Our brains are "elastic!"

Which means we can literally, physically, change our minds.

When we move our emotions from anger to compassion or love, scientists are finding our brains not only light up in MRI scans, but actually create a change in physiology. Sort of like growing a healthy brain - it's possible at any age.

In short, we can actually find happiness through experiencing feelings like love and compassion; they can actually replace negative and self-defeating emotions. This opens us up to new ways of perceiving and dealing with the same problems we've always dealt with in our lives that lead to more positive outcomes.

It's not a way to dismiss or deny the issues, it just gives us more tools to work with.

The article even includes a way to help you move from stuck in negativity to positive processing.

Here's the story, reported on oprah.com.

Distractions

Opening my home page today, I was stricken by all the silly distractions surrounding bits of real news and helpful information.

There were meaningless quizzes, games, come-ons meant only to entice you to click on an advertiser's page, superficial questions about celebrities - asked in a way that conveyed the sense that these people actually matter in our lives, massive commercial messages, self-promotion, links to websites that blare unwanted music or bizarre sounds upon opening, and so much more nonsense that has nothing to do with a real life - that suck up time without any payoff.

Honest to goodness - I do not care if "Brangelina" are together or apart or square dancing.

It made me think of the T S Eliot poem "Wasteland," where he writes of pouring sand down a rat hole - a useless activity that has no real outcome, but still feels like we're doing "something."

Then there are the folks who take their time to respond to stories - leaveing "comments" that are frequently an extremely poor reflection on the American educational system and proof positive that common sense is not so common.

I usually ignore wastes-of-time on websites, but designers are getting more clever in pulling my attention to matters that really do not matter.

Even the modern website's "hard news" section is never without some sort of celebrity gossip or misleading headline geared to entice us to click to a page promising us information, but which again is filled with fluff and pure unapologetic junk.

I couldn't help but think of the book , "Entertaining Ourselves to Death." In essence, it says that while we're busy finding more and more ways to entertain ourselves, the folks in charge of our political futures, money and survival information surgically remove us from having - or for that matter even wanting - control over those things that are crucial to being a well informed electorate - consumer.

There's a vast difference between information and knowledge; the former being useless or useful, the latter being actually true and empowering.

Useless data without perspective only lays out "facts" which are not really facts at all. Just because someone says something does not make it a fact or true. It's only a "he said/she said" report without ever letting us know what the truth is. That is typical political reporting. Dems say x, Reps say y, without any real clue as to the veracity of either statement.

I'm not sure it will help in the long run, but I changed my home page.

Neverending smile...

For some reason I have been involuntarily grinning for two full days now - I have *no* idea why.

Maybe something wonderful is about to take place in my life and my face is psychically forecasting whatever it is.

Odd.

Tiring - mouth muscles asking wtf.

And embarrassing in light of the trying times we're all facing.

Champions

This is a statue of Seabiscuit - probably the truest champion of them all. From start to finish, this "little horse that could" showed us what it means to win - in life and on the track.

What makes a champion is not really about how well someone plays a game - but most importantly, how they finish.

The stamina, the drive, the focus, the dedication, determination and heart it takes to play their best through to the end defines the champion.

To be in the running, we need daily preparation, paying attention to the basics and workouts in order to play well enough to qualify for that final competition. The champion knows all that work is required, relishes it, and loves the challenge of sticking with it to the very end, where ever that is.

The rest fall to the wayside.

This is true in our personal lives and work.

You've seen partners who are champions - they're there for each other, nurturing their relationship to the end. You've seen championship teams - they're there for each other, nurturing each other and the team as a whole to the end.

You've seen champions who choose the high road when everyone else caves to convention.

The one thing that deprives a champion of accomplishment or accolade is not being in the company of other champions. Peyton Manning could not shine as the champion he is unless he surrounds himself with other champion players there to support one another in their quest to be the best.

I've become very aware in order to excel as a true champion, to do all we can do and be all we can be, we need to work with and be with others who not only think, but act like champions as well. Who have a championship mentality.

I find champions are great communicators, since it takes everyone in the game to pitch in and we all need to know what each other is doing.

Champions are also planners - for the big picture as well as details; they can handle unforeseen problems because they've created alternatives. Plan B. Plan C. As many as it takes. Surprises and obstacles don't put them off their game, they maintain their focus and integrity through to the end.

I pride myself on writing scripts that have very strong endings - where most fail.

Champions are reliable. You never have to wonder whether they'll show up or if they'll show up half-hearted. They say what they do, they do what they say so everyone knows they can rely on one another on a championship team.

Champions look out for one another; they have each others' backs. On days when one is more frail, champion teammates step in and step up until the hurting member is off the disabled list and back in full force.

Champions are compassionate. They help other champions fulfill their promise.

Champions are courageous. Facing huge hurdles daily, they experience obstacles as a challenge to be outfoxed rather than a debilitating blow.

Champions are immensely resilient; they must withstand the slings and arrows of deceitful detractors. There are people who are so frustrated, who are unwilling to do the work it takes to be champions themselves, who dislike themselves so much that instead of working to discover their own worth, they spend all their time trying to sabotage and destroy people who are genuinely champions. Sadly, I've known a lot of people like this - some have changed over the years, others have only grown more bitter.

Champions win the game of life. They make us better people - better at what we do and better stewards of our own lives and of those around us.

Champions know that doing his or her level best day in and day out is its own reward.

Champions know when to adjust, modify or change their game in order continue to excel. Athletes must change up their game - constantly learning how to play smarter, because their bodies change literally daily as they age. They know when it's time to leave the field a champion player and triumph as a coach.

Champions don't cheat. They don't need to - they know that the moment they cheat, they are no longer champions.

If there's a need to move on to another team, the champion handles the "divorce" with compassion, integrity and respect.

Real champions are champions in every facet of their lives; they know fame is fleeting, fortune fickle.

I love working with, being with, people who have a championship mentality.

The trick is finding them.

There are a lot of wannabe's, some of whom appear to be champions at first blush, but who only disappoint in the end. There are a lot of people who want to be with or around champions who turn out only to be sycophants or users because they don't want to do the work it takes to be a champion themselves, even when they have a blueprint of how to do it standing right in front of them.

The way to identify the true champion?

How they maintain the integrity of their work day in and day out; how they follow through; how they finish.

Affection is not species specific

Pictures of any creatures being affectionate make me smile. And strangely enough, eat less.

Just as I declared yesterday a day of kindness...

This story says it all.

The staff at the University of Washington's National Primate Research Center allowed a monkey to starve to death last year.

A sickening and inhumane story, I would think, even for those who believe in using animals for scientific testing.

Make this a day to be kind

.. to yourself and others.

If I start my day with this mission, chances are my choices of thought and action will reflect it.

I think I'll post this on my bathroom mirror so I can make every day one to make kinder choices.

Tired of being ripped off by big banks?

Put your money in a credit union or smaller local community bank.

I have not done personal banking in a big bank for nearly 20 years; I use a member-owned credit union.

My money is protected and actually safer than a big bank because my credit union will never ask for your taxpayer money to bail it out. More, I make more interest, do not pay for my checks or checking account .. and the list goes on.

I use a VISA debit card from my credit union; I will be getting a regular VISA credit card through my credit union as soon as I pay off my big bank credit cards so I will do all my banking business through it.

My credit union has all the financial services of a big bank, and because it's membership owned, there is more motivation to provide us members (every account owner is a member) with terrific customer service.

We must be doing well because we have several branches to better serve members who live in neighborhoods away from the headquarter branch.

Online banking, bill pay, ATM service - everything I need to keep my money safe and flowing is available there.

Small community banks can also be more consumer oriented because they're run by your neighbors.

BTW, credit unions have had to fight the big banks for decades to provide all the services they now furnish. For years, big banks have prevented credit unions from dispensing major financial services through lobbying congress. It's only been in the recent past that credit unions finally got "permission" to give every financial service we all need.

