The Price of Admission

Forgive them, UG   


For they know not what they do ................ 

If we truly care about those we want to remain in our inner circle .......and have the desire to recover from our past.....We must share our feelings(gently), so we(they) can reach the ultimate goal of letting it all go. 

        Most traditional/eastern spiritual teachings are simply a collection of words. 


            These words(poems if you will) are filled with signs that point us back to the source. ... Google 'Tao Te Ching' and 'Lao Tzu'

       And the source(our 'being'), in my opinion, is attained by recognizing our past. Embracing it. ...... because 'IT" is the Price of Admission.

      When we acknowledge the source of our pain........ Discuss it openly w/out letting the EGO enter the room...... Totally void of emotion................we GROW. 




           As an Native American chief once said about the caucasion settlers - "The 'white eye' all have tense faces, staring eyes and a cruel demeanor. Always looking as if they always 'need' something".


    That being said, we NEED to disconnect ....... Let Go.



     In order to achieve enlightenment, we must recognize the(my) L.A.W. of Active Recovery.......


            Some people Watch life happen (LOOK)......
            Some people Make life happen (ALLOW) 
            and the rest say "What happened?(WHAT?!)


    Happy Trails - UG




Talking to you Robyn

Patience Process Letting Go

      I'm sitting in my hotel room contemplating the word  'destiny'. How do I share my message of hope? How do I get kids to take action? Do I need to package it in a way that kids can digest it? I know my Rise Up Detroit project is noble. I'm working out the details w/ founder Michael Corbin for the everyminute.org relaunch. I'm coaching aspiring punters across the nation. I'm trying to 'help'.

      This week I'm at the University of Alabama, helping the coaches learn how teach my 'Set & Pull' technique. Seeing the droves of kids coming in for workouts, it takes me back to my first days in college......wanting success so bad I could taste it. My heart would pound when it was my turn to 'show my wears'. To punt the football. It's taken many years of deep reflection to answer this question  "Why was I  so stressed out when it came to performance?" The answer lies in the work.

    The science of punting was in it's early development in the '80's. With the evolution of film analysis and integration of bio-mechanics, I've finally realized how the punting motion works. The elusive 'why' I'd been looking for all these years. When I was playing, I had no concept of the word 'relax'. My 'repeater swing' needed to be meticulously practiced. Even though I had to re-learn it every day,  I would eventually 'find my groove'. I can remember going in after practice and watching film.  I focused on my body angle, leg extension and foot position at impact. I made sure to finish each kick with my leg high in the air.If  I wasn't doing it to my satisfaction on film, I would go back out and fix it. That's what I 'saw' in pictures while growing up in New Jersey. Legendary punters Ray Guy and Dave Jennings would always finish with their leg  high up into the air. I did my best to imitate this technique my entire career. But in the depths of my subconscious mind, I knew there was an easier way. 

        My 'Set & Pull' punting epiphany came to me in the spring of 2000. Three(3) years removed from the game, I finally understood the concept of 'letting go in order to gain control'. I realized why I had such a tough time having fun playing the game of football. Undiagnosed torn ligaments in my hip and a broken back didn't help things much,  but I knew there was an easier way to create leg(foot) speed.  I didn't have the patience(or bio-mechanic) knowledge to relax and allow my leg to release. My negative mental 'chatter' caused me to drift. I focused on 'results' versus 'process'. I knew I could do better. I wanted to be perfect.

         The game of life has a strange way of teaching us lessons. After all the years of work. The countless  hours of frustrating trial and error. The lesson was this ....  All I had to do was "let go". 

 This is why I teach................GM




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Carry On

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

I’ve been studying the topic/theory of ‘letting go’ for about 10 years now. One of my first books(manual) on the topic, ‘The Power of Now’ (Eckhart Tolle) showed me how to watch my thoughts; to be an astute observer of my mind. 

