“I hear people keep talking, they saying I’m crazy ‘Cause I believe in myself and the way that I feel, yeah But I know I’ll figure it out some day, ay And everything will be okay (Ah, ah, ah) Some days I begin to forget I’ve gotta begin to forget The voices I hear in my head And listen, give love and respect To the feelings I feel in my chest They say I know it’s all gonna be okay, ay Yeah I know it’s all gonna be okay”-All Right by Cisco Adler and Gnash
Their music always seems as if it comes directly from their souls.
Many songs are uplifting, and all of them seem to tug at heart strings (at least a little bit).
One song I have recently discovered is “Better Man.”
I love this stanza:
“Oh my hands to serve and love My eyes to see and not to judge My spirit now to rise within And reign over my carnal skin“
As a chiropractor, any song that alludes to my hands serving already has me listening, but this stanza to me could be a meditation phrase, or a prayer for life.
And the chorus:
“And oh I just want to be a better man And oh I just want to be a better man, yeah And oh I just want to be a better man And oh I just want to be a better man As I go“
The chorus is pretty great too! I like to change the last line though from “As I go” to “As I GROW.” (I don’t think Judah nor his lion would mind me singing that to myself in my car).
As a business owner, especially as a chiropractor, I can tend to think of growth in #s, volume, etc. But this song reminds me that the true GROWTH I am looking for is growth from within. I want to grow as a person, father, husband, doctor, friend. I want to improve in all aspects, and the pacing of the song reminds me that growth is not meant to happen RIGHT AWAY.
I truly do want to grow to be a better man, and that growth feels best (and lasts) when it comes from my desire to serve, love, see and not judge, and when all of that combined comes from my spirit. So that is what I am going to work on daily…
It’s a great thing to learn, to push, too improve.
It’s also a great thing to sit back, realize the world we live in is pretty amazing, these bodies we inhabit are awesome, and LIFE. IS. GOOD. 🙂
Take some time today to simply notice the above fact.
Have an awesome Tuesday!
-Dr. Lindeman
P.S. Below is an excerpt from my book “Purposely Positive” on relaxing a bit and enjoying life!
“If you go out into the world destined to improve it for everyone, that is a truly noble and amazing purpose. But what happens when you just want to enjoy Saturday for Saturday’s sake? Your purpose needs to be so strong that you are O.K. with letting up some slack every now and then. Sunsets are amazing. Can you add to them? Sure, you may be able to enjoy the moment more fully by sharing it with someone you love. The beauty may inspire thoughts that uplift you even more, but you cannot make God’s gift of a sunset more beautiful than it already is. You don’t have that power, and quite honestly, you probably wouldn’t want it. Breathe it in and savor. Sometimes the simple act of a breath is magic in itself. You have to let go sometimes, and just let things BE. (On a side note, I highly recommend a few apps for this. Check out the Breathe App through the iTunes store. It gives you daily reminders and practice to just focus on breathing for one minute at a time. Also, Insight Timer is a great meditation app for beginners and gurus alike. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed).
As you continue on your journey of self-discovery, reaching toward your inspiration and allowing it to turn the tide from negative to positive, realize that sometimes you just need to sit back, breathe, and notice. Pausing in your busy life for moments at a time can help calm your monkeys, improve focus, and allow (ironically) for more time to get things done. Relaxing a bit (on purpose) will lower your stress levels, improve circulation, and benefit your overall physical and mental health. Sounds like a pretty good cost-to-benefit ratio to me. Taking some time to relax and to be calm is a vital cog in your transformation.”
“The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.”-L.P. Hartley
“But plant your hope with good seeds, don’t cover yourself with thistle and weeds,”-Mumford and Sons, (Thistle and weeds song title)
In the book: Grit by Angela Duckworth, she discusses one of the main differences between people who have a growth mindset vs people with a fixed mindset is that those with a fixed mindset (feeling that achievements have a lower ceiling than others) carry around a feeling of hopelessness for change.
Most of the time this hopelessness comes from a negative past.
As L.P. Hartley eloquently put it, when we travel to the future, we leave the past behind. We cannot let the anchors of our past weigh us down from taking flight toward our future.
By all means, consider your current situation.
But also realize, that with hope, the future will look vastly brighter.
Dream big, plant seeds and sprout forth to a more meaningful and positive future.
Great messages throughout, here’s some of the lines that hit me right in the feels…
“And I’m an icon when I let my light shine. Shine bright as an example of a champion, takin the advantage, never coppin out or cancelin. Run like a chariot, learning how to carry it. Maverick. Always above and beyond average.”
