Atimesksquared

The Perpetual Bridge

You may have started
Somewhere.
You may be headed
Somewhere.

You may or may not
Be headed there
For real
But it is your intention
To get there.

Preoccupied you are
By where
You come from and
Where you’re going.

And yet,
Where you are,
Is where you are.
And where you are
Is on the bridge.

And this bridge
Is perpetual
For as long
As you’re alive.

Your life here
Is every moment
Of you driving
On this bridge.

It’s a bridge
That connects
Moments.

This is the present
Moment.
This is your reality.
You’re on the bridge.

The only question
That matters?
“How is the drive?”

*****

The Trampoline

Up & down,
Up & down,
At varying highs
And lows
My life takes me.

How do I find
My balance
And stability?

I stop jumping
Through the hoops
Life and other people
Put me through.

The outer circumstances
Are merely triggers.

As a human, I have
A conscious choice.
I’m not triggered
Into action.

I stand on
The trampoline of life,
I decide
When I respond.
And when I don’t.

*****

There are so many ways to interpret this, aren’t there? Here’s one I wanted to share with you today.

The Container

What is the relationship
Between a glass
And the water within?

The glass contains
The water
Present within it.

The glass exerts
No brute force.
The water doesn’t feel
Unduly pressured.

Provided a structure,
Protected, contained,
The water
Simply feels safe.
There’s no spillage.

Build that relationship
Between you
And the emotions within.

Become the container
For your emotions.
No force, no pressure.

When your emotions
Feel contained,
You find stability
Within the structure
You’ve become.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Calm & Chaos

When I attempt
To control chaos
Or contain it,
I further entangle
And exhaust myself.

When I embody calm,
In my presence,
Chaos dissolves itself.

As the chaos dissolves,
So does any
Associated conflict.

Disentangle.
Contain yourself
Within yourself.
Become Calm.

*****

Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Scraps & Source

When the whole sun
Is shining for you,
Why settle
For scraps of light?
Plug into the sun.

When you have
Your whole heart,
Why settle
For scraps of attention?
Plug into your heart.

When the same problems
Keep confronting you,
Why settle
For scrappy solutions?
Plug into the source.

What is the source?
This is two-fold.
Source of the problem,
Source of the solution.

It’s about finding
The solution
That solves the problem
At its root.

How do you know
You’ve found it?
You solve the problem.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

The Seeker

When you’re lost
Outside,
Find yourself a map.

When you’re lost
Inside,
Or outside and inside,
Become a seeker.

Ask the difficult
Questions of yourself,
Dare to face the music.

Until the music
You faced,
Becomes the music
You dance to.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

The Mind Garden

The mind will keep
Supplying you
With thoughts
Based on what has
Been going on.

It’s up to you
Whether or not
You indulge them.
This is where
You exercise volition.

If you get sucked
Into them
And lose track,
You lose time.

Choose to expand
Thoughts that enhance
Your wellness.

Plant new ideas
That will shift you
Into a better
Perception and reality.

Allow these new
Ideas to take root.
Nourish them
with daily care.

Your mind
Is your garden.
What are you
Growing today?

*****

A quick tip to know what you’re growing today? Right after you read this, write down your 5-10 thoughts before reading this post. Don’t judge but analyze these thoughts objectively.

What does that mean? Do your best not to use words like good, bad, right, or wrong. Instead, ask yourself broader questions from a curious perspective:

1. What areas of my life do these pertain to?
2. Am I worried about a specific area, or is it mixed?
3. If I let this thought continue, what will happen?
4. Am I happy with where this will lead me?
5. If not, what can I think about that will get me back on track?

*****

Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Coffee

The quality of a freshly brewed
Cup of coffee depends on
The quality of its ingredients.

The expertise with which
They were blended,
Along with the temperature.

If you don’t like the coffee,
Don’t blame the coffee.
Break it down to its
Fundamental constituents.

The level beyond which
It cannot be broken down
Meaningfully enough
For your practical purposes.

Of all the elements
That went into the making,
What’s causing the problem?
How can you fix that?

When analyzing a problem,
Focus on first principles
And root causes.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Are transformations.

Because they involve
A simultaneous
Crashing and rebuilding.

The crashing?
Bitter.
The rebuilding?
Sweet.

Don’t fear the crashing
Or crave the sweetness.
Do it for the future you.

The one whose destiny
You hold
In your hands today.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Distorted

When you become still,
You can see
Beyond the distortions.

You can see reality
For what it is.

You might not like
What you see,
But you see reality.

It might not feel
Like progress,
But know that it is.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****
Announcement

There’s a change to our posting schedule:

From 9th May: ad hoc with no posting schedule

Thank you.

*****

Illusion & Truth

What is the relationship
I wonder, between
Illusion and truth?

For they cannot
Exist together, can they?
When I’m lost in illusion,
I see not the truth.

But once I understand
The truth,
I can see the illusion
For what it was,
An illusion.

