at ourselves in a mirror because no sympathetic mirror can ever be bought to hide the shame that we carry in ourselves of feeling like a failure and loser. The reflection on the wall shows a heart that has been beaten up, and a face that has gone through the rough tides of time.

Where does one go when our paths are hidden?
How does one dare to see when all we know of is misery & gloom?
Why does one dream only to wake up with a hangover of a broken heart?

When the sun sets down in your life, the ship carrying your hope sets sails in the abyss, and the iron curtain of this world slowly fades out the light; how is it a possible to move on? Only a fool would dare to get up when it so much easier to give up & lay down.

If there was ever a sin that I would need to confess to the world, it would be at this moment right now with you….the fact that I have been a fool my entire life.

Yes, I am a total fool.
I am a fool for thinking positive.
I am a fool for believing that tomorrow will be a better day.
I am a fool for having faith.
I am a fool for thanking God each minute of my life that has been a miracle & a blessing.

Being a fool has allowed me to ignore those who say that success cannot be achieved.
Being a fool has allowed to think positive and overcome the hurdles in my life.
Being a fool has allowed me to avoid becoming an alcoholic and/or drug user.
Being a fool has allowed me to live my life and continue fighting for what is good.

As foolish & illogical thinking positive may appear to be, if taken seriously, it can impact your life in a way in a manner that will give you the strength & faith to succeed.

My life may not be going so well right now, but you can count on me being foolish enough to believe that tomorrow I will be one step closer to becoming successful & happy.

If you can become foolish enough to believe, then perhaps you can be foolish enough to reach for the stars that we all dreamed about when we were kids.

Perhaps only a fool can be strong enough to carry away the stone in the mountain that we want to move.

Feeling Blue

Feeling “blue” is an expression that is used to describe a state of depression. Feeling “Blue” does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from a clinical depression; on the other side, it is not as easy to say you are simply feeling sad either. In my opinion, feeling “blue” reflects on the emotions that we feel through our heart & displays the scars that we have in our soul. Emotions such as these are often felt through experiences such as feeling rejected, heartbroken, unsecured, mourning a death, etc.

Sadly, when we feel “blue” we tend drift away from people (including our loved ones) and often subject ourselves through physical & spiritual torment. Far too often, we tend to blame other people, objects or even God for our own misery. How would I know? Because this is an issue that I have been suffering and fighting with everyday for the past few years.

By no means am I a psychologist, doctor, counselor, or any type of expert on the matter of family, mental health, etc. In reality, I am a failure. I am an ordinary person struggling to survive each day at a time.

Despite my troubles, why do I see it necessary to remain positive and not feel “blue”? I became convinced a few months ago after I heard a wind blowing in my mind, looking for a feeling that had never left my heart. I soon realized that hope is the gift in my life that can never be taken away.

Hope to become a better man.
Hope to know that tomorrow will be a better day.
Hope to believe that I am not alone.
Hope to dream.
Hope to love.

Hope that my blues will connect me to a rainbow filled with happiness & joy.

Hope that somehow in someway that this reading can connect to you.