S.T.A.G. Style. Taste. Attitude. Grace.

Stag Defined: "The male of various other animals."
Dictionary .com
Attitude
There can be many powerful things that will stop us every day to ponder the benefit or meaning in life. Attitudes to me are formed in the nature of experiences and how we are able to catalog these perceptions to create value, purpose and meaning in life. Attitudes contribute to choices and benefit us when the road diverges into two paths. To me attitudes are usually beneficial and do not take away from our spirit. Negativity is not an attitude but rather the void of attitude, a black hole that consumes anything that is unproductive and negates life to a definition called existence.
The Law of Attraction- YouTube.com
Sonia Ricotti founder of www.leadoutloud.ca
8/7/16 - Wisdom about attitude is something that is universal. Perhaps said different ways at different times over the centuries. We become inspired by events of our lifetime and of our experiences. I do believe attitudes are perhaps infectious and lead us to greater good and benefit of others. Several years ago I came across Sonia's video and again this past week. Recent news reports does make it disheartening to have faith in our humanity. However , we are the positive change that can offset world matters by how we believe in ourselves and those around us.
​
I told a friend recently that perhaps that biggest shocker to events in the world is to wonder if people still take the time to "dream" of a future. Do people still have a vision of their positive selves in a year, two years, five years and even ten years from now? Can people see themselves dealing with complexities and finding happiness despite the adversity of life. Do people find themselves to still be change agents of their own lives? I used to do lectures in rehab centers and I made mention that the quickest way to not drown in a foot of ocean water is to stand up!
​
I'm a dreamer, I see my future and others potential. I often tell people take advantage of what you feel you are best at in the career force and what you love to do and then set out to sell yourself on a position in life that needs you. Everything I have dreamed since I was a kid has proven to have been realized in one form or another to the present. All it has required has been a mind filled with paintbrushes and the patience to keep painting the details as they come to me. The more vibrant the image, the more exacting the forces of energy to open positive pathways to move you on the right roads to your happiness.
​
Check out Sonia Ricotti's video. I love the message. It is a simple but important validation to the individual positivity. We live in a time that needs more positive messages emerging just as a way to recharge!
​
​
​

LIFE MATTERS
Question: When does life begin to matter; and for how long does it matter to all people?
Is it for the causes that run in an election year that we step up and put forth our belief that one life matters more than another?
Is it that the faith of one life is greater in importance making all the others less important to those that pass, matter?
Is it the color of your skin, my skin , the skin of generations yet to come?
When does life matter enough to change the path we are taking and care enough about each other as humans, as a human kind.
Did we leave 'kind' in the generations behind and believe that this is not in our evolution to be ‘kind' to all humankind or just life that matters… that is our kind.
Today we have a choice… each day. Make change an action not a thought. Choices matter. Lives matter. Your life matters.
If you know the answer I’ll see it in your actions before your words will ever show me.
Anthem Songs 6/11/16
Anthem
Anthem is an attitude that reflects the time and trials that we have or are moving through in life. Some anthem’s speak to the wisdom of where we are to go with insight and wisdom in life, while others are assurances of not going it alone against the surge of life’s challenge.
Life challenges almost everyone can relate to in this day and age as 1 in 4 , are said to grow up in afflicted homes of various illnesses and disparities i.e. alcoholism addiction, poverty, abuse, unemployment and so on. More so today, it is likely harder to the one or two people who grow up in these conditions who weren’t afflicted. They would be outliers to the majority of society. They would still have been impacted but unable to come to the support table in the same regard because of the loss of experience. None the less all people seek out anthems to remind them that their journey has purpose, to heal another , to right a wrong, to bring justice, remembrance and to celebrate a milestone.
We have anthems. We hear them every day in our cars, radios on street corners. Calling to us with wisdom and relation to our pain or joy of the moment. One sings of solace and another echoes the values of not being alone. While the soothing words of another tells the listener to not give up because you are amazing.
Anthems are there to stir the soul and awake the mind to bring forth a frontal attack into the day the tells the world that I the individual will not be set aside or put down because of lack of understanding or resources. I have the higher choice to walk the journey of expression in my experience.
Lyrics tell us that we are connected to that emotional highway that brings us up to the highest stage and wanna dance and scream all the good bad and ugly that is inside waiting to be witnessed and absorbed by the universe.
Below are a list of artists and their songs that I call my Anthems
Someday if you meet me , ask me why a song on this list is a particular anthem and yes there is a story to follow.
