The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities. — James Allen

My dreams are coming true.

Dreams I didn’t even know I had.

I need to spend some time dreaming bigger. Not like those ‘hey you, loser – yes you – buy my book/course/dvd and you’ll be more’ self development infommercials. It’s more along the lines of not limiting my dreams to the kinds of things that I know can happen and start to think about some more interesting, more exciting (at least to me) options.

Even the oaks make these wildly vibrant lime green leaves in Spring. Talk about inspiring. They change them for other ideas later in the season. And then in autumn, some oaks go with vibrant reds, others work with tans. Beautiful. Thank you, oak.

Time for new ideas. More writing.

Manifesto
34. Every day focus on your dreams.
37. Every day fight for what’s worth fighting for. Pick your battles.
46. Every day you can change your thoughts.

Oh, Saturday morning. Isn’t today the big day? Big plans, plenty to do? Action packed places to go, people to see? After a very solid week’s work, 48 hours of me-time. So, get up and go! Go! Go!

Can I check back with you later after a cup of coffee or two?

Just kidding. It has been a most productive day. Perhaps one of the most productive in a long time.

Manifesto
19. Every day make time for yourself.
27. Every day pain is a sign of growing.
32. Every day have a laugh.

It’s a kind of magnet in the late afternoon. I think we might have to keep it on after the Rugby World Cup.

When else, where else is the light so beautiful?

Of course, most of the people are more interested in the other attractions than the way the light runs across the buildings and scampers up the hill sides.

In the world headquarters of the verb, even the light is an activity.

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
24. Every day is a journey. Not a destination.
50. Every day has an ending.

The second learning was an acceptance that not only could I not progress to the next step without assistance from other people, I really wanted to collaborate with others. Together we can do it. A bit of motherly advice there, thanks Mum.

We’ve been talking a lot about times of processing compared with times of action. The processing part has sometimes been rather frustrating, but the action part feels good. What’s starting to happen is, after what seems like the longest time waiting – getting ready to get ready – that some of my dreams are starting to roll down the runway, gathering a little momentum. This time last week? Gathering spider webs and dust bunnies. Today, a bit creaky, but moving. Progress, onwards and upwards.

Finally.

Exciting!

Manifesto
04. Every day is an opportunity to cultivate the promise of the future.
08. Every day choose to bring about change.
10. Every day connect with somebody.

The south coast.

The sun arcs overhead. Waves rolling out like freshly floured pastry on the shore. The ancient traditions of worshipping on the sea shore. It’s the one place most people can find a space in the corners of their minds for themselves.

Each of us chases the waves in our own way.

Living life out, breathing life in.

It’s a prayer for ourselves, voiced in the infinite voice of angels.

That is the only way we know how to do it.

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
39. Every day trust that there is a bigger picture. You are a part of it even if you may not know what it is.

I wondered about drowning. Drowning is a most unpleasant experience. As a kid I misjudged my swimming abilities in a way that could’ve gone badly wrong. There was definitely more water in the Gonville pool than I could cope with. As an adult I know people not too far away from my desk who say that they are drowning in their work. I always feel uncomfortable when I hear people say that – the choking panic is a very clear memory to me.

But many of us do overload ourselves with work. We either take it on, or willingly allow ourselves to be pushed into ever deeper depths of workload. We want to do a good job, show off our capacities in front of friends and colleagues, and end up choking and gagging. There’s definitely more water in the work pool than you can cope with.

When I finally struggled to the surface, panicking, coughing out the burning chlorinated water, all I could think about was getting out of the water, and on to the sun baked concrete. I can remember flapping my right arm over the edge and feeling the reassuring burn of the concrete. I wanted to hang on to some sort hand grip – anything – but that concrete was the best there was, and at that moment it was the best thing ever. I managed to clamber out of the pool and I sat there feeling sorry for myself (and not a little stupid), taking stock and trying to stop shivering.

After the terror started to fade, I noticed the other people – kids mostly – shouting, giggling, splashing, and having a great time. The water in the pool was this gorgeous, sparkling blue. The sky – a perfect Summer day. The colours, sounds, sensations – everything was magic, beautiful. I’m drowning one moment, drinking in the beauty the next.

