The Color Of Clear

I see so much discrepancy about color nowadays. Blacks versus whites versus other skin colors; football team’s colors; even donkeys and elephants that are each red, white, and blue.

The truth is there are many pearls of many colors and each of them are beautiful in their own rights and in their own respects. In nature, pearls come in all shapes; sizes; and shades of black, white, yellow, red, green, brown, and so on. Just like people. And there are even iridescent (rainbow) pearls of each color. Just like people.

Perhaps the most beautiful “pearls” I have come to realize are those that are clear. They don’t occur in nature; they’re manmade instead.

Why Clear?

We seek in so many things to be clear. Being clear communicators. Having clarity of purpose and of vision. Being transparent in all your doings. The list goes on. 

Clearness contributes to trustability and credibility. It is unbiased towards color and even emulates colors around it, meaning you can better empathize with other individuals who have decided to take on a certain color set. In James Cameron’s Avatar, the idea of “I see you” is one of community and interpersonal trust.

Clear pearls are like spiritual pearls that transcend the mortal experience. They’re the pearls that gives mankind continual faith in mankind despite their shortcomings. Clear pearls don’t hide behind agendas with ulterior motives.

Making Clear Pearls

As I thought about this idea more, I think each of us has the ability to make clear pearls through service for service’s sake. You think of the needs of those whom you are serving and comply with compassion. You ignore your own desires for comfort, convenience, and sometimes even your own safety, to reach out to another and lift that person up.

Just as clams coat an irritating piece of sand with nacre to form a pearl, so to can we humans take an situation of chaos or misfortune and transform it into something beautiful for someone. That is the stuff clear "pearls" are made of - rough sand is purified by a refiner's fire into smooth glass. Only mankind has ever had the ability to consistently create such pearls. Go out and form some pearls of your own today!

#pearlsofmankind

Grand Master Starfish



Grand Master Starfish

 

RECAP

 

Since it's been a year since I last wrote for Pearls of Mankind, let's have a quick review. You are like a clam. You have your hard outer shell that protects you from outside influences you don't like. You have your soft, vulnerable innards that you like to keep safe. In order to grow and learn you need to open your shell to let the water of life syphon through.

Starfish like to eat clams. The negative influences in your life, including the negative voices in your head, are starfish. They pry your shell open and inject poison slowly and steadily. "You're too fat." "You're ugly." "You're not worth it." If the starfish's poison is successful, you start to think and say, "I'm too fat. I'm ugly. I'm not worth it." Then the starfish tries to eat you.

STARFISH OF ALL SIZES

There are many kinds of starfish. Some are tiny starfish that jab at you and your feelings. Like this Brittle Starfish.

 

 

If the Brittle Starfish can win you over and you leave your shell open a crack it attracts the starfish that actually eat clams like this common starfish.

 

If the normal-sized starfish are allowed to stay they invite their friends who are heavyweight tankers like this Sun Starfish.

You're reading this today because you want to know about the Grand Master Starfish. Meet the Crown of Thorns Starfish.

This nasty looking creature exists in real life. Its spines are poisonous. While it doesn't eat clams it instead aims to devastate you by eating your coral reef - your foundation.

 

THE REEF EATERS

 

In our analogy here, Crown of Thorns Starfish are your worst enemy. While the other starfish gnaw at you and your thoughts, Crown of Thorns Starfishes tear everything down around you. This is the worst of the worst, the bottommost bottom. It heralds the end of the line. It is the sad, sad story of people who think they can't bear this life any more. So life comes crashing down around them. Here are three types of Crown of Thorns Starfishes to avoid, and in doing so I will add it's confession time for me:

 

The Crown of Excuses Starfish

I told myself I stopped writing positive Pearls of Mankind messages because my wife was pregnant. Or maybe it was because I thought it took up too much of my time. Or maybe it was because I didn't think these posts were helping anyone. Whatever the reason I'm sure it was unjustified. The Crown of Excuses Starfish is often accompanied by a dying reef of lies of any magnitude.

