Diva Maverick Mavens

The End of a Dream

In ancient times in the second century, on a strip of gold this biblical reference was taken, "Rise up, Lord, may your enemies be dispersed and those who hate you flee from your face." In war these words adorned the cross that preceded armies of men to war.

Is it any wonder that these early Europeans felt that they were invincible?

According to legend, Saint Guthlac sang the first verse from Psalms sixty-eight after being besieged by demons, circa 740, "Let God arise. Let his enemies be scattered. Let them that also hate him flee before him." After the song, the demons vanished like smoke from his presence. These words were also inscribed on the strip of gold as well.

Quote: Plutarch's Life of Alexander 46-126 AD

"When Alexander the Great saw the breadth of his domain he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer."

Climb Every Mountain

When every mountain has been climbed, we look down into the valley at all that we have attained and realize that we are consumed by the deepest depression and grief. We are never content with what we accomplish. We are always searching for greater and more perfect journeys to begin.

At the end of our hero's journey, we return home like Odysseus expecting to see cheering crowds and holding onto the inner thought that life will somehow transform into some sublime vision of enlightenment. When enlightment turns into everyday drudgery, we must be willing to walk on the dry land again and acknowledge our goals and realize we are human and being human means dreaming new dreams and reaching for new goals and respecting the process of closure when we come to the end of "a" dream.

Maximus played by Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator said, "Strength and Honor". The circle of life came to fruition and amply heralded the journey Maximus took-never straying from his ideals and always staying on-track no matter what his personal trials.

Creation Cycles

According to Robert Fritz, "The third stage of creation is completion which includes bring to fruition, manifesting the whole, finishing, following through and learning to live with your creation. Another important step to the creative process is releasing and receiving."

At the end of a project, dream or goal, there is a ritualistic process of releasing and allowing your accomplishments to bless others and then simultaneously allowing new inspiration to come in.

It is no mistake that movie directors use the metaphor of death and birth to signify new beginnings. As we close the door to one dream we open the door to another.

Pandora's Box

Pursuing your dreams is like the story of Pandora's box of Greek mythology. There are always more mysteries abound. And the human potential for curiosity is too infinite to suppress.

Which leads me back to the text taken from the Life of Alexander. There was some speculation as to the true quotation. I found that the consensus is that Alexander wept because there were so many worlds he thought he couldn't possibly conquer even one of them.

The possibilities are infinite for a better, brighter future and distant journeys.

Angelia Miller, Professional Speaker, Certified Creativity Coach and Founder of Diva Maverick Mavens and the Adrenaline Living Talk Show...A MeTaphor for Life!

"I am a trailblazer and purveyor of “ALL Things” culturally significant, aesthetically pleasing, and conversationally thrilling. I discover adventurous people, places and things and present their encapsulated stories through words and media."

 

References about European history taken from: Magical Mystery Treasure Article by Caroline Alexander.

Motivational speaker Ed Stafford's call to action to save the rainforrest.

