New Days and Better Ways...

A changing of views. I experienced a great deal of negativity in my life about eight months ago, which led to a "life event". What those negative experiences were is not at all important here, so I won't go into detail. What's important is how I processed them. I could have grown bitter, angry or hurt, but I knew to survive...better yet, to thrive, I had to face them in a different manner. I chose the karma of Big Sur, California as a place to heal. I spent months contemplating what happened, how it affected me and how I needed to make changes in who I am to prevent anything similiar from happening again. I have gone deep within myself, explored, and started developing a new set of values that are leading me down this new path. These values are about me, not so much others. I have finally understood the meaning of being true to ones self. In a nutshell, it's ALL ABOUT RESPECT. I feel that I have always practiced respect towards others, but cheated myself by allowing others to be disrespectful towards me! I have now set up "House Rules", a set of values that I expect from others if they want to be welcome within my space. And, I am rigid about them. If someone does not respect my values in my space, I will distance myself from them in one manner or another. My "House Rules" NO DISRESPECT NO CONFLICT NO ANGER NO HATE TOWARDS ME OR ANYONE ELSE WITHIN MY CIRCLE. PERIOD. IT IS SO DRAINING! Follow those rules and You will not only be welcome in my space, you will be appreciated, and will recieve the same courtesy's I have just outlined. Eight months ago, I was empty, spent, had lost my karma. Now, I am whole, full of positive energy and am recrafting my reality to be exactly what I want in life. The late, great Zig Ziglar loved to talk about how what you allow into your life manifests into your reality. I fully believe this. The more that I practice positive energy/karma the more it becomes my reality. By rejecting those things noted in my house rules, more harmony comes to me each and every day. My outlook on the future is exceptional and I am excited by what each day brings. I share the positive on my facebook page and if you practice similiar values, you are welcome to join me there. Facebook Hank Springer 7. Peace, Love and Karma to you. Hank

EXPECT NOTHING. ACCEPT EVERYTHING

Expect Nothing, Accept everything. This is painted on a parking lot at a vista point in Big Sur. I have been contemplating the statement since I first saw it. It really, really speaks of my Karma, yet I still struggle with it as it pertains to my "pact" with myself. I love giving of myself to others when the energy is there. I never expect something in return, I just want to convey positive energy. I find that the more I live my life in that Karma, the more positive energy that comes to me. I'll try not to be over the top on this, at least not in this post. When I first came to Big Sur, I was empty! Spent! I had nothing left, physically, emotionally or spiritually! Honest truth. I knew the direction I had to point myself in order to survive, so I started spending hours of my days at the vista point mentioned above, meeting travelers coming through, and trying to slow them down so that they would truly experience what Big Sur is. Too often people allot 3 hrs to travel the 70+ miles called Big Sur, stopping in turnouts, taking a quick photo or two, look at their watch and hurry off. They may see some of the raw, natural beauty that is Big Sur, but they don't really experience it. I liked to point out (and still do) things like the Jade right below them on the beach, the waterfalls (other then McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park), Where they might best have the chance of seeing the Condors (condors? is the usual response), Wanna see Albino Redwoods?, and sometimes if I feel the right energy from them, I'll give up a local secret or two. I collected (still do) chips of Jade too small for me to do anything with and handed it out to those that didn't want to search for themselves, AND to those that wanted to look, so they'd have a sample for comparison. And I never look for anything in return. I always get a "feel good" from sharing, and a lot of smiles, thanks, handshakes and sometimes a hug, and those are what healed my maladies. I am so thankful to those that extended those things, and I hope that I somehow enhanced their Big Sur adventures. So what is the problem? I wrote a post last friday and spoke of my pact. I stated what my expectations were from others, mainly respect. I will not tolerate certain things coming into my space. Period! So, I find that to be in conflict with "accept everything" To do so is to compromise who I am. Hmmm, such a struggle. Peace and Karma Hank

I tried to be normal once...

But seriously. I spent way too many ticks off my life clock pursuing "The American Dream". When people look at how I am living my life today, many think that something broke. All that happened was that I woke up to the fact that I was not living MY dream, pursuing MY passions, or doing MYSELF justice. Everything that I am currently pursuing; learning the art of wirewrapping, setting up on-line sales of both the wirework and photography, are part of a bigger plan, one that allows me to start checking off items from my "Bucket List". I started my bucket list on my 55th Birthday, this past June. Once I finished the draft I realized "Hank, you had better get busy brother!" Topping the list is to resume my travels, explorations and adventures of the western US. My business plan calls for my businesses to be portable so that I can manage them from anywhere. And in the process, the two (businesses and travels) marry together. As I travel, I will pursue the minerals/gems of the regions I visit as the centerpiece of my pendants, and I will take advantage of the myriad outdoor photo ops to add to my portfolio. And the businesses will hopefully support the travels. Perfect Yin and Yang. So much of my bucket list is about travels, discoveries and adventures that it is no doubt the core passion of my being. The sacrifices I have made to realize these dreams prove not to be sacrifices at all, at least to me. The deeper that I immerse myself into my dreams, the more that I peel away the layers of expectations. Not mine, but those of others. I have had to become selfish, at least in the eyes of the beholders. I have made a pact with myself, one of which I set boundaries of how much I may be influenced or veered off-course by the wishes of others. I realize that I am truly a better person by setting these boundaries, and I will die a happier and more content individual because of them and my pursuits. I WILL live the rest of My life as I want to. I will truly be ME from here on out. So how about you. Have you created your "Bucket List"? Do you really know what you hope to accomplish in life, or are you stuck in the daze of the "American Dream"? Is life for you the time spent planning for the future? or are you in this moment? Peace and Karma to you... Hank