alt.inspiration

"How Do You Play Dirty?"

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:26:06 -0600

“How Do You Play Dirty?”

- #ALTinsp #AlternativeInspiration

Dirty Playa #ALTinsp

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:26:08 -0600

When its Easier to Play Dirty

There is a point, in a life, a job, a mission, a test, a class, a ‘something’.. when you are sick of the rules everyone wants you to play to.

Just like waking up, you look around and wonder why everyone else is doing the same thing. A few people are out there, playing dirty and skipping the rules, and you’re thinking to yourself some days “I should be doing that.”

Yes, yes.. social structure, safety, security.. I swear it will still be there even if you walk away from it, it will be there when you turn around; like a nest you should have flown from years ago.

We are more often safe and secure than we believe. You have to look at what you think is safe, in order to release what you are really afraid of.

So what do we do when We want to change the rules?

Try to Change the Rules

Conformity, its really hard to break a habit that big. I mean, as social animals, with so many options, even if you chose something that seems out of the societal norm, you walk into a niche of other individuals doing the same thing, just not as many.

So what happens when we try to change the rules? Mostly we get looked down on ( I love the term degenerate, it’s such a distopian word), people disagree with you, they sometimes argue; yet more often than not, we get avoided, like a bad cell in an organ.

The best part of breaking free like that, is that when people avoid you, you get space to go looking for yourself and your own way of doing things.. the only trick here is more often than not, to be free, you need to fight for it. We’re already fighting to conform and fit in, so what’s the worst that can happen?

Time to Change the Rules

What to do. Simply, set your sights and hold on to what you want to change. Don’t let it go, Play Dirty if you have to; We so often let go right before we win, right before it gets easier. That’s a living challenge for us all, when everything wants you to give in.

When you let it go, you give in, you let them win. There is no dignity in believing what others tell you to do, there is safety perhaps, but being proud of how you live your life is more important that what other people think you should do or how you should act.

Freedom comes from the mind, so act free, be free, and change the Rules Playa.

How Do You Play Dirty?

“If it’s worth fighting for, it’s worth fighting dirty for.”
~ Murphy’s Laws of Military Operations

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

The Block of the Mind #AltInsp

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:36:29 -0600

Road Blocks

Put this down. It’s not meant for you.

Go read something less confusing..

3, 2, 1.. Still here? good. This means you have the ability to challenge authority. Now you can get down to work and make some changes..

Remember, the authority is your mind. It is the thing telling you ‘what you can’t do. (yes, yes, there are all kinds of other things out there like rules, people and signs all tell you what you can and can’t do.. but one thing at a time.)

Your mind, it’s the guiding mechanism to keep you safe, teaches you how to avoid dangers and survive, yet its overgrown like the verge and hedge. It has bled into your simple decisions. Its no longer guiding you, its now blocking The Way.

Time to cut it back.

The mind.. ya, time to talk more about this one. The goal isn’t just to cut out those silly distractions, but to acknowledge what the mind is up to with all that trickery.. so a big thing your mind needs is your personal direction.

We are not the victim, we are the product of our own responses. Easily said, yes, but you need to change not just how you think, but more so, how you react to certain situations.

Who’s really the Boss?

You can bitch about how 'the man has got you down’, but you’ve got to pick it up, pitch in and engage into what your purpose is here, what you are here to do.

Most of us have some personal wealth and choose to do what we want with our money; bills are obligations we’ve created. You don’t need tv, internet, and any of that stuff, so if you’ve got it, you chose the path to spend your monies that way..

I used to be this way all the time.. you know, play the victim, the hopeless down-trodden, but then I started looking around.. well after some medication and trying to get my life straightened out.. and I could see everyone else let’s this happen to themselves too.

Take it Back

Don’t get me wrong, I still have bad / challenging days, but once you release how much you hurt yourself just with negative chatter in your mind, you learn to treat yourself and others just a little bit nicer.