10 Anthems
-
Your Amazing- Adam Turner
-
Sing- Pentotonix
-
Raise you up- Kinky Boots the Musical
-
Stand by You- Rachel Platten
-
I was here- Beyonce
-
Brand new day- The Wiz
-
I got it- The Wiz
-
Don’t no body bring no bad news- The Wiz
-
Someday - Movie August Rush
-
Light on in the Hallway Pentatonix
-
Things can only get better- D:ream
-
Take this Time - Matthias
In the moment we connect to an anthem song we are pulled to the core of another central world to hear time stop and wisdom speak. Anthem songs dull the images of the unnecessary so that only the most important lyrics resinate and come to life in the listener heart. Almost whispering strength,courage, witness, balance ,validation, or just a new friend to see the next leg of the journey.
8/23/15
This is an excerpt from a unpublished book I have been working on for 11 years now. Essentially my jotting of wisdoms learned over a lifetime.
Echo's & Whispers from the Universe
Faith, is taking that step that leads a million places but none written in your conscience. Knowing a point in your path, but not being able to see the road leading to your future self.
Belief- The innocence of a child, and with the faith of your journey to this point. Nothing happens in the absence of others, but through others everything is possible.
Hope- ability to know happiness, miracles and find the point on your journey to take your next step. No strength is needed except the innate curiosity of what lies ahead.
Change- holding only to the reins of the wind and bend at its will to find you have greater capacity to do many things without knowing how or why. Change happens when we acknowledge that we are part of it, and not against it.
Acceptance- of all things right or wrong that can clutter our mind, our heart, it is the can of who we are and all of who we meet.
Honor- No matter where you stand, you have no footing without the ability to recognize all of the above and dance to the beat of your own song.
Celebrate- Joys of what has come to you, all that has past beyond you and in everyday give time to yourself to realize just how magnificent of a creature in your creator's eyes you are today.
Conviction- to know you are
Dream- Because you want to, not because you can't. When you let go of your footing you find that you soar beyond your own comprehension. Carry the inspiration of a dream to a reality and everything is possible.
ARRIVE…STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHERE, HOW, or WHEN you have arrived each day you can DREAM, HAVE CONVICTION, HONOR YOUR SPIRIT, ACCEPT GREATNESS OF EACH DAY, WELCOME CHANGE, BRING HOPE AS YOUR PAINT BRUSH, BELIEVE IN ALL THINGS AND YOU WILL HAVE FAITH TO RECEIVE YOUR ANSWERS.
Video: Breath and Sound - Tom Goss featuring Matt Alber
This is an incredible song and video display of simple humanity, not "them" not "us" but " our " humanity. To be on this planet for a short trip through the galaxy dust, means we have to choose our attitudes carefully. Love of a life comes with patience, openness, and making oneself vulnerable to the possibility that its not the world that has to love us, only one person and we find this trip so much more memorable across the galaxy. Created with love to one day leave with love. Attitudes can be reformed by experiences. May your experiences bring you closer to the attitude you seek.
Planes , Bars , People and Stories
If you travel and you will, you not only will see the most wonderous sites when traveling but if you summon the courage at the right moment to say " Hi I am ___" you might walk away with a story that stays in your heart and memories as one of the reasons that humanity is a treasure worth saving from extinction.
Recently I was on a flight home from San Diego from my graduation commencement. I was paired for seating with a woman travelling also back to my home state. She inquired about my trip to San Diego and I learned about her life on the east coast but having been from the west coast. The more we talked about my graduation and career changes the more we exchanged stories and we both realized that we shared a commonality of having lost parents to age and cancer. I enjoyed learning about her concept of the journey she was on and her transformation through the process of caregiving.
When we share our stories we realize that there is a glow of spirtual energy that leaves the individual realizing how strangers are easily made into something more connected more transformed and inspired by a simple introduction.
I also in my travels recently was at a bar and attending a wind down fund raiser brunch. I went over to the bar to order a water and a gentleman slightly older than myself commented to me that there was an unusual amount of people in for an afternoon. He had shared briefly that he hadn't been in the place in quite a while. I welcomed him back and said " say hello, mingle.We don't bite!" So I got my water and walked away. But something five seconds after walking away burned at me wanting to know what his story was...so I walked back over introduced myself and said " so what gives why haven't you been in here in a long while?"
We spent the afternoon talking over drinks and found out that there were many things in common for people of very different ages and from different parts of the country. His life was very interesting to hear about and hopefully he has returned to meet many others and share with others the stories he shared with me on that one particular day.
Courage to extend yourself to the person in the seat next to you, across from you will give you something that may just change your journey and theirs!