Monday, April 22, 2019

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0152

7551.  The thing that you’re most afraid of doing is often the thing you need to do the most;
7552.  Remind yourself that the scariest moment is always right before you start that split second before you hurl yourself out of the plane, walk out on the stage or sign your name on the dotted line;
7553.  Courage is about taking action in spite of that fear;
7554.  What if instead of it being between winning and losing there was only winning and learning?
7555.  Things that won’t create fulfillment: 1.  Having a child; 2.  Marriage; 3.  Financial success; 4.  Getting a degree; 5.  Getting a promotion; and 6.  Buying a home;
7556.  Desperate to feel happiness, people seek everything they can outside themselves . . . the next job, the next relationship, that new home.  They rearrange their lives over and over again only to feel disappointment when the changes they make don’t give them what they thought they would.  Fulfillment is an inside job.  Nothing outside of self can create it . . . no person, no thing;
7557.  From birth, we condition children to “do” . . . to get that job, meet that person, buy that house.  With all of it wrapped up in the idea that these things will bring you fulfillment.  When they don’t, there’s so much confusion and disappointment;
7558.  Fulfillment is a practice.  It’s something we choose for ourselves, but, first, we have to find out who “we” are.  What makes us feel light?  What’s our true passion?  How can we serve others?  All of this is underneath the conditioning that we have to unravel. . . . How do you start?  It’s simple, but it’s difficult . . . 5 minutes of silent reflection every (single) day work through the resistance;
7559.  Brie Larson and Allison Brie are two different people;
7560.  You can’t pull someone down unless you feel (you’re) below them;
7561.  We do not have to be the byproduct of the world around us.  The world around can be the byproduct of our own free will;
7562.  Signs of an overactive ego: 1.  Constant comparison to others; 2.  Defensiveness; 3.  Emotional reactivity around people you view as “wrong;” 4.  Blaming others for your life situation; 5.  Inability to see things from the perspective of another; 6.  Extreme sensitivity to criticism; 7.  Always wanting the “last word;” and 8.  Inability to have relationships with people who have a different world view;
7563.  The ego is a false construction of identity to protect us.  It’s created in childhood and it’s so tightly woven into who “we” think we are that most people are unaware they have an ego.  Because the ego is developed in childhood, an unhealthy ego tends to display as child-like behavior;
7564.  There’s nothing wrong with having an ego;
7565.  How to develop a healthy ego: 1.  Observe yourself being “yourself.”  Warning: It’s uncomfortable.  Observe yourself interacting with friends, strangers and family.  Observe the way you text friends and speak about yourself.  The first step to developing an ego is to view it; 2.  Practice acceptance with being misunderstood.  The ego is at its most protective when we feel we are not seen or heard.  You can practice this with situations at work or with friends.  Our ego makes us believe that not being understood is the worst thing that could possibly happen to us.  This is not reality.  In the process, we learn that people are projecting the internal and it’s not our job to shift that; 3.  Listen/read/watch the “other” side of your viewpoint and practice emotional regulation.  A tell-tale sign of an overactive ego is becoming emotional at ideas or concepts that differ from your own and then labeling these people as “wrong,” “idiots” or “bad” while labeling yourself as “right.”  The ego doesn’t make room for multiple realities;
7566.  Separate yourself from your ego.  Recognize it.  Don’t fight it.  Your highest self is waiting;
7567.  I can say (that) I’ve travelled by train in the U.S.;
7568.  Traveling by train (specifically Amtrak) is pretty nice . . . (it’s way) better than (taking) the bus;
7569.  The biggest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge;
7570.  Period/menstrual sex . . . check . . . thank god for condoms;
7571.  I never thought I’d be wiping blood from my pubic hair;
7572.  Elizabeth doesn’t like (getting) her pussy smacked . . . , but she does like (getting) her inner thighs smacked;
7573.  I can say (that) I’ve mopped walls;
7574.  I can say (that) I’ve ripped up carpet and carpet padding;
7575.  I can say (that) I’ve power washed a house (specifically the vinyl siding and porch);
7576.  It (just) seems wrong to be covering/protecting new grass using/with their dead relatives (i.e., hay);
7577.  I can say (that) I’ve planted a backyard;
7578.  Cleaning wood balusters is like giving a handjob;
7579.  We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance;