“Realize I’m supposed to reach for the skies. Never let somebody tell you otherwise.”
And the chorus:
“Theres something in your heart, and it’s in your eyes. It’s the fire, inside you. Let it burn. You don’t say good luck, you say don’t give up, it’s the fire. Inside you. Let it burn.”
I love the song because it ain’t just about “winning,” it’s about acknowledging your purpose, your inspiration, your fuel that keeps you fired up.
Not simply about the accolades.
And when you let your fire burn, you warm everyone around you, and you light up the world with positive change.
We need your light. Let it burn!
Focus on the fire (your why) and there’s no limit to the skies you will reach.
This morning, while captaining the carpool to middle school, a local DJ on one of my favorite radio stations (93.3 if you must know) dropped a great fact.
Matt Maeson, who sings the song “Cringe” (which was a #1 Billboard song this summer), started his music career playing at an open-mic night at a Chick-Fil-A.
Big leap from playing in front of people enjoying chicken sandwich combos to sold out ampitheater shows.
The point is…
Sometimes the work we need to do to push forward will make us cringe. (See what I did there?)
We are not in control of TIMING.
We are in control of POSITIONING.
Put in the work to do what we love to do.
When timing happens, big breakthroughs ocurr.
If they haven’t happened yet, don’t give youreslf an excuse to quit or to stop. Keep “grinding,” work hard, be inspired to do what you want to do because you WANT to do it, not for the results down-the-line.
“Hey heart, on the road again Moving on Forward See the stars, won’t break the bones They’re in the car On the highway It’s so magical, feeling, that no one’s got a hold Your heart can list the all, happiness you know
This is your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood It’s your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood And the whole wide world is whistling
And it’s whistling
Hey heart, on the run again Drive is strong Anywhere Stick and stones won’t take his course It’s got the ball And it fits it It’s the best of world’s feeling, like nothing can go wrong You’re the saddle of the world, you get to know
‘Cause it’s your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood It’s your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood And the whole wide world is whistling
Hey heart, won’t you run again On a highway On a highway Hey heart, won’t you run again On a highway On a highway
This is your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood It’s your heart, it’s alive It’s pumping blood And the whole wide world is whistling
Is whistling And it’s whistling And it’s whistling”
This song is great to get your inspiration warmed up. Make sure you let your fire burn today!
The Fire by The Roots
Oh, the fire, the fire Oh, the fire, the fire
There’s something in your heart And it’s in your eyes It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn You don’t say good luck You say don’t give up It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn
Yeah, and if I’m ever at the crossroads And start feeling mixed signals like Morse code My soul starts to grow colder than the North Pole I try to focus on the whole of where the torch goes In the tradition of these legendary sports pros As far as I can see, I’ve made it to the threshold Lord knows I’ve waited for this a life time And I’m an icon when I let my light shine Shine bright as an example of a champion Taking the advantage, never copping out or canceling Burn like a chariot, learn how to carry it Maverick, always above and beyond average Fuel to the flame that I train with and travel with Something in my eyes says I’m so close to having the prize I realize I’m supposed to reach for the skies Never let somebody try to tell you otherwise
There’s something in your heart And it’s in your eyes It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn You don’t say good luck You say don’t give up It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn
One love, one game, one desire One flame, one bonfire, let it burn higher I never show signs of fatigue or turn tired ‘Cause I’m the definition of tragedy turned triumph It’s David and Goliath; I made it to the eye of the storm Feeling torn like they fed me to the lions Before my time starts to wind down like the Mayans I show ’em how I got the grind down like a science It sounds like a riot on hush; it’s so quiet The only thing I hear is my heart–I’m inspired By the challenge that I find myself standing eye to eye with Then move like a wise warrior and not be a coward You can’t escape the history that you was meant to make That’s why the highest victory is what I’m meant to take You came to celebrate, I came to cerebrate I hate losing; I refuse to make the same mistake
Oh, the fire, the fire Oh, there’s something in your heart (The fire) There’s something in your heart (The fire)
There’s something in your heart And it’s in your eyes It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn You don’t say good luck You say don’t give up It’s the fire Inside you Let it burn
Oh, the fire Inside you The fire Inside you The fire Inside you
I love how a simple song (or actually hundreds of hundreds of songs) can uplift my soul and get my mind and spirit in the best possible space.
I am grateful!
If you want some inspirational music ideas, check out this playlist I made (and I would love any suggestions on songs I’m missing, just comment below!Â
Dissemination of Inspiration 