Under the Influence

Under the Influence

Under the Influence

We are, I think, under the influence.  That can be good and it can be bad.  

Minds, will, and thoughts influence other's minds, will and thoughts.  The media tries to be influential as well. Who do you trust to influence you?

I wrote a poem this morning while under the influence of Rod McKuen.  I borrowed one little phrase from his book Come to Me in Silence on page 14.

I've also been under the influence of Brennan Manning, poet Mary Oliver, Og Mandino, Napoleon Hill, Ann Lamont, and a great host of other writers.  

If I like and trust a writer, speaker, newscaster, then I allow myself to receive some level of their influence on my own thinking.  It can't be helped.  

Right or wrong, influence happens.  I owe much of my spiritual/theological understanding to a few good men and women.  

I owe my drumming style to a couple of dead guys.  They influenced me greatly. 

With whatever influence trail I may leave, I have a couple of wishes.  May I represent truth and integrity.  May I speak words of hope and encouragement.  May I look for the best in others and always attempt to encourage them to bring their best foot forward. 

How are you handling your influence?

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

What Are We Waiting For

What Are We Waiting For

We’re here, waiting, waiting, waiting.  And for what? 

If you’re on an elevator and you're stuck, do you walk up, or down, or wait for someone to come and fix the broken mechanism?

Are you waiting for Mr. or Ms. Right to come along?

Are you waiting to be asked to write the great American novel, or any book, blog or article for that matter?  I had to ask to write a series of magazine articles once upon a time.  And they said “Yes, please do.”

More often than not, we are the ones who have to take action, take the first step, reach out and do the thing that needs doing.  I got a few jobs early in life that just landed in my lap, but most of the time, I had to reach out, make the phone call, send the resume.  They weren’t waiting for me, but after reading about me, then they wanted me.

So, what are you waiting for?

This is a purely motivational thought for today.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

#70 Podcast - Up-Words

Podcast #70 from Up-Words

ABR-Always Be Reading from It's All About People 1:33

Carry Away Small Stones from Morning Notes 3:07

Is God Faithful from Internet Church 4:34

 

Check out this episode!

Failure Is Not Shame

Failure Is Not Shame

When I was a small boy, I had to learn to walk.  I fell down a few times.  There was no shame in that. Falling down is a part of learning to walk.

When I really got into singing in high school and college, I would, on occasion, sing a few flat notes.  I probably shamed myself.  I beat myself up for my flaws as a singer.  As I look back on that time, I have to put things into perspective.  As in learning to walk, learning to sing is a process.  My vocal chords weren’t developed yet, nor was my musical ear trained to discern pitch perception.  Those are learned traits.  They are not shaming moments. 

In the tenth grade, I took mechanical drawing.  I was lousy at it.  I believe I made a D minus.  My teacher, Mr. Casteel, had the good sense to write on my report card something like … “Mike really tries hard to do a good job in my class.  He just doesn’t have the insight, a basic skill, for mechanical drawing.”

And yet, I’m a darn good drummer, singing, conductor, writer, speaker, manager, banker, and a few other skills and talents I’ve accumulated along the way.

Oh my, I’ve had some hard learning curves, and that is what they were – LEARNING curves.  Not shame closets, not failure marks – learning curves.

I’ve written on this topic a dozen times, and will continue to address this subject.

Failure is the gateway to success, to learning and improving.

FAILURE IS NOT FINAL!

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration