Wise with Time

Time has flown by quite quickly this past year.  Have you ever experienced time, either speeding up or slowing down?  When we experience joy and having fun, it feels like time went by too quickly.  Then the other side of time, when we can feel time slowing down, looking at the clock, and revealing that there is more time than we realized.

I prefer time to feel slower, so I can accomplish more, play more, enjoy life more.  Write more!  Why is it that when we are bored, time seems to go slowly, and the opposite of when it goes too fast?  I have felt that being silent, with eyes closed and just being present... a gift to myself, that I, we can experience a sense of no time.

The clock can show our progress, and sometimes the lack of it.  The concept of time is fascinating, and I hope that we all use our time wisely.

~ Mary Ammon MacNeith

THE   WRITE   PATH

My blog, Shift Your Life Now, was created in 2019.  Before that I had a blog called Making Lemonade.  The reason I engaged in having a blog was to finally concentrate on writing, in its simplest form, while sharing my thoughts of ideas and inspiration, as words can be expressed visually when we watch, read or listen.

When I was young, I loved watching TV and movies.  Many of you know that the film Star Wars had a huge impact on me, in in all aspects of production and in spirit.  At a young age, I began to write puppet shows and plays.  In high school, I knew that being a writer would be my passion, to share knowledge and be entertained by it.  I received my bachelors degree in screenwriting, yet over time, that knowledge became outdated.  Then Hollywood came to me, via the computer, with ScreenwritingU.

The last Career Launch was an extra especial event for me, from Hal and Cheryl, and the experience propelled my purpose as a writer.  Then an invitation to SuccessMasters in December of 2020 illuminated my writing course through speech, which I had been on for a very long time.  Finally, last year’s Fearless Writers marathon of marketing was a huge highlight on my path.  When a manager told me my TV show could last for ten years, I was in awe that I had created something that would inspire and resonate for a long period of time.

Hal and Cheryl, I give to you my profound gratitude, for your passion of visual storytelling and sharing the amazing skills you have given to your many students, like myself.  You have provided more than just mastery of the lessons to compose stories.  You have enlightened my pathways towards my writing career, and thousands of others as well.

I thank you from the fullness of my heart, Hal and Cheryl, for your support and being my North Star.

2022 - Two

2022 - TWO

"Second helpings anyone?"  When there is a delicious meal, some want seconds of what they just finished on their plate.  Second chances in life, maybe with a family member, friend or lover.  And speaking of an intimate knowing, that the number two also means a couple in a relationship or, "I need a couple more hours to finish up my project."  

It takes two people to play and balance on a see-saw.  In a story you have a protagonist and an antagonist dancing to and fro, back and forth in the plot opposing each other, then bringing the story back into balance in the end.  Yet how do two opposites really attract?

It takes two to Tango.  Love Birds, well, it would be odd if there were three or more snugging together, eh?  There are two sides to a coin, and two sides to every story.  In tennis they hit the ball with a forehand and a backhand with the same racket. 

A couple married for more than 50 years, and a pair of shoes that danced to their hearts content, the number two stands for our passion to unite and sometimes oppose one another.  Find the balance in life and second helpings are waiting for you.

2022 - One

 2022 - One

One can be a lonely number, yet despite 0 being the first number in the chain of numerals, the number one is listed first of the steps to any path or project.  

"What shall we do first?"  Or, "What's the first step in our action plan?"  Finally, do we write the first page starting with zero?  No of course not, we start with the number 1.  One is not really lonely because it pairs nicely with all the other numbers, zero through nine and from the teens and then beginning with the 100's, 1,000's, and so on.  Why am I writing about the number one?  Well, I've have an assignment to write eight blogs within a month, so why not talk about numbers.

The meaning of the number one is basically a new start, or new beginnings.  I have a new beginning of turning my TV show outline into a first draft.  There's 1st place for a someone who wins a race or a contest.  The number one can also mean unity, such the defacto United States motto E Plurabus Unum, "Out of many, one."  According to Lisa Boswell, number one is related to leadership.

So, enjoy starting a new project or journey, whether it's only you or one group of people.  Lead with the heart and your path will be paved with adventure.

#Perfection

Life is perfectly imperfect.  We humans like the idea of #perfection in our lives, and for many that leans heavier in their workplace.  I know from experience that being perfect in one’s job, to complete all the tasks and not have any mistakes, would bring satisfaction to the worker and their leadership.  However, there is usually not enough time or care put in the workplace structure to embrace flaws, as a way of growing a company and improving the wellbeing of their employees, and thus creating a type of “perfect” place to enjoy their work. 

