andrebest.com Home :: Self Help
Identifying Identity
May 29, 2011 by Andre Best
Isn't it befuddling at times that we go about our lives doing everything that we can to establish an identity for ourselves? You know what I mean. We want to know who we are. We want to know what our purpose is and why we were created on this physical plane. We want to come up with a reason for our existence and all that stuff so that everything falls exactly in place and life makes sense all along the way.Posted by Andre Best on May 29, 2011 | Comments (0)
What Do YOU Want?
February 27, 2011 by Andre Best
Like everything in life, wanting to do it is critical to actually doing it. How many times have you personally encountered a situation that required you to decide whether you wanted to do what was at hand, or not? How many times have you encountered others who had to make a decision and you knew what it was that they should be deciding to do, yet they were paralyzed with inaction and an inability to decide. Even if their life were depending upon it.Posted by Andre Best on February 27, 2011 | Comments (0)
Victimizing the Victim Mentality
June 26, 2010 by Andre Best
Have you ever tasted the stillness of the day, especially in the morning when the world is quiet and hasn't awoken yet? Have you ever tasted the stillness inside of you, when your mind hasn't booted up for the day yet and filled you with useless and meaningless pondering and words about the day? Have you ever tasted the stillness in your heart when all is quiet inside and you can feel the palpable solitude of existence?Posted by Andre Best on June 26, 2010
Exorcising Egoistic Expressionism
April 28, 2009 by Andre Best
We all know people who have egos. We all know people who have big egos. We all know what an ego is, in the usual sense of the definition of the word as it is used in current language. Freud coined the term a century ago, and then it was used by Carl Jung with reference to the conscious part of the brain that we all have and most of us use. Now the word 'ego' is considered a Freudian term to describe that part of the mind that is present during our waking states as humans. Humans being, that is.Posted by Andre Best on April 28, 2009
The Matter With Mind Over Matter
March 30, 2008 by Andre Best
I sometimes find it interesting when it comes to writing that I flow with whatever comes into my mind. In a way it becomes a cathartic release of sorts and allows me to move what was beforehand in my mind onto paper, or e-paper, so to speak and in that way get it out of my head. I know I've written about this subject before in another of my blog articles, but it's a good thing worth repeating. That is, each of us needs time to process whatever it is that we need to process, and using whatever medium we can or do have at our disposal is usually one way to go about processing the electrons firing in our head, and making them productive in some outer way.Posted by Andre Best on March 30, 2008
What You Do Not Know You Do Not Know About Life
March 17, 2008 by Andre Best
Life is the most amazing mystery at times. Why? Because it does such a great job of hiding from us when we seek it, and showing up right in our face when we least want to expect it. But struggle as we do, we can't avoid it. It's always there. Waiting. Waiting to show us what it is that we need to know, but are usually unwilling to heed. But, as we all know, Life goes on. It continues to slowly creep forward, with us as its usual unwilling participants, because we know better than it does as far as what's good for us. And what's good for those around us. Right? How dare Life hide underneath that experience. Or within that event. Or not show its face to us throughout that struggle. Really. I mean come on - I prayed, didn't I?Posted by Andre Best on March 17, 2008 | Comments (1)
The Foundation of a True Life
February 23, 2008 by Andre Best
Have you ever paid attention to how much we humans think and believe that we have to explain ourselves to others and prove our self worth to others, usually at our own expense and strength? It's amazing how when one comes into understanding of what shaky ground one stands on in this regard that the light of the matter is seen for what it is. We all live on a pretty shaky foundation. Yet, all we are doing each day is standing on that foundation and doing whatever it is that we can muster to ensure that the foundation doesn't break apart and collapse, usually from right underneath our figurative feet. And that is where what I spoke about above comes into play at times.Posted by Andre Best on February 23, 2008
Question: Annoyed? Answer: Annoyance or Awareness?
