Surviving Myself A Journey from Suicidal to Happy

Simple New Year Ritual

Here is a simple ritual from Marci Shimoff to do New Year's Eve or New Year's Day to kick 2012 off to a great start.  A little secret is that you can do this anytime you want to make changes.  There is no need to limit yourself to releasing old patterns once a year.  You ALWAYS have the power of creation.

1. Start with a 10 - 15 minute meditation in which you set your attention on releasing the old and opening to the new.
2. On a piece of paper, hand write a list of all the things in 2011 that you'd like to let go of.  This can include old patterns
   that don't serve you, grudges or resentments you're hanging on to, fears that hold you back, or circumstances that you'd like to change. It can also include not-useful habits such as eating too much sugar or not exercising.  Make sure your list is as complete as possible with everything that didn't work for you in 2011.  My list is usually a few pages.
3. If it's easy for you to burn the list, then you can do that.  If not, you can tear the list up in many pieces.  As you release
   this list, imagine letting go of the energies that are represented on your list.
4. Now, on to creation.  Make a list of all that you wish to create for yourself in 2012.  Include the habits you'd like to
   embrace, the external circumstances you'd like to create, and the internal experiences you'd like to have (joy, freedom, ease, love, peace, acceptance of all that is, etc).  Be as specific as possible.
5. Read the list aloud (whether you're alone or with others).  Speaking it out adds more energy to it. Feel each item as though
   it's actually happened.
6. Put the list in a special place, as a symbolic offering for your coming year.

Notice how you feel after doing this ritual.  Perhaps lighter, renewed, and excited about what lies ahead for you.  Share your experience with others.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and loving 2012.
Andy

Response to “Be Selfish” Video

YouTube user Reiken37 had some problems with my video "Be Selfish"

His comments couldn't be contained in the allowable comment space so he sent me this message which I've decided to share with everyone. Though it seems to frustrate him greatly, I'm not adding additional commentary from myself.

Reiken37
My notes after watching your "Be Selfish" video 09/93/11

His first point that a selfish person would put all the resources available to making himself feel good is poor because there are many mindsets of a selfish person. The term selfish, while articulate in definition, describes a wide range of thought processes. Yes a person who is selfish might do that but then they wouldn't be suicidal of course ergo proving your point. However many selfish people instead choose the route which takes all they have and pushes it away to create a circle around them. One that could imply greater importance within the circle (themselves), or perhaps one for the sheer purpose of everyone else seeing that person, for the purpose of being pitied, all of which would result in depression more often than not.

Second wrong point is his second point. A selfish persons' top priority is not enjoying life it is furthering themselves in a variety of ways, whether it be in others' eyes, in the worlds' eyes, in their own eyes. The first two and perhaps the third could all result into their mind being warped into a terrible mindset which would result in depression. This guy needs to stop spouting shit as fact when he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Oh so here is the whole point: "I don't think we're selfish enough!". Note this man has attempted suicide three times or something like that, he is practically trying to imply that people who attempt suicide or are suicidal are better than those who don't. Which is both idiotic and treacherous as it not only encourages suicidal thoughts in others but it is completely wrong.

Next point is that suicidal people can't give others anything because they have nothing unlike happy people. Ignoring the literal and inherently wrong piece of that, I'll move onto the implied point that giving happiness is attributed in some way to selfishness. Which is wrong and doesn't even apply to the argument he just presented.

Says suicide is out of ignorance, a stupid thing to do, yes but that is unrelated to your idiotic presumption earlier.

Next point is that "I don't see selfishness as a reason for suicide". Compelling point, go to harvard you fucking hack.

THANK YOU! SOMEONE WHO IS SELFISH WOULD PUT THEIR NEEDS FIRST! A person who commits suicide is doing that by ending their own suffering for the sake of ending their own suffering. Their selfish needs came first. I can't wait to see how he tries to spin this to the other side of the argument.

He fucking says that he put his misery and pain first and that it didn't feel selfish which is his argument? Oh my god this video is so wrong and poorly made. Punishment and Martyrdom are inherently selfish thoughts to have from that standpoint... ugh I hope you don't believe this for your sake.

Oh here we go, the classic "I was helping others because I was such a worthless existence that my death would only help others." that many people use. But that is wrong and implies a thought process which starts with the selfish desire of sadness to seek a reason. You started with a conclusion and ended with a reasoning that you cannot say is true.

Oh my god... GO TO 2:50 IN THE VIDEO TO SEE THE SHITTIEST METAPHOR EVER. THE REASON THAT AIRLINES DO THAT IS BECAUSE IF EVERYONE WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF WHO WAS SITTING NEXT TO THEM FIRST IT BE A SHIT FEST. IT IS MORE ORGANIZED AND SMOOTH TO DO IT THIS WAY.

Goes on more about how those who don't feel love can't love... sadly that argument is poor once again because it implies someone is already in a suicidal state when you're trying to prove that someone in the context of a presence that isn't in that state is selfish.

Amazing Song: Skin

--Andy Grant, August 16, 2011

Just have to share this song with you. It is one of the most chill-inducing, beautiful songs I've ever heard. It is by one of my favorite bands, Sixx: A.M. and has haunted me since I first heard it this May.
"Let them find the real you
Buried deep within
Let them know with all you've got
That you are not your skin"

Validation

--Andy Grant, November 29, 2010

Take 15 minutes out of your day for a little validation, because you are great. You are AWESOME!  This short fable about free parking and the power of validation will make you smile. Enjoy!