With this illumination,
I’m able to hold
Both in my perception,
Illusion & truth.

When I develop
Enough wisdom,
I might be able
To effectively navigate
Across both,
Illusion and truth.

For the world
Is both,
Illusion and truth.

It takes a truly
Wise person to navigate
One more layer.

The truth
In the illusion
And the illusion
In the truth.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****
Announcement

There’s a change to our posting schedule:

1. This week: Fri, around 6:30 PM no change
2. 9th May onwards: ad hoc with no posting schedule

Thank you.

*****

Who I am

When I know not
Who I am,
I cannot represent
Myself.

When I know not
Who I am,
I can only misrepresent
Myself.

What am I so busy
Showcasing
To the world?

When the introduction
Most needed
Is between me and me.

*****
How can I be true to myself if I don’t know who I am?

Reflecting on who I am has been an enlightening experience. In many ways, it’s the difference between who I think I am vs who I am. In short, perspective vs reality.

When I look back on my life, I now understand many of the misunderstandings because I didn’t have a clear perception of who I was that matched my reality.

Now I’m consciously acting in ways that express more clearly who I am on the inside. It’s like the breaking of the shell - scary but liberating at the same time.

Post-Post Activity

I need more time with this concept before devising an effective post-post activity.

*****
Announcement

There’s a change to our posting schedule:

1. This week and next: no change, Tue & Fri: around 6:30 PM
2. 9th May onwards: ad hoc with no posting schedule

Thank you.

*****

Flow & Stand

To flow,
It takes fluidity.
Rigidity
Need not apply.

To stand,
It takes rigidity.
Fluidity
Need not apply.

To flow
And to stand,
They tap into
Different elements.

And yet they’re
A part of you.
To exercise
At your will.

When you flow
Where you need
To stand,
Or stand where
You need to flow,
You suffer.

Where do you
Need to flow?
Where do you
Need to stand?

Reassess.
Feel free to flow
Through
Your structures.

*****
Post-Post Activity

For this post, read it a few times, and give yourself time to mull over these words before you do the activity.

1. Where do you need to flow?
2. Where do you need to stand?

As always, I recommend pen and paper.

*****
Announcement

During the break, I realized I need more flow in my life now. I’d started an adventure almost four years ago without charting any course. Hence, I needed the security that comes from the rigidity. But now, I’m okay with not knowing. I’m ready to flow.

Now I need the time to rest and assess how far I’ve come. To heal my heart with what I’ve discovered in my mind. To experiment with how I can put things together to share them more effectively. Keeping this in mind, I need to alter our posting schedule.

1. This week and next: no change, Tue & Fri: around 6:30 PM
2. 9th May onwards: ad hoc with no posting schedule

I hope this adventure will be productive. Wish me luck!

*****

Set in Stone

Not set in stone,
Your life isn’t.
The future is flexible.

It might seem
Like it’s set in stone,
But it’s not.

You can jimmy it,
Slowly, measuredly
To align it more
To what you want.

It might require
Compromises.
But it might be
Trade-offs that are
Acceptable to you.

A trade you’re
Willing to make
Because it aligns
With who you are.

So then bring
The crowbar
And jimmy it
Into alignment.

Not set in stone,
Your life isn’t.
The future is flexible.

It might seem
Like it’s set in stone,
But it’s not.

*****

My life felt set in stone because I was too afraid to make a change. I’d choose the familiar any day. At least the messes here were predictable. I knew how to handle them. And yet, this seems like a frame of time where a lot of what I thought was set in stone, is no longer the case. Isn’t it a better strategy then to train myself to roll with the punches?

Post-Post Activity

1. What are a few areas of my life that I think are set in stone?
2. Which of these are detrimental to my well-being?
3. What can I do to jimmy these so I feel better?
4. What’s the crowbar - the strategy to get moving again

As always, I recommend pen and paper.

*****
Announcement

After this post, I will be on a two-week social media break beginning 10 Apr. I’ll post again on 25 April. Thank you.

Take good care of you. I’ll be back.

*****

Achilles’ Heel

What is your
Achilles’ heel?

It’s what trips you up
Even if you’re
Strong otherwise.

Identify it
And protect it.

It’s what you
Haven’t figured out
How to defend
In an attack.

While you figure
This out,
Protect your
Achilles’ heel.

*****
Post-Post Activity

1. Research: the story of Achilles, if not familiar.
2. What trips you up usually?
3. How can you better defend yourself?

I’ll be working on this too.

*****
Announcement

After the post on Friday, I will be on a two-week social media break beginning 10 Apr. I’ll post again 25 April. Thank you.

*****

Please cite if you’re reposting.

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Growth

You don’t pull the seed
Out from the earth
Every day to enquire
Why it hasn’t sprouted.

That’s not how
Growth happens.

You put in the seed,
Create the right environment,
Consistently take care of
And nourish it.

And you wait,
Stay patient.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting. Thank you!