I've only spoken about this before with friends and co-workers who have had difficulties with their big bank; but last week Ariana Huffington of the Huffington Post has begun a crusade to get everyone with money in big banks to put it in smaller community banks and credit unions.

Part of the reason is that the big banks' credit cards can, for no reason other than they want to, charge up to 28% interest on their credit cards. These are the same banks that took many many billions of our tax dollars to get themselves bailed out from careless financial practices - being charged 1% interest by the government.

So they're getting money for 1% interest, and charging us 28% for credit card interest.

I found transferring my money from a big bank to a credit union easy; because we can request the beginning check number, there's no reason to start at "0001" to look as if you're new to your chosen non-big bank institution.

I am so happy I made this switch all those years ago.

By the way, when I joined, you had to qualify to be a credit union member by being an employee at certain places; most of those requirements have been rescinded - lots of credit unions do not require a specific employment to join.

I am self-employed and have never had an issue with my credit union.

It's January 1! Go big or go home

I received just the jolt of inspiration I needed to pursue all I want to do and accomplish in 2010 last Sunday.

It hit me watching the Indianapolis Colts lose a winnable game and the chance at a perfect record because their coach pulled quarterback Peyton Manning and other starters at half time when they led the Jets, replacing them with 2nd stringers.

Manning has not slowed down at all - the coach just wanted to give him a couple more hours' rest before the last regular game of the season next week. After all, they're already in the playoffs, aren't they?

And he wanted to protect them from the possibility of injury in the rough and tumble game. Play it safe.

Problem is, we can all be injured simply walking across the street or slipping in the shower. Tripping on the stairs; most injuries occur in the home. The number of athletes injured off the court, field or diamond are legion.

Manning said he wanted to go the distance to see if he could win that perfect - winning every game in the regular season - record. Manning said his team did, too.

I'm not talking about taking ridiculous chances or being foolhardy - which simply wasn't the case. After all, they were playing the Jets. It was a winnable game within ordinary playing boundaries for the starters.

Champions are champions. They courageously prepare and play when ever they can; they push forward despite what might appear to be insurmountable obstacles. Champions are not rewarded by pulling them out of the game; champions are rewarded by putting them in a position that tests every fiber of their being to see how far they can take themselves.

That's what makes a champion - they don't have the limits the rest of us do, they make that extra effort; they take that extra chance; they leave the average performer in the dust because that's what they've trained their minds, their talents and skills to do.

Mind you, I'm aware that Peyton Manning is not the best athlete in football. But he and his teammates are champions. They have a championship mentality and drive. They prepare themselves to use their strengths for their greatest good and limit the exposure of their weaknesses.

Pulling a healthy champion from a championship performance or winning game is not usually personally experienced as something done in their best interest or the best interest of the team.

In fact, it can play on the minds of some - intellectually understanding why the coach made the decision and being an obedient, respectful player for him/her, but viscerally confused and unhappy that a winnable game - and record - was lost.

It's one thing to lose when we've put our very best work forward, another to lose because the coach decided it was OK to throw the game.

Now we'll never know if the Colts - Manning and his starter teammates - could have put an undefeated regular season notch in their long list of record-breaking achievements.

In my life, I want to know.

I want to know if I can do it.

I don't want to be pulled from the game for fear I might get hurt because I am fit. I've prepared and trained, I'm in terrific shape and have been playing a winning game fearlessly and effortlessly, accommodating my strengths and weaknesses, doing my homework for each team's unique challenges. Most especially I don't want to be pulled if I'm playing the Jets.

I want to go big or go home.

I want to stay in the game and give it my all - 110% - to challenge myself, the other team and final score be damned, to see if I can pull it off. See if I can push myself to overcome those insurmountable obstacles to do everything I wish in the best way possible before the game ends.
I'm not pulling myself on the sidelines to "play it safe" or let a challenging opportunity pass, knowing I'm prepared, ready, willing and able to do my best to the very end!

Lesson well learned, Colts coach, just in time for the new year - and the rest of my life.

Happy New Year, Dearest Reader!

May 2010 be your championship year!