How to Motivate Yourself Forever

Just as willpower is an essential factor in achieving success, at some point in time, discouragement and lack of motivation may hinder you from reaching your objective. And it is up to you, and you alone to devise techniques that will help you keep that drive within afire. It is helpful to have visual goals. Whatsoever that is you are working towards, make it visual. It maybe something material like a car, or a vacation you have been looking forward to for the longest time. Take or cut out a picture of it and post it at a conspicuous place at work or at home where you can see it often. So that when you feel discouraged, this will remind you of your goal and will help you keep your spotlight. Make a contract with oneself. According to motivational researches, people who write down to-do-lists are far more triumphant in achieving their intended goals than those people who just keep mental lists instead. Putting something in writing somehow makes it more powerful psychologically speaking. This may also be the basis why most cultures have such a high regard in honoring contracts. In the contract, you may also include a certain reward that you will give yourself once you have accomplished the task. After all, everyone likes to be rewarded for completing a good job. Even a simple pat on the back, "good job", or "thank you" may do the trick to give the person the additional push to carry on, but unfortunately, these may not always be readily available. Considering that these are also essential in keeping oneself motivated, you must learn to find a way to get that encouragement on your own through pleasing yourself. Abusive people lower your self-esteem and bring you down. Get these negative people out of your life. Surround yourself with positive people. Imitate their example. Smile amply and think happy thoughts. These will give you a brighter outlook and lets you see a clearer picture of what you really want and a fresh mind to know what steps to take to get there. Rather than wait for things to happen, try to be proactive and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Inactivity idles the brain and stagnates your potential to reach your goals. Read inspirational books and literature. These will help you improve your attitude and heal your mind. A book of success stories also proves to be encouraging. You will not only learn from others' experiences and derive confidence boosting insights from them but the story will be instrumental in motivating you to go for your goal and move ahead with your plans. If this still seems to falter, get training or education. Oftentimes, not knowing how or where to start is frustrating. Knowledge is power. Having a clear understanding of how and where to start is empowering and it will provide the extra drive needed to hit the mark you are aiming at and follow it through. Having enumerated all these tips and tricks to attain self-motivation, but still you seem to feel lacking that much needed drive, there is one last thing that you must try. Whatever it is that you have been meaning to do, or wanting to achieve, JUST DO IT! Keep on aiming high and go for it! Actually getting your hands dirty best solves the problem of motivation. By "forcing" yourself to just do it, your momentum will pick up gradually as you go along and before you know it you have finished the task or have finally achieved your goal. Divide and conquer is the key. Break down the apparently unattainable activity to small doable steps. Not only does it become less overwhelming, but seeing the "in the meantime" results will further your confidence that it can indeed be done. Lack of motivation happens to us all, but if you do not encourage yourself to accept opportunities and be challenged, no one else will. It is most important to keep your eye on the goal, find ways to keep going, and in no time, you shall reap its benefits. And if at the beginning you were just doing it for the material reward, you will also learn to realize that the fulfillment, satisfaction and self-achievement you derive from reaching your goal is a much enjoyable high that will keep the drive within constantly burning.

Mental Attitude

Success is in the blood. There are men whom fate can never keep down they march forward in a jaunty manner, and take by divine right the best of everything that the earth affords. But their success is not attained by means of the Samuel Smiles-Connecticut policy. They do not lie in wait, nor scheme, nor fawn, nor seek to adapt their sails to catch the breeze of popular favor. Still, they are ever alert and alive to any good that may come their way, and when it comes they simply appropriate it, and tarrying not, move steadily on.

Good health! Whenever you go out of doors, draw the chin in, carry the crown of the head high, and fill the lungs to the utmost; drink in the sunshine; greet your friends with a smile, and put soul into every hand-clasp.

Do not fear being misunderstood; and never waste a moment thinking about your enemies. Try to fix firmly in your own mind what you would like to do, and then without violence of direction you will move straight to the goal.

Fear is the rock on which we split, and hate the shoal on which many a barque is stranded. When we become fearful, the judgment is as unreliable as the compass of a ship whose hold is full of iron ore; when we hate, we have un-shipped the rudder; and if ever we stop to meditate on what the gossips say, we have allowed a hawser to foul the screw.

Keep your mind on the great and splendid thing you would like to do; and then, as the days go gliding by, you will find yourself unconsciously seizing the opportunities that are required for the fulfillment of your desire, just as the coral insect takes from the running tide the elements that it needs. Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be, and the thought that you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual you so admire. 

Preserve a right mental attitude the attitude of courage, frankness and good cheer. All things come through desire and every sincere prayer is answered. We become like that on which our hearts are fixed.

Many people know this, but they do not know it thoroughly enough so that it shapes their lives. We want friends, so we scheme and chase 'cross lots after strong people, and lie in wait for good folks or alleged good folks hoping to be able to attach ourselves to them. The only way to secure friends is to be one. And before you are fit for friendship you must be able to do without it. That is to say, you must have sufficient self-reliance to take care of yourself, and then out of the surplus of your energy you can do for others.

The individual who craves friendship, and yet desires a self-centered spirit more, will never lack for friends. If you would have friends, cultivate solitude instead of society. Drink in the ozone; bathe in the sunshine; and out in the silent night, under the stars, say to yourself again and yet again, "I am a part of all my eyes behold!" And the feeling then will come to you that you are no mere interloper between earth and heaven; but you are a necessary part of the whole. No harm can come to you that does not come to all, and if you shall go down it can only be amid a wreck of worlds.

Like old Job, that which we fear will surely come upon us. By a wrong mental attitude we have set in motion a train of events that ends in disaster. People who die in middle life from disease, almost without exception, are those who have been preparing for death. The acute tragic condition is simply the result of a chronic state of mind a culmination of a series of events.

Character is the result of two things, mental attitude, and the way we spend our time. It is what we think and what we do that makes us who we are.