Yet

Hey hey!

Ahhh, the life of a blogger. I'm sitting in front of my crackling fire, waiting for the water to boil for the potato pasta. Snazzy! However, it IS the 50th anniversary of JFK's inaugural address, so the pressure's on!

Hey, I've noticed something this week....The ground isn't the only thing that's been frozen lately. People's perceptions of their potential they are seem to be at a standstill, too. My clients have been grumbling "hey man, I can't play that", and I've been grumbling about finances, logistics...you name it!

It's funny how powerful language can be. I expounded on my views of external language in the las t post - that is, how we need to watch what we say to others, but how about internal language? What we say to, or about, ourselves?

My mom has taught me some things about what she calls "the victim mode." She'll ask "are you being a victim, Josh?" if I start acting like life is happening to me, and there's nothing I can do.

I've been stuck squarely in the victim mode this week, and let me tell you, life has been bugging me, and it's no way to get things done.

I really got frustrated today, and then I happened to listen to myself teaching a lesson, and at least one person in the room was helped - probably just me.

If we put the word "yet" after a seemingly pessimistic assessment of a given situation, it changes it around in a dramatic way.

"I can't play that scale at that speed - yet."

"I can't afford that MiG-15 - yet."

"I'm not good at alternate picking - yet."

It's cool! It turns a statement of failure, frustration, and lack into one of hope, potential, and resolution.

I'm less grouchy now, and personally, I'm working towards that MiG 15. I can't wait to ask my yacht-owning buddies "oh, you're still boating?

Ask not what your country can do for you...yet,

- Josh

P.S. Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country? Two words, JFK. "Sup, COMRADE?" Haha!