February 6, 2008 by Andre Best
Being the father of three young boys is always an opportunity for insights, especially when the boys happen to be in the thick of their young brotherly love and they are all in my company. I recall a particularly insightful event when we were driving in my vehicle and the younger twins were in their booster seats in the back seat and their older brother was sitting next to me in the front seat, and one of the boys was making a repetitive clicking sort-of noise. Of course, I was paying attention to my driving on the Arizona freeways, but it was easy to notice that this noise being made was done intentionally, versus accidentally.Posted by Andre Best on February 6, 2008
Sticking to the Truth
January 20, 2008 by Andre Best
Sometimes sticking with what we said we would stick with can get kind of sticky. Take anything that you had committed yourself to, or had given your word to someone that you would do it. And, so once said or stated, you were stuck with following through with your commitment. Or, at least you were in a commitment that someone else knew about and therefore knew whether you did it, or not. Kind of hard to get out of if it's something that you no longer want to do, or never wanted to do, or don't want to do any longer, isn't it? When someone else knows that you have a commitment to something you're now held accountable, if at least figuratively. And so not following through with what it was that you said you would now puts you in a sticky situation that may take some finagling to get out of. Or some outright lying.Posted by Andre Best on January 20, 2008
Responsibly Responding to Responsibility
December 8, 2007 by Andre Best
Okay, let me preface this article by stating that I'm going to be writing about something that is dear to my heart, but at the same time will probably alienate a lot of my readers and perhaps cause them to want to take andrebest.com off of their favorites or bookmarks tab. That's okay if that is what happens. You see, if what I write about offends you or irks you or riles you in any way, the only reason that that happens is not because of what I wrote and attempted to impart via this article and these words. No, rather it is because what I wrote, and subsequently what you read activated and energized inside of you something that resonated with what I wrote about.Posted by Andre Best on December 8, 2007 | Comments (1)
Living Life Large
November 22, 2007 by Andre Best
I can't help but find it interesting how Life gives and offers to us exactly what we need, when we need it. Nothing more, nothing less. It always knows exactly what is needed for each of us to grow in our understanding, or at least it seems that way to me. But, then, this begs the question as to why we don't grow in our existence as we're meant to do. The only answer which I am able to currently surmise is that we get in our own way. We stand in the way of expansion and growth, and understanding, and we put up our hand and say "Halt." And, even sometimes, "Halt, who goes there?"Posted by Andre Best on November 22, 2007
A Matter of Choice
October 7, 2007 by Andre Best
Every moment of every day we are all given choices to make. Not just the big ones, like what we need to do for the next ten years of our life, but all the way down to what color footwear should be worn with the outfit we are wearing. Even perhaps smallish choices like which route to take to work this morning, seeing as how the regular road is stuck in a traffic jam. But, even seemingly insignificant choices such as these could have life altering impacts to us, and to those around us. Remember that old story about the flapping of the wings of the butterfly causing a hurricane half way around the world because of the turbulence it causes with its flapping?Posted by Andre Best on October 7, 2007
Saying Yes to Saying No
July 20, 2007 by Andre Best
Ever notice how sometimes it's so hard to not do something that you know you shouldn't be doing? Ever wonder why that is the way it is? Or, putting it another way, ever notice how you find yourself doing something that you know you don't want to do? Ever wonder why you find yourself in an outcome like that at times? Perhaps more often than not? It's surprising at the best of times how many times we can sometimes find ourselves doing things that we would rather not do. We're all prone to this. We're all human. We all have things to do in our lives, other priorities, other matters to take care of, other people to live with and consider. In essence, we all have lives to live.Posted by Andre Best on July 20, 2007
The Acceptance of Resistance
June 7, 2007 by Andre Best
We are wonderful creatures of resistance to what is. Resistance of the present. Resistance of what was. Resistance of what is. We resist, and then we resist our notion of actually admitting to ourselves that we are being resistant. It's almost as if resistance is a tool that we use to defend ourselves against Life and to not allow for true change to occur inside of us. Deep change. Lasting, permanent change.Posted by Andre Best on June 7, 2007
Oh, For the Love of...
