Surprise Yourself

A quote: 

“I hope, sometime soon, 

you surprise yourself.”

~Neil Gaiman – an abridgment of his quote 

“I hope, somewhere in the next year …”

What a magnificent thought … to surprise yourself.

Some of us are so routine bound and so predictable that you could set a musical score to our tempo in life.

What if you surprised yourself?  What if you did something so out of character and out of the box that you surprised yourself and all who know you? 

Now wouldn’t that be something?

I came close to this when I started writing poetry.  Now keep in mind the objective of my poems – light, humorous, nonsensical.  If you remember these descriptors when you read my poems you’ll perhaps find delight too, and maybe you’ll laugh at some of the turns you discover.  You may even laugh out loud.  Now that would be a hoot? Click here for A Time for Rhyme

I won’t even ask the question “so how are you going to surprise yourself?” That just might spoil the surprise, after all.

Above all, do it.

Get silly.

Get ridiculous.

Get funky.

Get down, and then get back up again.

Do the unheard of.

Do the “I never thought I could do that” thing.

Go somewhere you never thought of and find a few surprises along the way.

Get the picture?

Go therefore and surprise yourself.  You have permission.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Don't Believe Everything

I’m going to make two bold statements now.  Are you ready?

Don’t believe everything they say to you or about you.

Don’t believe everything that happens to you and accept it as your destiny.

Oprah Winfrey was raped at age nine.  She is a fundamentally good person and has chosen to use her wealth for good in our world.

Bill Gates didn’t complete his university education.  Today he is changing lives for the better of children in impoverished parts of our world.

Steve Jobs used to sleep on the floor in a friend’s room, and he returned soft drink bottles for food money.  He started Apple Computers.

Tony Blair once had it said to him that he was a failure.  He became a world leader as Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Now deceased Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison.  And now we consider the legacy he left behind.

It’s not what happens to us that matters.  It’s how we use what’s happened that matters most.

Are you an over-comer or a succumber?

Do you give up and give in to the inevitable, or do you rise above the circumstances you’ve been handed and survive, even thrive?

This is what is on my mind today.

There are no three-step formulas for this scenario.  There is not any one book that will help you overcome adversity.  You do have a mind, and a will, and a sense of “can do”, even in the face of adversity. 

Will you dare to “stick your courage to the sticking place” and rise up, overcome and conquer whatever has happened to you or has been said about you?

I believe you can.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Don't Scratch Your Private Parts in Public

Let’s have some fun with this topic. 

Everyone should know by know not to do what this title is referring to, right?

So, let’s take it a step further.

How many different ways can we say “Don’t Scratch Your Private Parts in Public”?

Couples, don’t argue in public

Don’t pick your nose in public

Don’t pick your butt crack in public

Don’t pee in public

Don’t shout on social media with ALL CAPS

Don’t double dip in the chip and dip bowl

Don’t steal someone’s food at work

Don’t steal someone’s sales at work

Always leave a tip

Call if you’re going to be late

Don’t stare

Zip your pants

If you think of more, please let me know and I’ll do a sequel.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time