 

To beat the Crown of Excuses:

Determination, prioritization, and flexibility are needed. Determine you'll get the task done; prioritize your tasks so the important ones do get done; and be flexible enough that you don't beat yourself up if you don't complete the task the way you thought you would.

 

Signs your reef is dying to Excuses:

When is the last time you took fault for anything? If it's been a while since it was "your fault" that something happened or didn't happen, you might have an Excuse infestation.

 

The Crown of Distractions Starfish

A close relative of the Crown of Excuses is the Crown of Distractions Starfish. Distractions pull you away from a more important or a more pressing matter and it boils down to prioritization. Yes my then-pregnant wife was and is extremely importantly to me. But after my family I should have said Pearls of Mankind is also very important.

 

To beat the Crown of Distractions:

Prioritization, task evaluation, and compromise are needed. Prioritize your tasks and get the most important things done first; evaluate if a regular task is too demanding and find a way to compromise with your other priorities. For example, putting out a daily dose of Pearls of Mankind thoughts was demanding on my time. I'm the only one writing - so far - for Pearls of Mankind. Now that we're back, instead of writing seven days a week, I am writing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday regularly!

 

Signs your reef is dying to Distractions:

You aren't getting your important tasks done but you see progress in other places of your life instead.

 

The Crown of Pessimism Starfish

I saw others around me also spreading positive messages and I told myself that I didn't want to be an attention grabber, just to get that Like on Facebook. I told myself no one is being helped by these messages and that it didn't matter anyway.

 

To beat the Crown of Pessimism:

Reevaluation is key here. Reevaluate the possibility of a positive outcome and strive to reach that outcome! Reevaluate where you've come from and where you are, and if you don't like what you see reevaluate your course and change something you're doing.

Signs your reef is dying to Pessimism:
If you find yourself comparing you to others around you and you are feeling bad about yourself you likely have a reef of Crown of Pessimism Starfish. If you think the good things you are doing in life are not affecting people around you this may also be the case.

IN CONCLUSION

 

Just because you have baby Crown of Thorns starfishes doesn't mean you are in danger. Instead they are something to be picked off of the reef of your life and thrown away. With all starfishes you can reevaluate yourself and try to find them latched onto you, and pick them off!



Reaching The Ideal

Reaching The Ideal

 



     Reaching The Ideal should be your focus in life. However, there are many shiny things on the sidelines that can distract you from those goals. Here are a few tools to help you focus on your quest through Progression and make The Ideal your Reality.

YOUR DECLARATIONS

 

     Make a list of statements of who you want to be and what you'd like to have. Repeat this out loud once per day, preferably in the morning. Make sure to write the statements in future tense with a definite deadline, such as, "I will have an awesome relationship with my child" or, "I will read the Harry Potter series through by January 2016."

     It may seem silly to read aloud but what you're trying to do is sneak past the alarm systems in your brain. Your brain likes to be comfortable and it usually doesn't like new things. Whenever you approach a new idea you may think, "This is going to kill/hurt/change me." Or you might think, "That's impossible because...!" How often do you think along those lines when a new idea is presented to you? By repeating your declarations each morning, you slowly tell your subconscious survival mode that it's okay, that things will be alright.

VISION BOARD

 

     Just like a Personal Declarations, a Vision Board helps guide you and keep you on the path of Progression to The Ideal. You start with a rectangle on your wall. The rectangle can be anything from painter's tape to an empty picture frame to a small magnet board. Then once that is hung up, add a mix of six to nine pictures and written statements into the frame. The pictures and statements should be goals for The Ideal, and they should range from short term through long term. They can include goals for physical, spiritual, mental, financial, and socials aspects of your life. On the back of each of these goals write the date you posted them, respectively. Write the start date on the back because the focus is not rushing to reach these goals, rather they are a marker to see when they are completed. Each morning and right before you sleep you should look the goals over intently and think deeply about each one. Then once the idea sinks into your head your subconscious will start working to get those goals.

DETERMINATION

     There are lots of deterrents that will come your way - the starfish don't want you to reach your goals. When you reach something that wants to DETER you just add "-MINATION" onto the end. Try to avoid taking a break if possible because deterrents are meant to slow down your momentum. If you lose momentum you'll need to apply more energy to catch up again, so keep pressing on!

In conclusion to get to what you want you just need to focus! Don't give up and don't let down!

Best wishes and mahalo,
Jason K Rivera

#pearlsofmankind, #mentoringpearls, #mentoringmonday, #infiniteintelligence

Progression in All Things - Aspect: Play!

Progression in All Things - Aspect: Play!

     How in the world can we go from the topic of Time to the topic of Money to the topic of Play? How does one progress by playing? Well, I never defined Progress as only work. A huge misconception in the definition of Progress is "Progress is only work." I believe Progress is growing, experiencing, learning. Whether the medium of Progress comes in the form of work, school, play, or osmosis (during school naps), as long as you're moving from your current Reality to your Ideal reality you are Progressing.

 

     Humans are naturally social creatures. We interact with people on a daily basis. Or you'll eventually make friends with volleyballs and name them Wilson (see movie: Cast Away). Either way you'll find someone with whom you can socialize. The other side of this coin is if you're sick you don't want to interact with others. There are a list of reasons people shy away from others, ranging from physical illness ("Stay away - I have the flu!") to starfish illness ("Stay away - I'm not worth meeting you!") to chemo illness like anxiety and other feelings controlled by your hormones. Playing is a cure against these three types of illness and here's why:

PLAY TO RELAX

     Playing is in my book the number two de-stress-er, after number one "a good night's sleep." We hear the terms R&R (rest and relaxation), take a vacation, etc. Playing diverts your mind to puzzle-solving, to imagining, to something other than work. You stand on two legs - work and play. When you're tired of leaning on one you need to lean on the other or you get worn out. When you're sick playing strengthens the immune system - human interaction bolsters the immune system and, as they say, laughing boosts your immune system too. Playing with a positive attitude is healthy for the self esteem, which is what starfish attack. Playing in small increments can help anxiety or other chemo-induced feelings because you are not left to yourself and your feelings.

PLAY TO LEARN

 

     Children learn by playing. They figure out what they can do with different objects and by smashing them together to watch the interaction. The more you play blocks the more you'll be able to arrange the proverbial blocks of life - whether they be at work, at church, or at home. You'll be able to arrange pieces of your current-task-at-work puzzle into the best fit for your clients and your company. 

PLAY TO EARN

     What if you could play at work? You can have fun with your customers and coworkers, even if you're at that temporary job that you really, really, really dislike. The world is your oyster and you choose what you'll bring to the table. Those who play legally, morally, and ethically, usually earn more than those who don't. Because they're 1) noticed, 2) personable, and 3) applying playing to work - fitting those clients' needs into the grand puzzle of life.

     Here are a few tips for your success.
     A) Play with people in real life. Texting and games-through-apps is dandy but you don't have the same interactions digitally as you can physically. Sports, board games, and picnics are what it's all about.
     B) Play in moderation. Purely playing all day every day can become demotivating unless it's entwined with work. As in all things, a balance is needed to be successful.
     C) Play daily. Train yourself to play at work if you don't already. On the weekends go hiking, camping, or other things that'll get you out of your office cubicle (or if you're always outside try the opposite). On Sunday learn how to play with Infinite Intelligence. The universe has a sense of humor too.

     In conclusion playing and having fun is not a bad thing in moderation - that is generally accepted. However, what is not generally accepted is that playing is for you. You yourself. Take some time for yourself and have a blast!

Best wishes and mahalo,
Jason K Rivera

#pearlsofmankind, #mentoringpearls, #mentoringmonday, #infiniteintelligence

Progression in All Things - Aspect: Time

Progression in All Things - Aspect: Time

 

THE SEAT OF TIME

     Imagine you're sitting. You have a safety harness securing you to your seat. You lurch forward slowly but steadily and you grip your harness in anticipation. And then you realize you're a baby.