So give yourself a break once in while.. we can’t be perfect all the time, but we certainly can learn to recognize when our mind expects too much perfection from us.

What ways do you get passed your Mind Blocks?

(#rant #warning: there are lots of others out there with financial mountains to climb, mental or addiction illnesses that have brought them to a terrible place in their lives, none of them asked for it, but no one respected them enough to give them their personal power back.. yes everyone deserves our compassionate aid, however, the tools we all need are the ones that give us our own personal power.. I’m not saying lending a helping hand isn’t a great thing, but its not enough; a community is only as strong as we build it, so the lesson there is to pitch in, but to leave a leading mark on those we help. share your strengths, stories, and the things you’ve learned, not just your money or your time. thank you)

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
~ Thomas Jefferson

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

"How will you acknowledge your ‘good’ Karma today?"

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:00:06 -0600

“How will you acknowledge your ‘good’ Karma today?”

Dirty, Dirty Karma #ALTinsp

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:08:06 -0600

Karma Conundrum

That’s right you puppy_kissers and sinners, Karma is a dirty word. its been polluted from marketing, (well at the very least in north america here) just like the identity of the words Diet, Lite, and Sale, Your Mom, etc..

So many words have taken on a life of their own that tend to mean something they are not. .. like Diet has morphed to almost mean, “be skinny, or die trying”.

‘Bad Karma’ gets tossed around like dirty laundry like it’s unwanted and unnecessary, but that’s not what’s really going on here.

In Our Actions

In our popular culture we treat Karma almost solely in the negative context. “You’ll get bad Karma for that,’ like a case of the measles, you’ll catch something.. and the word Karma gets treated like the deity Santa Claus; you’ll get something good for being good, and something bad for doing bad things.

Here the negative is often the tool used to reinforce more negativity. I mean how far in the hole do you have to be to finally say "Fuck it, I’m never digging out of this bad Karma hole."

We make mistakes, we get mean, we do stupid things because we think we are helping or we can make things better for ourselves, maybe others. But how do we change all this Karma?

Real Karma

Karma means action. that’s it. (trust me, look it up) It’s extension is only the cause and effect of said action. We all have to take actions, some do not happen the way we expect them turn out, and that’s okay. What we have to learn to curb is how we react to all these actions flying around from ourselves and others.

My goal here is to point out that, no matter the negative thoughts you have about the actions you take (and Oh how you will have them), all your actions come together to make you up; so yes, we make mistakes, but don’t be so harsh, you do things correctly more often than you let yourself acknowledge.

And every step you take in the right direction will absolutely help you find your path through your Karma. So get out there and find it.

How will you acknowledge your 'good’ Karma today?

“Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny.”
~ Tryon Edwards

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

"What permission do you need to give your creative self today?"

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:25:05 -0600

“What permission do you need to give your creative self today?”

Permission Slip #ALTinsp

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:37:00 -0600

The Slippery Slope

We often forget or get settled into a certain way of being, our great preoccupation, and so much to the point that we do not even see the choices we have right in front of us.

We have waited our whole lives to get permission.. from our parents, teachers, friends, bosses, lovers, waiters, your record label, your bank account.. just to do something. maybe its something you want to do; maybe its something you don’t want to do; but either way, you’re holding back.

The Tuck Back

What a travesty to wait at the shore for the ocean to bring it to you and never venture further to discover something greater that lies over, across or in that ocean.

ya, I hear it, “there are just some things you cannot do”.. that’s true, but I sincerely believe we can re-train ourselves to get into new habits that will lead us to that way of thinking and doing.

Training to say GO!

You really have all the permission and power you need. you don’t have to wait for anyone to tell you this either.

If you want to travel, as an example, the real first step is to decide where to go, to learn everything about it, talk to people that have been there, eat at restaurants that feature that kind of food, read books, check travel sites..

When you set your sights on something, your interest increases, and when that happens things will guide you to where you need to be; its hard, but eventually the dream of it will become the list of steps & budget you need to take to be there.

Permission to Slip

Don’t wait. Find a way. Every step towards something you want to do, becomes something you ‘need’ to do; it will happen, you just have to go out there & start it.

While you are training yourself to give yourself permission to do something, I give you the permission to go out get started and do those things you want.

What permission do you need to give your creative self today?

“As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.”
~ Marianne Williamson

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

Manipulating Matter(s) #AltInsp

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:26:25 -0600

Matter of facts..

Let’s take a look how we manipulate things to be creative.. a place that all begins is within your brain, or more percisely your mind*.

(*the brain is matter, the mind is an interperative quality we homo sapien sapiens have, pattern recognition plays a huge role in our abilities.. look it up.)

The mind is a place where the energy of spirit meets the energy of matter, and then (by some terrible twist of fate it has been given) it’s job is to translate these things so we can interpret them and then take action.

These actions can be as simple as a smile or as complex as attempting to jump free of an oncoming train; the can be the autonomic response or involuntary action of the heart muscle, they can be the reaction that blossoms into emotion.

All things matter..

Matter and Meaning are entangled; as is their relationship to one another. So if you consider that all things are a form of energy that we share; when you look at something it gives you its beauty (or its beautiful ugliness) and you in return transfer the energy of attention back to it.

This exchange is not particularly complex; what is complex is trying to keep this kind of knowledge fresh in your mind as you interact with objects in space.

Creativity is simply the act of manipulating your space. This is why painters paint, writers write, atheletes.. umm, athlete? (yes yes, run, jump, board, bike, etc.. but that's a lot of verbs..) it is not simply the thrill interacting with the world around you, it is the opportunity you have to manipulate and create your own reality.

Letting go, again..

I know, I’m down on the material possesion side of like a lot, but understand the difference between the tools you need to accomplish things in life and the unnecessary quanta of clutter you hoard like the sheep of gluttony; our simple purpose is to find a balance, balance in your mind and in your work/living space.

When you gather the tools you need to acomplish a goal in creativity, you get the keys to unlocking and manipulating the mysterious universe we live in.

What creative tools help you manipulate reality?

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
~ John Lennon

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

Omens #AltInsp

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:06:00 -0600

Personal Quest

Only you can tell you what ‘your’ personal quest is. Really. Some people can see the signs on you, but you are the only one that actually knows what it is. This also means you are the only one that can live it.

Woah, I hear you.. “what the fuck does that mean buddha?” (name the film quote for a prize) but its less complex than all that tv spiritual mumbojumbo, so I’m gonna break it down for you.

Guides

It doesn’t matter what is guiding you, but what matters is this.. Your Personal goal is tied to your interests. These do change over time, but your dreams and the way your mind wanders to certain things is the whole secret to all this Personal Questing.

You only need to look for two things:
What things do you like to do and
how can you do that in a way that helps everyone.

Omens

I was re-reading a book about a spiritual quest recently (*I left a list of books you might have read or should check out in the resource below) and it reminded me to share a few things.

Omens, these sound like some mystical sign from the heavens; they could be.. but more importantly they are also the call of pattern recognition. you will encounter these, a lot. if you’re a bit more in tune, you will start to notice certain things that start repeating around you during your day-to-day.

Deja vu is an interesting event that we shouldn’t dismiss immediately. Sometimes that is a calling you are on the right path, and sometimes you can see when you’re off the path. (like glitches in the matrix)

Your Journey

It’s limitless. So remember, to achieve goals are just like climbing a mountain of enlightenment, once you’ve reached the top, its time to climb back down and keep on living. You will have learned and earned something and become more of yourself that makes you, well, you.

Sorry this is just too brief to say all I wanted to express here, but I think if you can at least take a look at the things that exicite and interest you and then start to see all the signs that point/help you get to do what really excites, motivates, and changes you.

What Omens have you had recently to help you on your journey?