It’s natural for us to strive for #perfection in our careers, so we can attain what we feel is the ideal situation for which we can celebrate victories in our employment.  “When is ‘good enough’ an acceptable goal?” (Andrew Scott).  I believe an acceptable goal of what can be perceived being perfect, is when one takes a step back and knows in their heart that the concept has been reached, and nothing more needs to be done.

#Perfection is an opinion.  One person’s sense of completion is another person’s head tilt with, “Umm, maybe I need to tweak it in a different way.”  Thus it isn’t perfect.  Maybe the tweak is necessary and maybe it isn’t.  Is every human’s point-of-view perfect?  We can strive for #perfection, whatever that meaning is for those who desire to embrace it.  Yet, I see perfection in the beauty of a sunset, the smile of child and the perfectly imperfect world we live in.

~ Mary Ammon MacNeith

Destiny Is Calling

 Are you aware when Destiny calls you?  Maybe the phone actually rings, and someone on the other end is just who you need in that time and place.  Or maybe you’ve been thinking about something or someone for a while, or even in a sudden moment of a thought coming to your mind,  you are sure that the information you are receiving is perfect for that moment?

What is destiny?  Defined, it is a hidden power or force believed to control what will happen in the future, to a person, place or thing.  It seems that destiny may come with a price too, and that price is a choice.  To go down the golden road towards an emerald city, or to choose the more difficult path to gain knowledge and skills to overcome the challenges we all face as human beings, within the emerald city and beyond.

Many of us as we grow up and older are able to find our golden roads with their ups and downs and sideway paths.  These discoveries are a nurturing avenue to prepare us for, our destiny.  Sometimes we can find our destiny quickly, and maybe it lasts long, or burns out too fast.  For some of us, it takes a while longer, and that’s okay.  The trick is to listen when destiny calls, and pay attention to what your heart tells you.  “This path to the left, it’s easy.  Take the path on the right, it’s rocky and a big incline, though it will take you where you’re destined to be.”  

Destiny whispered to me recently, and I’ve been listening.  You may hear the soft, warm gentle breeze enveloping you while chills run through your body, and you know you’re on the right path.

~ Mary MacNeith

Metamorphosis

 The last year, and almost a half, we have been witnessing a profound metamorphosis on our planet.  Change is normal, yet we conscious humans are in the middle of surmountable transformation, and it can be down right scary.  Our eyes and ears have seen and heard multiple issues coming to the forefront, not just from our Earth, but from the behaviors of us humans.  How we embrace the knowledge that comes from this major shift in life will determine our metamorphosis… our destiny.

I believe that most of us want to challenge ourselves.  We see a mountain, so majestic and powerful, and we tell ourselves, “If I can get to the top, I will have accomplished a momentous’s feat.  I can do anything.”  And it’s true.  Many may hold, and not desire change because it’s easier.  Everything changes.  If a caterpillar chose not to transform into a butterfly, it would not be able to find its true potential.

We all have potential.  Whether it’s helping someone cross a busy street, or climbing a pink heathered stone pathway upwards toward a majestic mountain.  Each step we take, no matter where we are is a path towards our own metamorphosis of which our inner self is aware that we must take.  Enjoy your journey, step by step.  Stop here and there to become aware of the beauty that surrounds all of us.  

Mary Ammon MacNeith is an award winning filmmaker and screenwriter who composes thoughtful ideas in her blog “Shift Your Life Now”.  You can find out more at shiftyourlifenow.com.  

The Divided States of America

 

For as long as the United States came to being, from explorers, settlers, colonists and citizens, there has always been some kind of division.  

Division can be useful.  Conflict is necessary for growth, not just for a hero in a story, but to shed light on an issue or subject that is seen from various points of view.  The heroine must go against their complacency and achieve a goal that is necessary to have a better sense of being, not just for themselves, but for their surroundings too.  

The United States of America has always had many flawed traits, just as a hero should in a story.  The story of the U.S.A. is filled will patriots, on both sides of the color spectrum, who have imperfections that reflect multiple perspectives.  Many citizens desire the same thing, but in different ways.

I’m sure that most of the citizens of the U.S. appreciate the opportunity to live in a land of the free and home of the brave, however the 2020 election is illuminating not the unity of a country we say is the home of the free and the brave, but just how divided we are in our hearts about what it means to be brave and free.  We are living in a divisive time, where one part of our thoughts are, “What can the government do for me?” And the other part asks,  “What can the government do for us all as a country?”  

The world is watching as the spotlight on the United State of America is intense right now.  The question remains, will this country adhere to the unique constitution in a 21st Century World?  Or will we become the Divided States of America and throw caution to the wind?