'Fitting in' been a constant throughout my life. Ever since I was a child, people have looked at me differently. Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1997 simply added fuel to the fire. The mundane tended to shrug off my philosophies and theories as being ‘part of the illness”. Many years of trying to ‘learn them me’ has lead to a dead end.

 In any form of deep thought, we’re taught to stay present and ‘just be’. On the contrary, 'in order to grow, we must go back”. And going back is a very tricky bridge to cross. A double-edged sword if you will. Many of our friends and family members are stuck. And their unturned stones are unturned for a reason. Simply because we've been given the gift of enlightenment doesn't give us the right to fix everyone else.

Meditation is my method of starting the day and connecting with all that is pure. It's magical. However, it would serve no purpose to describe the indescribable. Besides, I've found that the details of this path to enlightenment are to be only discussed with the willing and able. If not, we'll get stuck defending our views.

 So enjoy your gift enlightened ones. Continue your process of growth.  Carry on.

 Because in the end, the only person we can change is ourselves.

   

GM

Communicate Prepare Execute

        We've all heard the saying "Find a way to make money doing what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." Easier said than done.

    Playing 9 yrs in the NFL was a great experience. I had the opportunity to fulfill my dream of playing professional sports and made many lasting friendships along the way. At first glance, making six figures a year fresh out of college seemed like winning the lottery. I had it made. I thought I was 'set for life'. Like most pro athletes, I never even thought about when/what/where to work after 'retirement'. In retrospect, I missed a great opportunity.

      When I was traveling the globe, my high school and college classmates were paying their dues in the working world. They would be forced to pick a profession and work their way up the corporate ladder. It turns out that for every year played in professional sports, one year is lost preparing for 'life after sports.'

     After years of chasing the dollar, I've finally taken a step in the right direction. My new position of  Co-Founder/President/National Spokesperson for Everyminute.org has made me finally realize that we have a lot of work ahead of us. When we give, we shall then receive. I've always wanted  to help those in need.  Finally breaking my allegiance  to "living the currently twisted. American dream"........Make as much money as possible, raise kids, join the club, travel the world , pretend the money will continue to flow and give back 10% to the local church as well as another 10% to those in need such as food, clothing. What, so they can suffer comfortably?............. Not a method I would like to indulge in. I want to go after the source of the suffering and address the problems directly. Creating jobs, mentoring those in need, coaching those that want to be coached.


    My goal now is to touch as many lives as possible.And I'm aware of the tough journey that lies ahead. Lobbyists and non-profits, all jockeying for funding, adding to the  perverted the system that's in place. It's not broken, but needs a shot of new blood and mindfulness. I'm thinking about NAMI, but will meet with DBSA this week.We've got a nice team being assembled.  dealing w/ depression, anxiety, drug/alcohol abuse etc etc). Setting up an interactive site where I can do raise money for research, spread awareness, host pod casts and promote group interaction for those suffering as well as. A Facebook application  for those suffering from mental illness.

        My 'mirror approach' on stabilization/recovery/productivity is based on my theory that the diagnosis is a 'family diagnosis'. Meaning all parties involved must not only support, but rehabilitate as well. Many of the neuroses are formed in our youth....our developmental years of 1- 6 yrs old. After this age, the computer(child) is hard wired. Of course each situation will vary depending on predisposition, abuse, neglect, experiences(tragic/joyous) etc. But in my opinion, the catalyst of becoming 'unstable' and the eventual manifestation of depression can be traced back our social settings, parents, teachers, coaches, etc.(ie not being 'understood'). Since everyone is wired differently, some kids will need a hug while others need a little more discipline. Whatever the case, I see a need for more evaluation and communication within the family unit, classroom, locker room and/or board room. The days of 'my way or the highway' are over. With the progress of modern psychology and the multitude of resources/data available, there's no reason why we can't create an atmosphere to help special needs kids and adults alike. Please comment and let me know if you have any desire to works on these upcoming projects.GM