     Time starts slowly in the perspective of children. "Are we there yet?" Time can't pass fast enough for them. "Are we there now?" They have no idea about time which makes them some of the most (innocently) impatient people you'll ever know. "How about now?"

     Once I grasped the concept of time in my childhood, the world was my oyster. I could go where I wanted if I had time. I could do what I wanted if I had time. I could see what I wanted if I had time. But I didn't have time. I was on my parents' time. Or I was on the Board of Education's time.

     I remember the painful wait everyday for recess. And then again everyday for school's end. And then every year for summer. And then every semester for winter/spring break. And then every weekend after the work week.

     At that point on your seated harnessed ride, you're not a baby any more. You're an adult. You've had highs and lows. You've had track changes, lane changes, and life changes. Shouldn't the world be your oyster now?

     The answer is usually "no". Well, why not? Most likely if money owns you, then time owns you too. Time and money are conjoined twins. Where one flows the other follows. Where one is stopped the other takes the lead. Think about it. They are the Yin and the Yang of the universe, if you'll accept that money can mean any tradable good or resource.

KEEPERS OF TIME

     So instead of time keeping you at bay, when will you start keeping time? Use your time wisely...on doing what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. A good person keeps time. A wise person keeps their commitments. A successful person keeps their commitments on time.

 

     People who don't keep their time are naturally not going to have a retirement these days. One of my biggest worries is that my generation and those after us, and even some before us, will not be able to retire but will have to compete for jobs with the younger generations. Will time be your friend or your foe when it's time to retire?

 

     Here are a few tips for your success:

     A) Stop wasting your time. Media recreation is fun but unless you're gaining valuable knowledge (as opposed to trivial knowledge), you're letting time slip through your fingers. Television is a good waste of time that disengages your brain from the real world. It's good at stirring emotions that could be better used elsewhere instead of on your couch. Go read books like The Richest Man in Babylon, or Think and Grow Rich. There are many other mind-enhancing, self-esteem bolstering things to read. Go make yourself a better person instead of watching other (fictional) characters become better people (or worse people).

     B) Structure your time. Chaos is another waster of time. How often have you seen an ill-prepared plan take much more time to fix and correct than a well-laid plan with backups A, B, and C? "Winging it" doesn't work as well. Since your day throws chaos at you, structure your morning and structure your evening. Easy in, easy out, right? For example, in the morning exercise, have a personal devotional to Infinite Intelligence, and have a personal devotional to improving yourself. In the evening, keep a journal (you're keeping time, right?), play with family or friends in person, and plan out the next day's chaos as best you can.

     C) Make money from your time. Find legal sources of passive income so your money makes your time make money. If you're an artist you can research online t-shirt companies and sell your art on t-shirts. If you find a good online company, you can keep the rights to your art and still make a residual (not a primary) income off of each ware that is sold. Or if you're in the position for some expert investing, learn about getting rental properties and start cashflowing there. There are always lines of income to be found, but you're not going to find them if you're watching the tube while sitting in chaos.

 

     In conclusion, time is a fleeting thing. We all know that. Those who are not prepared will have run out of oil for their lamps when the darkness comes. In my last post I posed this question:

 

     "I can afford my future with my mindset. Can you?"

 

     Afford = money. Future = time. Can you?

 

Mahalo and best wishes,

Jason K. Rivera

 

#pearlsofmankind, #mentoringpearls, #mentoringmonday

 

Progression in All Things - Aspect: Financial

Progression in All Things

Aspect: Financial

 

 



 

     Last time we learned about your current Reality, your envisioned Ideal, and the path of Progression between them. Let's apply this to real life, on the subject of money. Do you want money? How badly? Can you let money go? Do you love money?

 

     I had the opportunity to do a presentation this past Sunday 28 Jun 2015. I talked about loving money versus being obsessed with money. The former gathers money and cherishes it as a tool and as a resource. The latter refuses to let it go or, if they're forced to let it go, they "go sour." Sour means they harbor negative feelings towards whatever caused the money to leave. Sour means they harbor negative feelings towards the money that is leaving. Sour means they harbor negative feelings towards things they can't afford. And sour means they harbor negative feelings towards their sources of money. Let's look at these things.

