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Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-25-2012

2012-05-25T08:50:00.000-05:00

Friday, May 25, 2011

Today's Gift

I don't do what I do just so people will think kindly of me. I like doing what I do. --Janice Clark

We're lucky if we like everything that we do. But many of us have to develop a willingness to like many of the activities we're involved in. Is that unusual? Probably not. Nor does it matter. Acting as if we enjoy a menial task or an unusual pursuit offers us a different perspective on it. Just looking at it through more willing eyes changes not just how we see it, but how we feel about it. Often we discover that we can enjoy that which we dreaded before.

Because we wanted to be liked, and it's human nature to want that, we often volunteered for committees, for jobs, for assignments of all kinds that we didn't want to do. There's no shame in that. But at long last, we can dare to be more selective about what we'll do.

We are needed. That's why we're still alive. And while not everybody likes us, those currently in our circle of acquaintances need us and we need them. The work that is yet to be done relies on all of us. Pitching in begins to feel good when we have the right attitude.

I don't have to like everything I need to do today, but I'll feel more open to all the tasks if I remember they need my input.

From the book Keepers of the Wisdom by Karen Casey

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/

Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-24-2012

2012-05-24T06:32:00.000-05:00

Thursday, May 24, 2012
Today's Gift

Life is cyclical, not static. Our relationships benefit when we allow them to follow their own natural cycles. - Melody Beattie

Letting the Cycles Flow

Like the tide ebbs and flows, so do the cycles in relationships. We have periods of closeness and periods of distance. We have times of coming together and times of separating to work on individual issues.

We have times of love and joy, and times of anger.

Sometimes, the dimensions of relationships change as we go through changes. Sometimes, life brings us new friends or a new loved one to teach us the next lesson.

That does not mean the old friend disappears forever. It means we have entered a new cycle.

We do not have to control the course of our relationships, whether these be friendships or love relationships. We do not have to satisfy our need to control by imposing a static form on relationships.

Let it flow. Be open to the cycles. Love will not disappear. The bond between friends will not sever. Things do not remain the same forever, especially when we are growing and changing at such a rapid pace.

Trust the flow. Take care of yourself, but be willing to let people go. Hanging on to them too tightly will make them disappear.

The old adage about love still holds true: If it's meant to be, it will be. And if you love someone, let them go. If they come back to you, the love is yours.

Today, I accept the cyclical nature of life and relationships. I will strive to go with the flow. I will strive for harmony with my own needs and the needs of the other person.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/

Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-23-2012

2012-05-23T07:22:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Today's Gift

Life is not to be endured; life is to be enjoyed and embraced. -Melody Beattie

The belief that we must square our shoulders and get through a meager, deprived existence for far off rewards in Heaven is a codependent belief.

Yes, most of us still have times when life will be stressful and challenge our endurance skills. But we must learn to live, to enjoy our life, and handle situations as they come.

Our survival skills have served us well. They have gotten us through difficult times - as children and adults. Our ability to freeze feelings, deny problems, deprive ourselves, and cope with stress has helped us get where we are today. But we're safe now. We're learning to do more than survive. We can let go of unhealthy survival behaviors. We're learning new, better ways to protect and care for ourselves. We're free to feel our feelings, identify and solve problems, and give ourselves the best. We're free to open up and come alive.

Today, I will let go of my unhealthy endurance and survival skills. I will choose a new mode of living, one that allows me to be alive and enjoy the adventure.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/

Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-22-2012

2012-05-22T07:43:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Today's Gift

If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself. —Rollo May

Those of us who go around trying to be right and do everything right are likely to betray ourselves. We stifle our impulses and control our intuition because we can't be certain that we are correct. As a spiritual exercise, we could stop now and listen to our inner selves and state our own ideas. What comes out may break the illusion of perfection and free us to proceed with life.

We all have original ideas if we just notice them. What images come to mind while listening to music? What do our dreams tell us? New insights sometimes come by physical activity. Conversation with a friend can help lead us to our wisdom. Our growing strength requires that we listen to our own messages and then take some risks to express them.

Today, I will take risks by stating my ideas. I will stand up for myself by listening to my intuition.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/

Bearpawcalypse - Bear Pride 2012

2012-05-21T20:45:00.002-05:00

via www.bearwww.us

In it’s 18th year Bear Pride provides a fun and exciting gathering for members of the global bear community. The theme of this years event is simple…

“Bearpawcalypse”

Being located in the third largest city in the United States, Bear Pride offers the most urban of settings for this premiere event. Bear Pride 2012 is set to celebrate the unique and welcoming character of “The Windy City”. An estimated 500+ will register for the full weekend and thousands will attend at least one event.

This celebration of the Bear community is front and center over the Memorial Day weekend, with special emphasis put on the history of Chicago as a major destination for the GLBT community. Great Lakes Bears-Chicago, the sponsor club for Bear Pride, began in 1989 and holds a place as one of the oldest Bear organizations in the United States. Boystown is considered to be the historic home of the GLBT movement in Chicago and was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. Opening in June of 2007, the Center on Halsted is the largest GLBT community center in the world and provides services to the 300,000+ members of the GLBT community in the greater Chicagoland area.