Going Back Into Our Caves

Photo by Lennart Wittstock from Pexels

It’s been noted by many a Star Wars fan from the very first trilogy of films, that The Empire Strikes Back was the best story.  I believe it’s because the movie was more character driven than plot or story driven, as the audience became more aware of who the characters where, what they were up against and revelations of the story through character knowledge created OMG moments. 

The best scene was on the planet of Dagobah, where Luke was mentally pulled into a dark, damp cave.  In story, it’s the middle part where the hero or heroine struggles to find their place and the push against them keeps getting more difficult.  The cave scene is a beautiful example of one’s self being reflected into either who they are or who they might be.  Vader clashes with Luke in the cave, only to reveal that it’s Luke’s face in the dark mask.  

We all have a light and dark side, and most of the time it’s easy to see the lighter side of ourselves, and most of the time it’s difficult to see the darker or more disagreeable side that others point out to us.  At this time in history, we humans have been forced into our caves, because we need to learn who we are not just individually, but as a human group who rely on one another for our very existence.  

We know there is a light at the opening of the tunnel and most likely there is a light at the end of the tunnel as well.  Find your light, and reflect the love and encouragement we all desire.

Time for Change

I had to take a hiatus from writing this blog, because with all the cosmic shifts that are taking place this historic year, it has been and continues to be overwhelming.  

I learned that the astrology chart for the birth of the United States is exactly the same now as it was back in 1776.  The United States of America was revolutionary in its progress of ideas for this nation, but the challenges that have remained for so many elements of our country are now and finally coming out of the shadows and being highlighted.

Equality for all humans.  That makes sense.  Not all humans are the same, but we are human and life is precious.  Do we discriminate other living beings like dogs and cats?  No, I don’t think so.  So why do we do it to our own species?  Humanity has needed a transformation for thousands of years, and we are now in the process of learning how to divide the cells that will grow into the wealth of humanity that will be respected.  

The systems of our cultures are also coming into the light of this revolution.  So many to name with the obvious ones being  healthcare, education, law enforcement, working conditions, food production, transportation, living conditions, etc.

Often, when something needs healing, it may get worse before it gets better.  Our global transformation will be a very long and bumpy ride.  Many of us will not see the outcome from our current vantage point.  But the coming generations will, and I hope they understand that living in harmony and respect is what makes our world a safe and healthy place to live.

Let It Go

Fear, anxiety, things that take us out of our comfort zones.  For some people it’s easy to say let it go and move on.  Yet for most of us, safety comes first and that comfort zone feels good.  I’m the kind of person who knows that there is no “box”, no box of the status quo, and still my primitive mind says “stay safe and stay in the confines of my imaginary box”.  Well, I just conquered one of the invisible boxes!  

Being a new dog owner, I’ve relied upon my parenting skill set with our dog.  This has worked pretty well, yet, of course she’s a dog and can’t understand everything a human would like them to do.  However, she’s pretty darn smart and compassionate too.  Having been off the leash now for a couple of days, I just now felt enough courage to let my fear go, and take her outside without the leash on my own.  She performed very well with just me out there with her.  And after about twenty minutes, I received congratulatory praise for my courage.  

You may or may not understand how important this great feat is for me.  Small accomplishments like a baby taking their first steps, to a big step of me not using the leash outside.  There’s so much more comfort now. We should have an understanding that many comfort zones are most likely illusions wrapped in fear.  True tranquility is knowing that we can all take different levels of challenges out of our comfort zones, and make huge leaps forward. So have fun knowing there is no box.  Let go of the fear, and leap into those courageous comfort zones of achievement.

A Balance of Nature

February came and went like a silent storm for me.  It’s been a mild winter, yet the weather put pressure on the usual winter of “not feeling good” when my head is all stuffed up and I need to focus on my child’s education.  Aside from the weather and not feeling well, I just didn’t have the energy or inspiration to write any thoughts for the Leap Year month.

With the coronavirus amping up, we have to understand that this is a mammal based virus that has been around for a while.  When outbreaks of sickness occur, I believe it is a type of natural disaster like the tornado that devastated Tennessee, hurricanes and earthquakes.  We might want to think about the idea that the balance of life may have tipped too far to one side, and nature is trying to compensate for this imbalance.  It’s never pleasant to accept that a human should perish in undesirable conditions, be it a car accident or a fall or a virus.  

We must not forget that we humans are apart of nature.  Now is a good time to appreciate life, to find the hints of good that come from the fears of the unknown.  We are amazing beings experiencing what life on this planet is like.  Living in fear is not living.  So, please try to experience life with love and hope and gratitude. 