 

I WISH MY MONEY WOULDN'T LEAVE ME

"I have too many bills." || "That unexpected expense wrecked me!"|| "I wish I could be a kid so I wouldn't have to buy things."

     Just like knowledge, just like energy, just like time, money comes and goes. Everything flows in cycles and money is no exception. I think one of the reasons people harbor negative feelings or thoughts towards money is because money is the one physical resource tied into everything nowadays. You have bills for groceries, gas, utilities, housing, taxes, repairs and upkeep, medical, reasonable recreation, and education, and the list goes on and on. If you don't have money then you'll resent it because you don't have enough. That's where the ideology (not the Ideal) "steal from the rich and give to the poor" comes from.

     On the other hand, these bills are a sign of growth and Progression. Notice I did not include your sweet car's payment or your credit card payment- certain "bills" that are avoidable should be avoided if possible. If you have those bills I recommend paying them off as soon as possible, instead of making minimal payments, because the interest is likely eating you alive. Before you move from your current Reality to your Ideal, make sure that the expenses are calculated and within your means. Then you can Progress to your Ideal, and find a way to expand your means again once your Ideal becomes your Reality (and then you cycle through Progress again).

 

I CAN'T LET MY MONEY GO

"I don't make enough money." || "I can't afford it so it's not for me."

    
     When you hit a financial roadblock, the tendency is to quit. "I can't do it" is what your mind says. And you'll blame "not enough money" or excuse yourself with "it's not for me." Or if you really wanted it you'll charge it - usually unwisely - to a credit card that you'll resent later. The problem probably isn't the item or vacation you're trying to buy. The problem is probably your spending habits.

     Your worth does not equal your net worth. You =/= money. (You don't equal money). When you say "I can't afford it," your subconscious hears two things: "I can't" and "worth". So it gives up trying on you and it diminishes your outlook of yourself. The person who says they can't afford things usually goes through life in bad debt to credit cards or they probably have a low self-esteem.

     You don't need to keep up with the Joneses. Your worth does not equal (and your net worth might be higher than) your neighbor. You =/= your neighbor. (You don't equal your neighbor). Those with the current year's cars and the big house and the huge yard are probably swimming in unnecessary debt. Not swimming, drowning. As you learn to budget and expand your income you'll recognize when you can take on additional good expenses, which is another sign of Progression towards your Ideal. Adopt the attitude of those who run races and say "I beat my best time!" without looking across the way to your neighbor's time. If you practice it makes ___________. Perfect.

 

MY INCOME SOURCES ARE NOT ENOUGH

"My boss doesn't give me enough raises." || "The government should give me more." || "Rich people shouldn't have so much money."

 

     Again the blame falls on others here. "How can I innovate more money legally, morally, and ethically?" should be a question for those trying to reach their Ideal. There is plenty of money to go around. You have to find your legal, moral, and ethical niche and sink into it. Go hang out with actual rich people (hint: usually they don't flaunt expensive things, but have a lot of income-generating assets like rental properties and businesses, etc.) and learn what they're doing. Go get educated about how the fiscal world works and what the financial market is doing. Everything fluctuates and cycles, including markets, so keep up with the times. Your sources of income aren't holding you back. You are.

 

I CAN'T CONTROL MY MONEY

"I hate money." || "Money controls me." || "I'm afraid I won't get my paycheck on time."

     Love money. Just do it. But don't be afraid to let it go - that's obsession. Sometimes religious people think that money is bad, but I don't know of a church that operates without money these days. A lot of churches request donations or tithes. Churches love money and you can too. If you fear or hate or loathe money it will fear and hate and loathe you. It will elude you. It will avoid you. It will slip from your grasp because if you don't love something it'll go away. The same principle is true for spouse and children, for work, and for everything. Love is cyclical too. Obsession, on the other hand, is not a balance. It's an imbalance, and that is where the love of money goes wrong. Don't be afraid to let it go because you're confident it will come back to you. If you adopt that state of mind you'll unlock a potential path to your Ideal. Money looks for confident masters, just like electricity looks for easy paths of discharge.