May 28, 2007 by Andre Best
Have you ever experienced the fact of actually enjoying doing something from deep within your heart and yet fighting with actually doing it? Perhaps it's building a relationship. Perhaps it's building a career. Perhaps it's actively playing with your children. Perhaps it's taking the effort to go out with friends to that latest flick. Perhaps it's finding the time and making the effort to write that latest entry in your blog. Life has a funny way of showing us where our heart strings are really tied to. And where they're not. How? Easy. Watch where your actions go. And notice where they don't.Posted by Andre Best on May 28, 2007
How to Complain - The Better Way
March 3, 2007 by Andre Best
Let's take a poll. Raise your hand if you complain about anything. Okay, good. I'll assume that everyone reading this article raised their hand, or at least should've raised their hand. Why? Because everyone complains. But it's not so much the complaining that is of concern to detail in this article. It's the understanding of what the complaining is doing to the complainer inside while that person is complaining, either overtly, or covertly, or both. Complaining is such an easy to fall into fall back position when Life is not coming at us the way we expect, or it is not in alignment with the specifications we've set for it.Posted by Andre Best on March 3, 2007 | Comments (1)
Patience IS a Virtue
February 26, 2007 by Andre Best
Patience is something that we all struggle with at one time or another during our lives here on this plane of Life. But, for some, patience is a lesson in life that could be well heeded so as to bring about a great change in one's life. But, unfortunately, the people who would most benefit from the lesson that learning patience offers are the same ones who least want it or seek it out.Posted by Andre Best on February 26, 2007 | Comments (2)
It's A Wonderful Life
February 3, 2007 by Andre Best
Life is a wonderful teacher to those who are willing to learn. It gives us what we need, when we need it, for the reasons that we really need it. Not what we think we want. Not what we think we need. Not what we prefer or desire. But most people simply don't listen to the words that are silently being spoken to us. In our dreams. In our experiences. In our relations with others. In our communication with the world. Not the obvious actions. Not what we can see, only. Not what we were told, or heard.Posted by Andre Best on February 3, 2007 | Comments (2)
The Art of Letting Go
January 15, 2007 by Andre Best
With my own recent series of unfortunate Life events under my belt, or behind me, depending on perception, I have a much clearer insight into the art of letting go. And I know firsthand that letting go is possible. What is letting go? And why is it even of concern to anyone in their right mind? Well, with consideration of the selling of several hundred thousand books under the title of The Secret of Letting Go, author Guy Finley had something to write about this topic in the early 1990's. And people were listening.Posted by Andre Best on January 15, 2007 | Comments (1)
The Truth Shall Set You Free
September 23, 2006 by Andre Best
Ever notice how some people in this world are so adapt at lying that it's literally scary to witness when they're doing so? I had the recent displeasure of seeing someone lie like crazy in front of me to hopefully have an event turn out in a way that would coincide with what was desired by that person. It was pretty scary to witness. Not in a frightening sense, but rather in a beyond belief sense that a human being could have this much darkness and evil in them to stoop to such a low life level.Posted by Andre Best on September 23, 2006 | Comments (3)
The Purpose Driven Life
July 15, 2006 by Andre Best
I had a recent insight regarding the purpose of life that we are all driven at some time in our existence to seek and find out about. Now, this purpose driven life insight is perhaps not one that is life changing for most, nor does it supply the answer to what our purpose here on this spinning ball might be.Posted by Andre Best on July 15, 2006
The Simple Wonder of It All
March 21, 2006 by Andre Best
Have you ever thought about what it must be like to be a little child? I know we, obviously, were all little children at one point in time - for most of us that was probably many moons ago. For me, too many moons to count without removing my shoes and socks and using them for extra digits.Posted by Andre Best on March 21, 2006
When the Mind Seeks Stillness
March 8, 2006 by Andre Best
You know, right now I find myself in a rather odd state wondering how the mind works and exactly how it goes about maturing and changing over time as one ages. In my case, recently, I've noticed that I've begun to actually seek out classical music. Not opera, or new age classical, but actual classical music from the composers of centuries ago - Mozart, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi.Posted by Andre Best on March 8, 2006 | Comments (1)