7580.  Characteristics of a partner that values growth: 1.  Spends time investing in themselves (i.e., reading, working out, creating, playing a sport, traveling, etc.); 2.  Their words align with their actions (i.e., integrity); 3.  When they hear something new, they’re open/receptive; 4.  Values their independence and, therefore, your own; 5.  Has aligned with or is seeking alignment to purpose; 6.  Prioritizes their own happiness; 7.  Trusts themselves which translates into trusting you; and 8.  Comfortable and confident being alone;
7581.  Steps to create a future-self: 1.  Get past your mind in one small way daily; 2.  Become aware of the content you consume and edit it accordingly; 3.  Move your body for 5-10 minutes daily; 4.  Become aware of your subconscious programming by journaling, meditation and conscious observation; 5.  Find a community of like-minded people on a healing journey; 6.  Create boundaries with those who are resistant to your evolution; and 7.  Take small steps daily acting as your future-self would;
7582.  “Spumoni” is molded gelato made with different layers of colors and flavors.  It usually has three flavors with a fruit/nut layer in the middle;
7583.  90% of the joy you get from an event is the anticipation of it;
7584.  If your compassion doesn’t include yourself, it’s incomplete;
7585.  Master the art of empathy, but never forget to include yourself in the list of those you care for most;
7586.  Your ability to find peace is contingent on how many realities you can accept outside your own;
7587.  The more you can see beyond perception, beyond your ego, beyond the pain of your inner child and beyond your conditioning, the more peace you’ll have;
7588.  The top five regrets of the dying: 1.  I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself not the life others expected of me; 2.  I wish I hadn’t worked so hard; 3.  I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings; 4.  I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends; and 5.  I wish that I’d let myself be happier;
7589.  The more you push your comfort zone the bigger it grows and the bigger your comfort zone gets the more opportunities you’ll have in life;
7590.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly;
7591.  Lessons of a late friend (not someone I personally knew): 1.  Most shit don’t matter. – The stuff you spend hours worrying about or getting excited over often doesn’t really matter.  Focus instead on the deeper things that will really count toward a happy life; 2.  Let go of the past. – Regrets and bitterness hold you back.  The past cannot be changed.  Life only ever moves forward; 3.  Everyone dies with a “To Do” list. – Don’t make work your life unless it’s something you truly enjoy.  Everyone dies with a “To Do” list.  Don’t glamorize being busy; 4.  Assholes exist. – Forget trying to make everyone happy.  The world is full of asses.  Don’t waste your time trying to understand them or please them; 5.  Stop waiting. – It’s so easy to delay doing something just because we’re waiting for the situation to be perfect.  It will never be perfect.  Do it now anyway; and 6.  Know you’re fucking awesome! – It’s so easy to forget how amazing you are.  You’re always uniquely you no matter how hard you try not to be.  Accept it, love yourself and go live it large;
7592.  (Technically) I can say (that) I’ve delivered pizza (from Pizza Hut);
7593.  As with traditional life insurance policies, modified endowment contract (“MEC”) death benefits are not subject to taxation;
7594.  A life insurance policy is considered a MEC contract by the I.R.S. if it meets three criteria.  First, the policy is entered into on or after June 20, 1988.  Second, it must meet the statutory definition of a life insurance policy.  Third, the policy must fail to meet the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (TAMRA) 7-pay test;
7595.  The TAMRA 7-pay test determines whether the total amount of premiums paid into a life insurance policy, within the first seven years, is more than what was required to have the policy considered paid up in seven years.  Policies become a MEC when the premiums paid to the policy are more than what was needed to be paid within that 7-year time frame;
7596.  Unlike traditional life insurance policies, taxes on gains are regular income for MEC withdrawals under last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) accounting;
7597.  The cost basis within the MEC and withdrawals are not subject to taxation;
7598.  The tax-free death benefit makes MECs useful for estate planning purposes;
7599.  MEC policy owners, who do not take withdrawals, can pass on a significant sum of money to their beneficiaries;
7600.  Do not confuse a joint life annuity with a joint-and-survivor annuity.  A joint life annuity ceases payments after the death of the first annuitant, whereas, the joint-and-survivor annuity continues to pay benefits until the second annuitant dies;

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