 

     Here are a few tips for your success.

     A) Set a monthly budget and stick to it within reason. Pay off debts to free up your income so you can direct and master the flow.

     B) Don't accept loans on non-income generating items if possible (like cars or credit card debt on furniture). Save up to pay those items in full. Education and, within reason, shelter can be exceptions.

     C) Tithe 10% of your income to yourself. If you pay a regular tithe to your religion or donate to a charity first, pay the religion or charity first then take 10% of what's left into savings.

 

     In conclusion the thing you'll likely have to change is yourself. It's taken me myself quite a while to get there, and that's still not my Ideal. I can afford my future with my mindset. Can you?

 

Mahalo and best wishes,

Jason K Rivera

 

#pearlsofmankind, #mentoringpearls, #mentoringmonday

The Ideal, Reality, and Progression

The Ideal, Reality and Progression

 

A friend and I had a short discussion on what they want in life. As we discussed I realized there are three major phases we cycle through. They are the Ideal, Reality, and Prgression.

THE IDEAL

     The Ideal is mostly thoughts-only; they are a conscious effort of what you wished your life would be. This is exemplified by Pinterest pins of "My Future Home" or by watching reality TV shows wishing you could have the actors' looks, money, possessions, or that sweet sixteen birthday party. It's your hopes, and dreams, and aspirations. It's where you want to be when you want to be there, in a positive way. As a side note, frustration is usually how we describe the inability to reach The Ideal - knowing that you could be further ahead but you're stuck behind that schedule. On the other hand, they say you have a feeling of "accomplishment", which is probably a mixture of relief, satisfaction, and glee, when you do reach your ideal (looking at you, all-nighter homework assignments).

REALITY

     Reality is mostly action-only; they are a subconscious and repeated pattern of your results. It's the average everyday actions one takes to get through the day. You get up, go to work, come home, and sleep. Or you spend day in and day out with your children. You might have a meaningful conversation here or there. You have some fun on weeknights or on weekends. You might take that annual vacation to somewhere exotic for a couple weeks. And then you're back to the same routine. Reality is your routine. It's what you're comfortable with.

     The reasons you're kept from your ideal are one or more of the following:

1) You lack control. Addiction to anything is a form of lack of control. Instead of being productive you are stuck with something addictive. There are other things to be addicted to beside drugs, nicotine, or pornography, too. Laziness or comfort can be addictive. Spending money can be addictive. Complaining can be addictive too.

2) You lack education. Or you're incorrectly informed. What were you taught about money? Read this following statement and examine how you feel or what you're thinking: "Money and the love of money is okay when applied correctly; obsession over money and the inability to part with it are pitfalls." What's your reaction?

3) You lack opportunity or the ability to identify opportunity. Opportunity is the fishhook of Lady Luck. If you take advantage of it passionately, legally, morally, and ethically you will likely earn yourself a blessing. However it is important to have the ability to recognize Luck's fishhook versus the lures of men.

PROGRESSION

     The intermediary phase between your Reality and The Ideal is called Progression. It's why you go to school, for education. It's why you're judged on your credit score - to see if you have control. It's why you should try to create (instead of burning) bridges between yourself and people in the form of new or renewed relationships - many opportunities come from grapevines. When you're improving yourself and changing your Reality to your Ideal, you step out of your old shoes and comfort zone to reach new levels of wealth, self-worth, and self-management!

     The way to go from Reality to The Ideal (or in other words Progression) is best facilitated by a third party, which is why we're encouraged to seek counsel from parents, church leaders, or other mentors. Just like when you're hanging a huge picture that will fall off unless you get it just right - you can't step back from it to see if it's crooked or straight. A third party can help you adjust until everything is in alignment. This is also why I am mentoring people - to help people go from subconscious living to conscious living; from their current Reality to their Ideal reality!

     If you'd like to schedule a mentoring appointment, please private message my Facebook page here!

Mahalo,
Jason Rivera