Big Little Goals

Almost everyday, I write down a “To Do List”, and most of the time, those “To Do’s” get pushed back more than once, due to my lack of being clear of what it is I really need to accomplish.  I have big everyday goals that include helping to teach my kiddo their school lessons and making sure I have the ingredients I need to make dinner.  An additional “To Do” item has been very clear to me these past few months when we acquired a lovely puppy—she needs to go out and relieve herself and she needs a good walk at least once a day.  So my everyday, very clear goal is to make sure I take her outside and for a walk, which might be annoying, yet has the huge health benefit of fresh outside air and exercise.  

After reading an article by Steven Kotler, the Executive Director at the Flow Research Collective, he talks about goals that are big lifetime achievements and how to get to those results.  We need goals that are clear and give us the specific focus we need to accomplish them.  This makes allot of sense to me, because when I finally wrote the first draft of my current screenplay, that’s how I was able to write it within a month, by focusing and creating specific little clear goals of organizing my story, and then the words fell to the page easily.  

I did this again last week, which is why I missed writing my blog because I was very focused about specific little goals as my child was wrapping up their first semester lessons.  We took each lesson with clarity, and accomplished a lot in a small amount of time.  

My current challenge with personal goal setting, or small clear goals from Kotler, is that I put so much on my “To Do List”, that I always struggle to accomplish my smaller clear goals to help reach my big dream goal of producing my stories.  I still need to practice not wasting these precious moments of time on things that aren’t related to either my home, or my clear little and big goals.  Having goals is great, the challenge is focusing on how to attain them.  I’m going to challenge myself to get my dreams to come true, how about you?

Shift Your Life Now

Was 2019 a harsh year for you?  It was certainly challenging for me.  It started off with the U.S. government shutting down, chaos at the southern border, upheavals around the globe, the U.S. Executive Branch believing they can do no wrong, armageddon-like fires in southeast Australia.  Between nature made and man made disasters around the world, it’s time for the globe to shift for the positive.  It’s time for us to shift our lives now.

I’ve been struggling to shift my life for a while.  I’ve put a lot on “my plate” over the past few years, and I tend to put others in my life before myself.  I must be careful and acknowledge that my plans and goals are important too.  I’ve had big dreams for a long time, and if I don’t start acting upon them, then those dreams will fade.  I can’t let that happen.  I must act now.  I must shift my life now, and see my goals come to fruition. 

Shifting your life can be big or little steps.  Little steps may lead to longer and bigger goals.  As I plan for my long term goals to be fulfilled, I will require small deliberate steps.  I’m shifting my life to improve my writing on many levels of the craft, as well as education in wellness and entrepreneurship.  I’ve always desired my own business.  I had one for a while making specially handcrafted shoes.  It was a big shift I took to do that, and now I’m shifting again.  If I can’t help myself, I cannot truly help others.  It’s time to shift your life now, and may your 2020 be all the best it can be.

M. MacNeith

Peace on Earth, Let it Begin with You

I’ve always loved the song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth”, as I remember it being sung mostly around Christmas time.  This song is simply beautiful.  Aside from its religious context, the message is one of grace and love, not just for a person or for a few people, put for all people, and especially oneself.  

The part of the song I like the most is at the beginning, where it states… “Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.”  That’s the catch.  Peace among us conflicted humans has always been challenging, yet one person can Shift their thoughts in taking action to create peace, and produce a domino effect of which that peace can come in many forms, but in order to give it, one has to accept it for themselves.  It might certainly be challenging to contribute to peace if one does not first embrace peace within.

The song was written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955.  Jackson-Miller who had gone through a great personal challenge, wrote the song “after discovering an understanding of life-saving joy, peace and unconditional love”.  The song was also created for the International Children’s Choir in Long Beach, CA, which continues to represent a variety of world nations (wikipedia).  

“Brothers all are we

Let me walk with my brother

In perfect harmony…

…Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin, with me.

M. MacNeith

The Best Gifts

We are now in the time of the season of giving.  In my last post, I talked about giving gifts at this time of year, in December when the days are cold and the nights are colder in the Northern Hemisphere.  And that the best gifts aren’t usually something tangible, but ethereal like time and love.

Giving one’s time and especially love that has no conditions attached to it, are truly the best gifts.  I would gather that they obviously coincide with one another, being that one would need to be conscious of giving one’s love through the gift of giving their time.  Someone can say “I love you,”  and with that statement, take positive action with that love and act  upon it, giving one’s self to another in those moments.  

Simple, loving actions like a hug, volunteering, providing a seat on the bus to someone who needs it more than you especially during chilly days and nights.  Giving your change to a reputable charity, making sure the elders in your neighborhood are safe and provide assistance if they need it.