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Labyrinth

When you’re trapped
In the labyrinth
Of your mind,
It can feel like you’re
Going around in circles
And there’s no way out.

You become frantic
The longer it takes.
You take the familiar
Pathways out of habit.

Forgetting that they
Don’t lead to
Where you want to go.
This leads to
More frustration.

You’re not able
To find your way out
Because you’re caught
In the labyrinth.

Don’t make it to be
About more than that.

What you need
Is a higher perspective,
The aerial drone view.

When you’re too
Caught up in the details,
Get the Eagle’s perspective.

*****

Please cite if you’re reposting. Thank you!

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

If, This & That

I thought it was about
If, this and that.

If I could only have this,
I’d be happy.
If I could leave that,
I’d be happy.

If this situation could
Change, it’d be great.
If I had ten million,
My life will be set.

If I were healthier,
I could accomplish
So much more.

If this person could
Stop creating problems,
My life would be peaceful.

If my life weren’t
So miserable, I’d have
Found a reason
To not be miserable.

If life was fair,
I’d have my fair share
By now.

If they could only
Love me,
I’d love me too.

If I were successful,
I could handle things better.

Until I realized
It was a trap.
If, this and that.

If I set so many conditions
To my happiness,
How and when do I expect
To be happy?

*****
The list really is endless, isn’t it? Because the moment I have what I want, I move the goal post further to what I don’t have yet. When does this end so I can be happy? This approach does not make sense to me.

Of course, there are difficult times in life when solving the problem at hand or just getting through the day feels like an accomplishment. But this can’t be my every day, no?

What does happiness look like for me right now? Tapping into the unexpected pleasant surprises that just happen. Like a new recipe, coffee turning out greater than usual, restful sleep, a TV episode that touches my heart, dancing impromptu, singing along to my favorite songs, recovering from the flu sooner than I thought I would, understanding a concept I struggled with, a comforting chat with an old friend, my yoga mat…

Post-Post Activity:

1. Review the list you have from the pre-post activity. This is a list of your conditions to happiness
2. Think about: what does happiness look like for me right now?

*****

Flights of Fantasy

Allow yourself
Your flights of fantasy.
Your vision for a better
Alternative reality.

This can help you
Believe again.
To find faith and hope,
When your reality
Has sapped it out of you.

But remember
They’re only flights.
They’re a break
From your reality,
Not your reality.

Enjoy the break,
Come back to reality
And see
What you can do here
That will make
Your reality pleasant.

Gradually begin
To shape, sculpt,
To create a reality
You don’t
Want to escape from.
A reality you enjoy.

It’ll take time,
Effort and more than
A little persistence.
But you can do it.

*****

Please cite if you’re reposting. Thank you!

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Fire & Flowers

Been through
Too many now
Of these
Trials by fire.

Purified, I feel.

Got nothing
To prove no more.
Not to them,
Not to myself.

Creating a pathway
Beautiful I am,
Of flowers.
One that’s kind
And gentle to me.

What if the fire
Finds me still?
That’s familiar,
I can deal with it.

It’s the flowers
I want to get used to,
Make familiar.
For it’s gentleness
I wish to receive.

*****
Please cite if you’re reposting. Thank you!

Nuggets of wisdom
Hard-earned,
Packaged into poetry.

An explorer
Experimenting with
Different perspectives.

All with the goal
Of in-powering.
What’s that?

Self-empowering
Through
Self-discovery.

Are you curious?
Find me

*****

Motive

Behind all that you do,
And all that you don’t,
What is your motive?

Can you investigate
And understand it,
Without judging it?

When you do this,
You bring
What is unconscious
Or subconscious
To your
Active consciousness.

Here, you can work
With your motives
To process
And refine them.

You can choose a motive
With a conscious focus.
And then allow that
To determine your strategy
To get your desired results.

Your motives impact
Your results
In ways you cannot
Immediately understand.

When you clarify
Your motives, you can
Update your strategy
To match your motives.
Your results update
To match your strategy.

If you still don’t have
The results you seek,
You can re-examine
Your strategy
To see how and where
You can course correct.

***

What is an active example of this? In creating/sharing my perspectives through poetry, I can have a wide range of motives:

1. To explore my intellectual and creative abilities
2. To impress you or me with them
3. To discover who I am
4. To find my tribe
5. To realize my life purpose
6. To build an empowered world…

Think About:
1. How will my actions differ depending on my motive?
2. And the results will be different?
3. They’re not all mutually exclusive either?
4. I can build a bridge if I want?

In-Power Insights:
1. Pick an area of your life that you’re confused about. This could be your career, finances, personal relationships, or life purpose…
2. Sit down, pen and paper, and answer:
“What is my motive in this area?”

Direction:
1. You might begin not knowing. This is okay. Keep asking the question; the answers will come over time
2. Don’t judge the answers. Instead, work with them to find a healthy motive. One that feels like both fun and growth

***