“That’s what Alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”
~ Paulo Coelho

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

Resources you may have or should read:
The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfeild
Way of the Peaceful Warrior - Dan Milman
Seperate Reality - Carlos Castaneda

"What Models help you take action creatively?"

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:54:05 -0600

“What Models help you take action creatively?”

"What More Topics or Info would you like to see here on Alternative Inspiration? #Challenge"

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:52:59 -0600

“What More Topics or Info would you like to see here on Alternative Inspiration? #Challenge”

- ~BMc

A Model Living #AltInsp

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:01:05 -0600

Model Life

Hey Everyone! thanks for visiting again. I’d like to talk about models today. (no no, not girls and boys, but that other type.)

We all have a method for dealing with something, whether its doing the dishes, driving, drawing, reading your inbox, etc..

Whats important to take note here is that we create models for approaching everything, so what can we do to make our future work a lot easier?

Building a Mystery

Whatever you do creatively, things like a template or a model of approach can save you a lot of time and free yourself up for more project time or personal time.

This lets your brain go into that approach mode without having to find a new way of dealing with it. So its great to build up these habits and cultivate ‘your way’ of doing things.

Don’t let the Model be the Method

I know the creative approach often calls for unorthodoxed ways, and its important to not let your process become a cookie cutter assembly line.

However, once you find a particular way of doing something, when it saves you time, don’t avoid it, embrace it as another tool in your kit.

What Models help you take action creatively?

“Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything … whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”
~ Tina Turner

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

"What helps you clear your creative space?"

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:01:06 -0600

“What helps you clear your creative space?”

A Crowded House #AltInsp

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:08:53 -0600

Cleaning house

So thanks to some random cleaning, I realized I have more tools just laying around my house.. its odd to pick an object up and find a new purpose for it. (if you were dying to know what I dug up, cue cards make wonderful long term note pads for dinner planning & recipes..)

Its a great opportunity to stop and take a look at your space.. not just your work space either. Check out your house, each room, each purpose of furniture and tool; See what’s there, what still fits and maybe what needs to move on.

All the pieces that don’t fit

Cleaning up can also be a great way to get your mind a bit more inline with what needs doing to make way for future work.

What a wonderful thing to take some time to sit back and see when things don’t fit; when you get rid of something you don’t need, you make room for what is needed. (just like in nature, when a puddle dries up, the rain comes to fill it again)

We all have different kinds of clutter. now we don’t need to live like monks or beggars with as minimal things around you, yet remember if you’re not using something, maybe someone else out there can.

Wrapping it up

Probably my most challenging issue is not so much finishing up what I set out to do, but then packaging it up, putting last touches and making it polished. I think to do this, you really need to take that step back before you move onto a new project.

If you’re going to see the future, you should look around at where you’re coming from, and the best way to do that is from a clear mind and space.

What helps you clear your creative space?

“He who wants to change the world should already begin by cleaning the dishes.”
~ Paul Carvel

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

"How do you bring random creativity into your work?"

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:00:05 -0600

“How do you bring random creativity into your work?”

"What helps you become creatively perfect?"

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:30:12 -0600

“What helps you become creatively perfect?”

2 Randomization #AltInsp part two of two.

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:10:00 -0600

This week I wanted to look at some duality;
perfectionism and randomization.

So part two, what is the value of random acts of creation?

Most people can understand Perfectionism, most people consider this to be what professionalism is all about; getting it right, every time and not allowing something to be subject to changing from anything but perfect. yet perfection can still hinder you.

Perfect can give you some amazing momentum and direction, but random chaos can take you far out passed where you had even considered you can go.

I mean, if you didn’t know it could come in more than just blue, would the sky be as interesting?

Storming the Brain

In a lot of cases people look at chaos as the brainstorming part of any project; but I’m here to tell you that random acts are a beautiful part of the whole process; they let you say this is good, but I see over here where it can be great.

