« September 2006 | Main | November 2006 »
October 18, 2006
Life Changing Moments - a.k.a. Insights
Have you ever had an insight that was particularly troubling yet insightful at the same time? You might think of one of these events as occurring when a time in your life was perhaps most troubling as you struggled to work through an issue that was of then utmost importance to you.
You find yourself struggling, perhaps for many years, with the issue. All to no avail. The issue persists and the struggle continued.
And then, through your own diligent and persistent efforts the issue is changed via an insight of utmost revelation.
And after this insight into the situation at hand, nothing is again the same. Even though the insight may seem of little importance to the entire struggle it does change the struggle inside you. Perhaps quickly. Perhaps subtly. But change nonetheless occurs.
Well, a few days ago I was having my usual very long weekly conversation with my lifelong childhood best friend. We never come into the conversation with an agenda, for the most part. We just let the conversation evolve into whatever it tends to gravitate towards.
But this particular conversation was both enlightening and insightful for both him and me. Having discussions with someone about a subject of relevance and importance is something that I have long experienced to be beneficial for both parties partaking in that discussion. In this case although it was my friend who was sharing about an issue and its resulting outcome that he had experienced it was also I who benefitted from the sharing.
As my friend shared what he was going through, to him the information and the insight hidden to him within that information wasn't all that important. To him it was just another morsel of information that he found in front of him regarding the issue he was trying to work through. But what he shared to me was ever so clear to me because I was not involved in that issue. So clarity for me was easy.
I'm of the firm belief that everything happens to one for a reason. And this means both 'good' and 'bad' events and outcomes. If there are truly such things.
In my friend's case the most recent event he found himself in, but which also surrendered up an insight to him, was especially troublesome.
But, oh, what power this event will show itself to hold in the coming months and years in my friend's life. And he doesn't know any of this because he is too much involved in the process to be able to stand back and clearly see what it was that Life brought to him to embrace this weekend.
But fortunately for him he took what was proffered and it did the work it was meant to do with him. It showed him the true light in the situation he was embedded in for, now, several decades.
One has to understand that watershed moments that cross one's path through life do not necessarily cross in front of us with a flashing neon signing blazing at us with the words 'I'm a useful insight - be sure to use me'. No, if only it were that easy for us humans working to 'be'.
But one has to understand that if they're truly and sincerely and genuinely working to resolve an issue that is standing in front of them and that has refused to get out of their way for some time now, that any answer that comes from a place inside the person that they know not where it came from is something that should be closely adhered to and held on to.
I may have lost some of you with that long sentence so let me rephrase...
When something occurs inside you, the proverbial lightbulb over the head moment, understand that these types of true insights are given to you during that moment. They are not something that YOU created. Rather, these moments were always within you and could only now, because you cleared your mental 'field', be seen by you. And because of this it is now your responsibility to take what was shown to you and put it to good and incorporated use in our life.
Understand that life shows those who sincerely want to know answers the answers that they are seeking.
But also understand that it is not going to be you, or a part of your conscious mind, that is going to give you the answer you seek.
The answers are going to come from within you, the answers that you seek, but they are not going to be your answers.
Any such answers are only going to be more of the same garbage that you came up with and that didn't work to help you out of the situation you're still in.
Understand that when information that comes to you that you just know, in your heart of hearts, is an insight -- that this information needs to be seen by you and allowed to settle in to your daily life, as it is meant to do.
My lifelong friend had this kind of insightful moment where information was presented to him which he stomached through and is now incorporating into his life and existence. This was a moment of revelation that came to him during a time of strife and stress in his life. And this insight is going to have lasting impressions and impacts on him in ways that he can't begin to now fathom.
Life is not going to be the same for him again. In some ways that will be good. In some ways it'll appear bad to him. But overall his Life path is going to be forever changed.
If you're looking for the answers to your questions a good starting point might be for you to understand that life will give you the answers you want when you're truly ready for them and able to use them as they are meant to be used. Until then they sit in the shadow of darkness in you, awaiting their moment in the light.
Care to do the work to shed more light in your life? If so, be prepared for changes. And, again, it's not always going to be a fun ride thereafter. But it is going to be new, exciting, and growth-inducing.
