T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - LIKE AN OBSTINATE TODDLER
Nothing really worth having is easy to get. The hard-fought battles, the goals won with sacrifice, are the ones that matter. Successful people just don't let failure define them or keep them from doing what they want to do. For example, I'd have people come up to me after my shows, and they'd say they want to do stand-up but are scared they're going to fail. I'd tell them, "You are going to fail, and anyone who is successful, has powered through many, many failures."
I thought I was gonna be an attorney, so I went to Dartmouth, and I was a government major, and I minored in environmental policy, and I didn't do anything academically around the arts. I was not one of those people who wanted to be a comedian when I was growing up. I liked comedy, but didn't know it was something you could do for a living. I actually wanted to be an attorney. I did do things on the side like improv and sketch comedy, but law was my focus. When I got out of college, I was really unhappy. I had a great job that I should have loved, yet I was miserable. The best advice anybody could have given me was to keep getting up over and over again. You can only really learn from failure ... To win, you need to fail and fail hard.
No one wants to hear about how awesome you were; people want to hear about the time you blew it. So, I think the longer you do stand-up, the more comfortable you are. You stop wanting to hide your foibles and instead want to show who you are. When I was young, I thought, 'Yeah, people don't see, they're not recognizing how funny I am, and how talented I am'. And the guys that mentored me were like, 'You just have to keep getting up'. And I look back and they were right. They were all right. I'm just going to be the best version of me that I could possibly be and be as funny as I possibly can. I've just got to be myself and hopefully people will find me. And my audience did find me.
Real success and accomplishment, at whatever it is you are passionate about, requires real work. Real sacrifice. Real disappointment. Real failure. And it requires the ability to scrape your sorry ass up off the floor, stumble to your feet, wipe the rivulets of watery drool from your face, and do it again, like an obstinate toddler running against the wall with his head in a bucket. When I get old and slow down, I want to look behind me and see all the fire and the wreckage and no stone left unturned.
And I was the only black kid in my school for almost all of my childhood, until I was a teenager. So, imagine, if you will, being 6 feet tall by third grade, so essentially being a living maypole.
October 22, 2024: You are entering a phase of simplicity, if you will accept it. There are things that you can eliminate from the list of demands on your time and energy that will result in clarity of purpose and strength of resolve to eliminate that which is unnecessary. This is a time to simplify and fortify. 2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - CLARITY OF PURPOSE
Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives. We don't have to be perfect, just engaged and committed to aligning values with actions. Compassion is not a virtue -- it is a commitment. It's not something we have or don't have -- it's something we choose to practice. When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.
Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we're all in this together. Don't try to win over the haters; you are not a jackass whisperer. Empathy doesn't require that we have the exact same experiences as the person sharing their story with us...Empathy is connecting with the emotion that someone is experiencing, not the event or the circumstance. We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions. Every time we choose courage, we make everyone around us a little better and the world a little braver. And our world could stand to be a little kinder and braver. Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path. Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional. Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose; the level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable is a measure of our fear and disconnection. You can't get to courage without walking through vulnerability.
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS
TO
BEVERLY BELL
MILLER
As long as we are persistence in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time. It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit. Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - LEAVE THE PAST
Fear is the culprit that robs us of our greatest lives. And although it's mostly made up or a learned behavior from our past, almost everybody I've ever met in my life struggles with fear. Fear keeps us rooted in the past. Fear of the unknown, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, fear of not having enough, fear of not being enough, fear of the future-all these fears and more keep us trapped, repeating the same old patterns and making the same choices over and over again. Fear prevents us from moving outside the comfort-or even the familiar discomfort-of what we know. It's nearly impossible to achieve our highest vision for our lives as long as we are being guided by our fears.
To experience emotional freedom, we must accept, surrender, and let go of our wounds. We must be willing to take responsibility for what we're holding on to, which is usually a hurt or pain from the past that leaves us feeling victimized. A strong plan of action will yield you quantum results and will ensure that you don’t fall into the familiar patterns of your past. As you continue the work of acknowledging and claiming the gifts of your past and standing in the power of your present, you are freeing up enormous reserves of creative energy. The warrior woman is filled with the courage, confidence, and inner strength to leave the past behind. She knows that there is no way to express herself fully when she is still carrying burdens that need to be released. If we want a new future that does not look like our past, we must make new choices in the present.
Your soul's mission is to serve in the grandest way it can. Divine plans lie imprinted in your inner world, and there are important lessons for you to learn and share on this journey to your most magnificent self.
The age of a woman is not important: you can be wonderful in your 20's, amazing in your 40's and stay fabulous for the rest of your life. Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future. A woman has the age she deserves.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - WHEN YOU ENDURE
Our senses don't deceive us: our judgment does. There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action. Do not give in too much to feelings. An overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth. We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe. There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. Humans fear reason, but they ought to fear stupidity- for reason can be hard, but stupidity can be fatal. To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult. Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean. We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden. Enjoy what you can, endure what you must. The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.