Providing you great planned events and world-class entertainment, Bear Pride offers up the best possible experience for all who attend and enjoy the event. The full event package will include access to venues from the fun and exciting bars of Boystown to the high-energy dance floor of Vision Nightclub. Additional tours will be offered to give even more of a glimpse into what makes the city with broad shoulders so special.

Bear Pride offers the brotherhood of the bear community as well as the opportunity to take in the wonderful city of Chicago. This is an event that is not to be missed! It’s all about fun. It’s all about friends. It’s all about Chicago…

Read the rest

Note:

Once again, Bear Pride will be hosted at the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro Hotel. Rooms are available at the group rate... The group rate is valid from May 22nd through May 29th.

Online Registration is now closed.
Please register on-site at the Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro Hotel.
On-Site Registration opens Thursday, May 24th at 4:00 PM.

For more info and event schedule visit http://www.bearpride.org

International Mr. Leather competition to include two gay weddings in 34th year

2012-05-21T20:11:00.003-05:00

via redeyechicago.com - By Tony Peregrin,

Strap yourself in, leather and kink enthusiasts--the 2012 International Mr. Leather competition, which draws thousands of attendees and contestants to Chicago from around the globe, is introducing a first at this year's event.

What could the event, now in its 34th year--with its legions of leather daddies, scores of rubber-suited men, and even a few furries in their cute-creepy, anthropomorphic animal costumes--possibly introduce to this diverse and exuberant community? That would be a gay wedding--two, in fact.

"We definitely have a huge first this year," said Jon, IML Coordinator, also noting that both events are private affairs. "Throughout the years, we've had commitment ceremonies, but this is the first year that we will have civil unions. We get a kick out of it. We're slightly amused, actually, because we never thought that wedding planning would be a part of coordinating this big leather event."

In other IML civil union news, this year also marks the first time two of the contestants duking it out for the coveted title of International Mr. Leather are legally married.

"Among the contestants in previous years, we've had boyfriends competing against each other, and partners as well," he said. "But this year, to our knowledge, is the first time that two contestants are legally married. Both are from Maryland, I believe, but were married in the state of New York."

Reportedly the oldest international and leather and fetish event on record, IML takes place Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Chicago.

Read the rest

NOTE:

On-line ticket sales for weekend packages and single event tickets have closed. Please visit our Ticket/Registration Desk beginning Friday, May 25th after 10am to purchase your tickets. The Ticket/Registration Desk is located on the Gold Level of the host hotel, directly across from the Grand Ballroom.

Rooms are disappearing FAST. On-line reservations accepted thru Wednesday 5/23. Get yours now before we run out!
For more info visit www.imrl.com

Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-21-2012

2012-05-21T07:51:00.000-05:00

Monday, May 21, 2012

Today's Gift

To err is human; to blame it on the other guy is even more human. --Bob Goddard

We are on a path that leads us to become better people with greater insight and stronger character. A central theme on this path is learning to take responsibility for ourselves, our mistakes, and our choices as we deal with our situations. We can make progress on this path by noticing our defensive reactions when we make a mistake or when someone criticizes us. Our old ways were aimed at shifting the blame or counterattacking to get someone else off our case. Now we are learning how to take on the blame when it honestly belongs to us.

One of the first things we need to learn in taking responsibility is that there is no shame in making a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. But some people don't accept responsibility for them, and others do. We have much greater respect for someone who does. Admitting when we were wrong doesn't mean speaking in vague generalities, saying that "mistakes were made." It doesn't mean saying, "Yes, I did this, but only because you did that." It means saying what we did or didn't do and laying the facts out there for us and others to deal with. When we can do that, forgiveness almost always follows shortly.

Today I will hold back my defensiveness and admit the facts as they are.

From the book Wisdom to Know by Anonymous

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/

Ed Negron's Daily Motivation 5-18-2012

2012-05-18T06:39:00.000-05:00

Friday, May 18, 2011

Today's Gift

Sometimes life knocks you on your ass... get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it's the ability to deal with them. ― Steve Maraboli

Don't stop living your life!

So often, when a problem occurs, inside or around us, we revert to thinking that if we put our life on hold we can positively contribute to the solution. If a relationship isn't working, if we face a difficult decision, if we're feeling depressed, we may put our life on hold and torment ourselves with obsessive thoughts.

Abandoning our life or routines contributes to the problem and delays us from finding the solution.

Frequently, the solution comes when we let go enough to live our life, return to our routine, and stop obsessing about the problem.

Sometimes, even if we don't feel like we have let go or can let go, we can act as if we have, and that will help bring about the letting go we desire.

You don't have to give up your power to problems. You can take your focus off your problem and direct it to your life, trusting that doing so will bring you closer to a solution.
Today, I will go on living my life and tending to my routine. I will decide, as often as I need to, to stop obsessing about whatever is bothering me. If I don't feel like letting go of a particular thing, I will act as if I have let go of it until my feelings match my behavior.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

Read more Daily Motivations at http://thework-in.blogspot.com/