These are the best gifts of all.  Giving your time and love in simple ways, which could turn into big ones.  Share your best gifts and see what happens.

M. MacNeith

Season of Giving

For many people around the globe, we think of the season of giving to be during the holidays in December.  Retailers plan months in advance for special prices on goods and items so we can purchase them to give to our family and friends, and give to those in need.

We tend to focus this desire, this necessity to buy someone something because we are supposed to.  The buying and giving of items, which are either needed or a kind of luxury can have heartfelt value.  However, things can be bought at anytime.  The true value of giving comes in the form of time, and the most precious gift is one’s love.

The beauty of giving one’s time and love is that the value of these gifts are exceedingly high and cost nothing at all.  In fact, the true beauty is that time and love go hand in hand.  Happy giving.

M. MacNeith

Being Thankful

Gratitude, appreciation, being thankful.  These words are an essential trait for any person who intends to thrive.  Not only giving thanks to others and appreciating what one has, but receiving thanks as well.

In the U.S. we have a new habit of thanking our military service members.  It’s a beautiful sentiment.  For many, I believe hearing “thank you” is a thoughtful gesture, though it may not have as much weight as those who are saying thank you, are led to believe.  I could be wrong, though many people are not inclined to be receptive to receiving a “thank you”.

Years ago, a friend of mine and co-worker had a car that was on its last legs.  She drove a simple car and her in-laws desired to give her one of their cars as they wanted to purchase a new one for themselves. We talked about it.  Her in-laws were financially comfortable and my friend didn’t want to take what she thought of as charity.  I was led to believe her in-laws were giving her an expensive used car.  So when I asked what kind of car they were going to give her, she responded, “a PT Cruiser”.  I told her, “Great!  You shouldn’t be driving your car any more.  Take their car and say thank you.”  Within the week, she showed me her new-used car and she was very grateful to have it.

I’m thankful that I was able to assist my friend with being grateful for something she needed.  I was grateful to use this simple act of thankfulness after reading a new book about gratitude.  We are grateful for what we have— our homes, food, clothing, family, friendship, etc.  Yet don’t forget to receive thanks too, and hopefully be grateful for it.

M. MacNeith

Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is upon is in many countries.  In the U.S. the celebration of Thanksgiving will arrive a week from this Thursday, honoring the bounty of the harvest for sustenances during the dark days of winter.  We typically gather with family and friends and being thankful for the food we have to eat, the sweetness of loving companionship, and the wellness we have-at any level to persevere.

We honor the Holiday Season with festivities like Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, light festivals in Asia and the Al Dhafra Festival in Abu Dhabi observing the heritage of the Bedouin lifestyle.  With so many amazing cultures around the world, it’s a beautiful thing to have so many amazing celebrations to honor those cultures.  

When we Shift our lives towards a place of respect for ourselves and others, we honor our cultures, our histories and our celebrations.  Let us honor the uniqueness we all share with the variety of festivals for our Autumn and Winter Holiday Season.

~ M. MacNeith

Veterans Day

My dad, circa 1942

Yesterday was Veterans Day in the United States.  It’s a pleasure to know that after 100 years, we are still honoring our women and men who served and serve in our U.S. military in so many capacities here at home and all over the world.  My ancestors served in The Great War, among them was my great-uncle Tobias Ammon, who was killed in action on September 9, 1918.  My father, above in the photo, served in World War II in the Army Air Corps.  These groups of men and women were proud to serve, yet did not show heir pride on their sleeve.  I did not know until after dad passed away in 2008, that not only did he serve in Iceland during the war, he was there for over 90 days, making him a member of The Forgotten Bastards of Iceland.   

A friend of mine was also in the Air Force- Special Forces in Vietnam.  He’s one of the most interesting persons I know.  He’s like the Engergizer Bunny, he just keeps going, keeps serving his country in many ways.  He was “honored” with two Purple Hearts in Vietnam.  An award most soldiers, airmen, marines and seamen truly wouldn’t really want to have, I’m sure.

Then there’s my husband, a 30 year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.  He wanted to be in tor 40 years, and felt as if his Coastie “family” he had been with was kicking him out, just like when he was young.  And even though he was apart of a historic rescue, the attitude he has for his service is much like that of my father and other WWII vets, it was his job.  The USCG was his security and his family.  I believe he appreciated his time, and now he continues to serve in another government capacity.

Family is important, not just for the veteran, but for those family members of the veteran.  Nowadays, we are used to saying “Thank you for your service” to vets, and we are now paying that to veteran families as a whole.

The military is a volunteer service, though the service and what comes from it lasts a lifetime and beyond.  We must continue to appreciate and honor them, always.

M. MacNeith