We need that ability to look even at the finished product and still say, “wow that belongs over here.” that is not perfection as a tool, that is your pattern recognition still seeing that pieces are still loose to move around the board.

Perfect at Play

When we forget to play and be random, we lock ourselves into a kind of rigidity of expectations, and although there are benefits to keeping things the same, there lies a greater value in allowing something to evolve to become bigger and brighter than we originally planned.

So a summary for both pieces of this puzzle, balance is the key to understanding when we can grow bigger & make something greater than it can be, and when to finally see its time to stop.

How do you bring random creativity into your work?

“Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but it also allows the opportunity for creativity and growth.”
~ Tom Barrett

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

1 Perfectionism #AltInsp part one of two.

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:27:00 -0600

This week I wanted to look at some duality;
perfectionism and randomization.

So part one, why be perfect.

I would say that practice is about perfection; I think its the heart of learning as well. If you go out looking for it, you will most certainly find your way.

That is a great challenge, to not only chase something to truly love, but to try to hone it and build on that skill.

So, how to be perfect.

To work at something till you get it right. how do you know its right, well it becomes a living habit and its engrained into your muscle memory.

There is one and one one way to get there. Every single day in every single step, you do what you are made to do. Again, I know its easy to say and harder to do, but look again.. when you put all your focus on what you want to accomplish that you have so much time to accomplish all kinds of ‘perfect’ if you are living for it.

Simply perfect

Perfection, all that above talk sounds kinda stressful and like a lot of work (or sweat depending on your choice of work).

Yet, here’s the lesson.. once you are used to working at being perfect all the time, it becomes a habit you can rely on.. a solid part of you, after that you can actually ease back into it and come to rest with your impeccable self.

What helps you become creatively perfect?

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”
~ Anna Quindlen

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here

"When you’re asked to do something against your values, what do you do?"

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:00:06 -0600

“When you’re asked to do something against your values, what do you do?”

Doing the Right thing #AltInsp

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:12:00 -0600

Doing the Right thing

With great creativity comes great power. I am hoping that we live in times that have more freedom, where our choices do not weigh as heavily on us now, as they have in the past. Yet we need to be mindful of the things we create, as we may forget how influential our words or deeds can become.

Yet, how do keep creating when we are faced with some kind of political or personal conflict. The company or others we may choose to work for may not always agree with what we have to say, or their opinion will out-weigh your concerns, you are a hired-hand after all.

Do we stand up and say no, risking our livelihood for what is right? or do we back down, hoping it will even-out in the end? I can’t tell you, but I can state clearly here, you have great power within you to make those decisions.

When the words are not enough

Creativity is not just a medium, it is in fact, its own message. Our work can leave some very serious impressions on the minds and hearts of others. If you doubt me, you really should look into World War II Propaganda Newspapers, Freepress, and Poster Ads.. so much said in so little space and often subtly structured to rally people to your side.

The artists of the early nineteenth century were subject to some of our most gruesome and trying times, and more often than not, they were forced to be political in order to survive. They could not stand aside and hope the world would pass them by, the world was hunting ideas and beliefs, the very voice of creation in any resistance to a war machine.

So when you have to work against what you sense is right or wrong, you have to bear in mind how very precious the gift of creativity is to you.

Helping friends, Making choices

I’m not saying all this to be down and serious, my intent here is to keep your thoughts free to roam and play where they need to; to live creativity we sometimes need to go to great lengths and not only reach deep within ourselves, but reach out far beyond what we thought we could possibly achieve.

Do not let others decide your limits. Its easier said then done, this is true; but I have faith your sense of right will win the day. We are all blessed with the grace to create, so share and don’t let others choose for you.

When you’re asked to do something against your values, what do you do?

“Creativity takes courage.”
~ Henri Matisse

Thanks for reading!
from Bryan McLean Lyinghere.com
You can follow me on Twitter here
You can join Alternative Inspiration on Facebook here