The reality is, the beauty was there, surrounding me, all the time. I just needed to almost lose it in order to see it, to experience the precious moment. If you’re drowning in your work, I urge you lift your head up about the surface and suck down some life-giving space into your lungs. Stick your head up like a meerkat, and look around. Look.

Precious moments.

How many do you think you’re going to have?

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
19. Every day make time for yourself.

There’s another terrific thing about having friends who see things in other ways. There’s a universe of sounds, sights, and smells out there that we don’t always notice, or take the time to pay attention to, let alone to enjoy. If you’ve got a friend who can show you something new to hear, see, or smell, your perception of the world expands to a whole new horizon. It helps you feel better about yourself too, experiencing new things in new ways. And being out, on a bright and beautiful morning, with a friend, on Lyall Bay beach.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.

Mostly silent.

Meanwhile. There’s you. And me. Sitting. Watching. Reading.

What would you want to transform over the next 100 days? Something incremental – like losing some weight? Growing a beard? Five new words in another language? A new recipe a day? A smile a day? Apply for a new job a day? How would your world be changed?

I do know the answer to that. Substantially.

It’s not that I believe that in 100 days you’ll have a new habit or be able to give up an old habit – it takes much longer than that to bed down from my experience. What I do know from my Fresh New Day experience is that after about 100 days you’ve started to change your world. There’s something about the energy, the commitment you make to yourself that you start to recognise and start to respect. Your self value goes up.

The great thing is, if you keep going for the following 50 days, unlike the stadium, you’ll never return to being mostly deserted again. You will be permanently transformed. Guaranteed. If you like the sound of that, make a choice, make a decision, and make a start. Let me know how you get on. I can’t to hear what you’re up to, and what works out.

Manifesto
01. Every day is a fresh new day.
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
04. Every day is an opportunity to cultivate the promise of the future.

Look at you. Pathetic. Start ups always fail. You and your ridiculous dreams. You’re never going to amount to anything. Buck your ideas up. You’ve left your run too late. What do you think you’ll be able to change? You’ll do a lot with a big stick and a tin of stones. I’m very disappointed in you. Design is not one of your strengths is it? We’ve tried that before. Not exactly original is it? None of the competitors do it therefore it’s not standard, and therefore we’re not going to do it. You’re too little. I can see no-one has taught you how to do this before. You can’t do this. You’re lazy. Knew you couldn’t do it. Doesn’t count. What would you know? We wish you the best for your future endeavours. Not your best effort. We don’t need any more of your designs. Nobody takes you seriously. Weak. It doesn’t work. Won’t amount to much. I don’t like it. You’re spoiled. You’re just showing off. You should’ve paid attention. Could try harder. You got it wrong. Loser. Fail.

Do let me know if I’ve missed any out.

Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any; but keep your doubts to yourself, for I have enough of my own. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Manifesto
12. Every day love yourself.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
28. Every day you will be tested.

It seemed a little strange that the case was left on the pavement almost seeming deliberate in its positioning. Yesterday it was exactly that. A young lady ignored the ‘don’t feed the birds signs’ and carefully left the bottom half of her muffin, still in the case, on the ground for the birds.

Today, a concise story of the earth and its place in the universe was laid out before me.

First there was the brick pavement. It was good.

Then I notice the muffin remains in a round case – a planet of potential in the void of the pavement.

First a sign of life. A sparrow flies past. Inspecting. Approving. Landing. Eating. Communicating.

Another sparrow. More…

Eating. Gorging. Chattering. Fighting. Exploiting the limited resources. Fighting harder for the remaining crumbs.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a gawky tall man, with long hair and a straggly gray beard. Old clothing, sandals and socks. He walked towards the birds, oblivious.

At the last moment the birds took flight to safety.

The muffin case was not so lucky. The man’s foot crushed the case. The remains stuck to the underside of his right sandal and he kept walking. In a blink of an eye there was not so much as a crumb left.

The void of the pavement was complete.

Manifesto
08. Every day choose to bring about change.
28. Every day you will be tested.
8. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.