Oblivion is full of people who allow the opinions of others to overrule their belief in themselves. Misunderstandings and neglect, occasion more mischief in the world, than malice and wickedness. I can promise to be sincere, but I cannot promise to be impartial. Choose well. Your choice is brief, and yet endless. No one is willing to believe that adults too, like children, wander about this earth in a daze and, like children, do not know where they come from or where they are going, act as rarely as they do according to genuine motives, and are as thoroughly governed as they are by biscuits and cake and the rod. The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become. Look at a man the way he is, and he only becomes worse but look at him as if he were what he could be, then he becomes what he should be.
Correction does much, but encouragement does more. If a good person, does you wrong, act as though you had not noticed it. If we practice an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, soon the whole world will be blind and toothless. Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow. The soul is indestructible, and its activity will continue through eternity. It is like the sun, which, to our eyes, seems to set at night; but it has in reality only gone to diffuse its light elsewhere. The main thing is to have a soul that loves the truth and harbors it where he finds it. And another thing: truth requires constant repetition, because error is being preached about us all the time, and not only by isolated individuals but by the masses. In the newspapers and encyclopedias, in schools and universities, everywhere error rides high and basks in the consciousness of having the majority on its side. Enjoy when you can and endurewhen you must. Daily life is more instructive than the most effective book. Whoever wishes to keep a secret must hide the fact that he possesses one.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - OFF-BALANCE
I truly have come to believe that there are only two states of being that generate our thoughts: LOVE or FEAR. I saw that all aspects of my life had been pulling me out of balance because I hadn't perceived them as part of a "whole," or the totality that was "me. "I strove to maintain a spiritual practice, but since I was being pulled in so many directions, I couldn't seem to stay steady and grounded. I used to get overwhelmed when I thought about everything there was to do, and I was exhausted much of the time.
We are all being called to be more present than ever, while dealing with a more challenging array of personal and professional challenges, opportunities and all-around growth. After all, if we are co-creators of our reality, as so many philosophies have espoused, then we have a say in how it is, how it goes and our participation in it, right? I make the necessary "corrections" if I find myself leaning too far in one direction. Nine times out of ten it's a minor shift in your focus and your attitude that makes the difference. "Balance" as a verb doesn't mean "stillness," but the constant act of making minor corrections from one side to another to bring one towards a center of stability. Balance for me now means seeing myself as a tree, being strong enough in my roots and trunk to not be a pushover but being flexible enough in every circumstance not to break. I am continuing to expand, but not any faster than my roots can support me. In life, when you start to fall, you don't have to go crazy, scolding yourself and further throwing yourself off balance. Instead, simply make adjustments. There is a push and a pull almost like an isometric stretch. Our literal flexibility and our physical, psychological and spiritual practices are more important now than ever to balance the boat. You can still do all the same things. How you do them is what will shift.
We are on a very rich emotional and physical journey on this planet. Life is always moving, changing, shifting into its next shape. Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people's souls. Each moment in time we have it all, even when we think we don't. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORDS - A GENEROUS HEART
Think thoughts that make you feel good, make choices that make you feel good, and take actions that make you feel good. If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others, hurting feelings, and living with the reality that some people just won't like you. It may not be easy, but it's essential if you want your life to reflect your deepest desires, values, and needs. Just because some people are fueled by drama doesn't mean you have to attend the performance. Today I share my abundance with someone who needs a gift of kindness. I am a master at setting boundaries that protect my time, energy, creativity, and emotional well-being. If you don't have time for your life, what's the point of it all?
Count your blessings. A grateful heart attracts more joy, love and prosperity. You don't need to get anywhere or be anything more than the beautiful soul that you already are. Feelings are your inner guidance system-your emotional compass. When you allow this compass to direct your actions you build self-trust. When you feel hungry, you eat. When you feel tired, you rest. When you feel lonely, you reach out for a connection to others. In this most basic way, your feelings link you with the wisest part of yourself. They tell you what you need to know at any given moment.
When we think good thoughts, we feel good. When we feel good, we make good choices. When we feel good and make good choices, we draw more good experiences into our lives. It really is that simple … and elegant … and true. A grateful and generous heart is like a magnet. When you take the time to acknowledge the abundance in your life and share the wealth, you attract even more blessings and reasons to feel grateful. In this way, receiving and giving creates a circle of energy that serves us all. Lean back into the arms of grace. Your life is influenced by the energy you bring to every moment.
October 27, 2024: Position yourself for a new beginning that will follow the changes over the last months that have brought you to a place of order and in alignment with My plans and purposes. Yield at this time to the moving of My Spirit as I bring you out of a spiritual desert. And trust Me with your life, purpose, and destiny, says the Lord. You are embarking on a new day! Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAYS WORDS - SPIRITUAL DESERT
What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love. Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved. In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that can bridge all divisions and heal all wounds. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the Beloved. Once we deeply trust that we ourselves are precious in God's eyes, we are able to recognize the preciousness of others and their unique places in God's heart. Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as those whom God has given you to love.
Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not, 'How can we hide our wounds?' so we don't have to be embarrassed, but 'How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?' When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers. Friendship is one of the greatest gifts a human being can receive. It is a bond beyond common goals, common interests, or common histories. It is a bond stronger than sexual union can create, deeper than a shared fate can solidify, and even more intimate than the bonds of marriage or community. Friendship is being with the other in joy and sorrow, even when we cannot increase the joy or decrease the sorrow. It is a unity of souls that gives nobility and sincerity to love. Friendship makes all of life shine brightly. This brief lifetime is my opportunity to receive love, deepen love, grow in love, and give love.
This is what life is about. It is being sent on a trip by a loving God, who is waiting at home for our return and is eager to watch the slides we took and hear about the friends we made. When we travel with the eyes and ears of the God who sent us, we will see wonderful sights, hear wonderful sounds, meet wonderful people ... and be happy to return home. Our spiritual life is a life in which we wait, actively present to the moment, expecting that new things will happen to us, new things that are far beyond our own imagination or prediction. This, indeed, is a very radical stance toward life in a world preoccupied with control. Jesus says, 'Let go of your complaints, forgive those who loved you poorly, step over your feelings of being rejected, and have the courage to trust that you won't fall into an abyss of nothingness but into the safe embrace of a God whose love will heal all your wounds.
To live a spiritual life, we must first find the courage to enter into the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude. The movement from loneliness to solitude, however, is the beginning of any spiritual life because it is the movement from the restless senses to the restful spirit, from the outward-reaching cravings to the inward-reaching search, from the fearful clinging to the fearless play. When I trust deeply that today God is truly with me and holds me safe in a divine embrace, guiding every one of my steps I can let go of my anxious need to know how tomorrow will look, or what will happen next month or next year. I can be fully where I am and pay attention to the many signs of God's love within me and around me.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORD - FOOL-OSOPHY
I'm living the life of liberty, happiness and pursuit. I knew racial discrimination at its worst in the 1930s. I lived with the humility of it, but I never lost my sense of humor. Humor is the escape valve from the deadly reality of adversity. Humor is based on the way a man looks at life's ironies, and being a member of a minority group can certainly be ironic. I've always had the ability to manipulate words and communicate ideas and thoughts. Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll just be concerned with whether he's funny.
I feel the life expectancy of a comedian is 30 seconds. Comedy is based partly on mean-spiritedness. If you don't hook an audience in half-a-minute, you're dead. You see, the patience of an audience is very short, particularly with a non-entity. You're an intruder, and you must make them laugh within three or four seconds. I talk about things that are front page news. If the social evolution leads to jokes, I use them. Our country's social revolution lends itself to jokes and I use them. During all the years I entertained at the Baby Grand night club in Harlem, 90 percent of the audience was white. But when I tried to break into television, I was told that white folks wouldn't understand what I was talking about. In all my years in show business - on stage, clubs and TV shows - my audience has been 75 percent white. In Las Vegas and Atlantic City, I look out at the crowd and only see a few black faces here and there. But I can't allow myself to be conscious of the race factor. I couldn't perform my best under those conditions.
The great part of appearing on game shows is that when you answer a question the camera takes a close-up of you every time. You get more close-ups than in a movie, and that's terrific for audience identification. The people have to see you to like you. America is the only place in the world where you can work in an Arab home in a Scandinavian neighborhood and find a Puerto Rican baby eating matzo balls with chopsticks. If you owe too much on American Express, and your Diner's Club notes are too hard, take a loan on your Visa, and pay it off with your MasterCard! My only mission is to look for fun, the lighter side of life. I spell it fool-osophy. If you see me on the street, don't just say, 'There goes Nipsey.' Walk over and say, 'Hello Nipsey,' and give me a warm slap on the back and hand me a few dollars.
October 29, 2024: In a dream I was preparing for a wedding. It was never clear who was getting married, but the preparations were not in a building, but rather in a beautiful mountain meadow with a stream of water running through it and beautiful wildflowers. People from all over the countryside were beginning to gather in the excitement of preparation. I was trying to come up with an estimate of the amount of food that would be necessary for the event. Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
T H O U G H T F O R C O N S I D E R A T I O N TODAY'S WORD - PREPARATION
True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. Life is like a tennis game. You can't win without serving. From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that. We must love ourselves, our old and or young, our women as well as our men. I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without recognizing that perhaps the purest joy in life comes with trying to help others. My humanity, in common with all of God's children, gives the greatest flight to my full range of my possibilities. I have tried to keep on with my striving because this is the only hope I have of ever achieving anything worthwhile and lasting.
I wish more of us could understand that our increasing isolation, no matter how much it seems to express pride and self-affirmation, is not the answer to our problems. Rather, the answer is a revival of our ancient commitment to God, who rules over all the peoples of the world and exalts no one over any other, and to the moral and spiritual values which were once legendary in America. We must reach out our hand in friendship both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy. I take the good with the bad, and I try to face them both with as much calm and dignity as I can muster. Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. Start where you are, use what you have.
I have always tried to be true to myself, to pick those battles I felt were important. My ultimate responsibility is to myself. I could never be anything else. Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance. Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. If I were to say, 'God, why me?' about the bad things, then I should have said, 'God, why me?' about the good things that happened in my life. You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing. A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.
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