And isn't that the true life we all strive to live deep inside because we know that this is what makes life worth living?
Written by Andre Best
President, Ultimate Results, Inc.
http://www.andrebest.com
'Learn About Life From Another Perspective'
(Author's permission is granted to share this full article with others. Just leave the signature line intact, please.)
Posted by Andre Best at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2006
So Who Is Andre Best Anyway?
It occurred to me that to the many thousands of visitors to my site every month the odd few may be wondering 'who is this Andre Best dude?' Good question.
I'll attempt to answer that question. So if you're one of those who are asking now's your chance to learn more about this blogger.
Cutting straight to the chase, I'm a middle-aged single dad who has an intense and committed relationship with my young sons and my development to become the best father to them that I am able to make happen. I am also a man who is seriously committed to developing my inner self to the best of my abilities and capabilities.
Both of these important aspects of my life have been integral parts of it for up to the last twenty years now. And I see myself going to the grave still working on improving my 'human being-ness' and still being the best father I can be to my sons, no matter how old they may be at that time.
Fatherhood was a decision I made to be a part of my life starting about 14 years ago and it is not the kind of decision that can be 'taken back' or 'returned'. It's lifelong and forever. And that's okay with me because I don't have any regrets about my decision.
My pursuit of developing my inner self is something that I began in the late 1980's and I haven't stopped yet. I've learned that a person is meant to grow up in life, not just grow old. And even though there are many things in my life that I've changed over the years, including many behaviors, this Path is never ending and really should never be stopped.
We're not meant to just go through life mentally and spiritually static. We're meant to grow and add more to the world. Even if our world is a small one, we do have an influence on it and to make that influence the best it can be at all times has ramifications that we can't even fathom how far-reaching they extend.
Being a father to my sons very clearly showed me how valuable and correct it was that I chose to pursue my inner development path. Why? Because it has, and continues to, allow me to be a better mentor, guide, and role-model to these young minds. We all remember the important people in our childhood who had a memorable influence on us. Why? Because of who they were in our mind and our life.
I've always been and I will always be committed to being and continuing to become the best 'Dad' that I am able to physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually develop into. Again, why? Because my boys deserve the best from their father. And I'm making sure they get it.
As for my web efforts with this blog...
You'll notice if you read a few entries on my blog that it's not the typical set up of a blog. I wanted it to be something that was truly useful for those who arrive here and perhaps found my site by some keyword search or article of mine that was e-posted somewhere. People are seeking information when they're on the web. They want to know. They want to learn. They want to find out.
And I've set up my blog to help them, you, out in that fashion. My articles are written to offer useful information that enhances the web and adds to the information base of the Internet. Everyone benefits that way.
When someone finds an article on my site I want it to be useful to them. I want them to find the information relevant to what they were seeking and perhaps say to themselves 'hmmm, that was good - I think I'll bookmark this site.'
When that happens I've succeeded in my efforts to help others.
That is also why I call my blog 'insights - learn about life from another perspective'. We all have unique lives and experiences that we gather and collect as we go through our individual paths on this plane. I figure that since I like to write I can share my unique insights about Life with others for them to hopefully glean something useful from during their days.
It's not that I have holy or wise insights. By no means. But what I have is a perspective that is truly unique. How? Easy...it's mine.
And for those who like the style of my writing and how I work to impart my take on Life via my writing, they are who this blog is for.
~~~~
So, I'm a father to my young sons, a purposefully developing human being, and an avid blogger on the Internet.
There is so much more that I could tell you about 'me' but I really don't like being narcissistic. So, this is enough for now.
But if you want to learn more about me, without hearing about the dry and sometimes scary details simply read the articles I've written to-date and perhaps subscribe to my RSS feed or bookmark my blog so you can continue to read my insights along this path through Life that we are both sharing.
In that way you'll continue to learn about this 'Andre Best' dude, without all the touchy-feely details and intimate sharing sessions.
I promise.
Written by Andre Best
President, Ultimate Results, Inc.
http://www.andrebest.com
'Learn About Life From Another Perspective'
(Author's permission is granted to share this full article with others. Just leave the signature line intact, please.)
Posted by Andre Best at 6:00 AM | Comments (1)