“Tiny Worlds” is a micro-short with a humorous take on reality. It shows a tiny world, within our world. Something that is happening at the level of our feet and that is so small we don’t even notice it. But as tiny as it may be, it’s a universe of it’s own. I think everything is a universe of it’s own, simply because if you zoom in on something – anything – you’ll find that it never really ends. You can always zoom in further. There’s always a next dimension, a new layer that stems from the previous one. Try looking at your problems that way. Zooming in (or out) always creates space and new options.
There are smart ways to live and dumb ways to die. This animation, created by the Melbourne Metro, serves as a reminder that getting hit by a train is the dumbest way to die. Point taken, with a smile.
Chances are that you are one of the 20.829.525 (and counting) people that saw this video. It’s about a girl singing an acoustic version of Adele’s song ‘Rolling in the Deep’. I saw it some time ago and immediately loved it. I then showed it to my kids. They loved it even more. And my wife almost had to cry, she too was swept off her feet. And so our family is responsible for at least 15 of that astonishing total of 20.829.525 views. Why did we love it so much? Because here’s a girl that obviously is aware of the camera, but she is also just herself. Overly excited to do it right. Not flawless in her singing, but so enthusiastic she just makes your heart melt. Now, I come from the world of television format development and I’ve witnessed the worldwide uprise of the talent show formula at very close range. In fact, I’ve been a part of the creation process of many. Many spin offs that is. Because once an idea proves to be a commercial success, it’s creative potential is quickly drained by television makers all over the world. And so audiences worldwide see one talent show after another. And although I’m amazed by all the talent out there, many talent shows are more about show than about talent. Immense studio’s, crowds that go wild, visual effects, fancy camera movements, fast editing, clever storytelling – sure – a show it is. And that’s all fine with me. I post this film to show that the simple setup of a guy with a guitar and a young girl on a couch, can be more than enough to entertain you, move you and make you feel good. Or how a small show can have a huge effect.
I saw this text as a post on Facebook some time ago. And I’m guessing you did too, since we were all kindly asked to re-post it and so it probably went around the world. Still, it’s interesting to zoom in on it. It is amazing how our mind works and that we’re able to read this total mix up of letters and numbers, fairly easy. It proves just how creative and flexible our mind is when confronted with an apparent chaos. Take for instance this Cambridge University study that says: “Did you konw you’re a guiens? Jsut the fcat taht you can atllacuy raed tihs psot porves taht fcat. The huamn mnid is so pufowerl it can dcodee tihs txet eevn tguohh eervy sglnie wrod is slepled iocenrtclry. The one cavaet is taht the frist and lsat lertets are pervresed in erevy wrod. Cidrgbame Uitesirnvy cetoudncd a sduty and fnuod taht the biarn deos not raed eevry snlige lteetr, but wodrs as a wohle. To me, these two examples serve as a metaphor for life itself. It shows that when we permit ourselves to go beyond the guidelines, even when we face chaos, our mind is capable of bringing order almost instantly.
How a dull day at the office can turn into a creative outburst. We should all try this, say once a year. Transform the office into a playground. And just for the record, I have no ties with this Sticky Note brand, but I enjoyed watching the video and appreciate it’s message. There, that’s said. Now enjoy!
Soap will clean your skin and make you feel refreshed. For a moment at least. But it doesn’t cleanse your soul. I came across this Yiddish proverb and I immediately understood it’s meaning. Our body needs soap to feel clean, our soul needs laughter. A good laugh creates a deep sense of release and refreshment. When I was in Bali, I met with a local healer. He gave me a wonderful exercise that I know will pass on to you. Next time when you shower or take a hot bath and afterwards you stand in front of the mirror, take a good look at yourself. Then… smile. Just start smiling at yourself and keep looking at yourself. Make it a generous, genuine smile and notice how this somehow makes you really smile. Then, stick your tongue out of your mouth. Yeah, that’s funny and keep smiling. And then, you place that smile on the tip of your tongue, you look at it and you slowly swallow it. Now try to track your smile as it sinks in your body, down to the area known as your solar plexus (in the middle of your upper body, at the height of your heart). Now feel your smile manifest itself in your body. And notice there is no fear, sorrow or anger. Now take a deep breath and start your day!
This is my 100th post! To celebrate, here’s a colorful picture, reflecting waves of love. An energy, so subtle and clear. And if you can tap in on it, it will prove to be an unbreakable and everlasting force, always there to carry you. So here’s to the waves of love, may you find them in your life, so you can ride them, smiling.
People are vulnerable as individuals and as a species. And fighting vulnerability is useless. No matter how hard you try. Simply because you can’t control everything and so your life can turn upside down at any moment of any day. You may be the King of the World, the Smartest Woman in the Universe or the Sexiest Man Alive; it won’t help. You can however hide from it. And most of us do. Behind a fancy job title, nice car or house. Interesting friends, a busy agenda, designer clothes or healthy hipster life style, but sooner or later vulnerability will find you. So what can you do? Well, it’s simple.
Simply face it and embrace it. Because when you embrace it, you no longer need to fight it. You no longer need to run or hide from it, by keeping up appearances and putting energy in this hopeless attempt to avoid the discomfort of feeling it. You can now be as you are, vulnerable, instead of pretending not to be. The way I see it: vulnerability is indestructible. So by letting it in and become a part of you, in a way that makes you indestructible. Daring to be vulnerable gives you power to be.
Are you alive?
From time to time it’s good to ask yourself: “Am I alive?” Because it’s not uncommon to just be busy doing what you’re always doing. To be caught up in a routine. And that routine may very well result in hours, days, weeks, months or even years of living, without actually being alive. Because there’s more to living, than just breathing. Imagine someone in a coma and it becomes clear… I recently attended a re-birthing workshop and I experienced the difference between A) normal breathing: a mostly shallow, kind of mechanic and unconscious way of getting the bare minimum of oxygen ‘shots’ and B) breathing with full awareness, in a rich flow, organic and fully open to receive life’s energy in all it’s splendor. It let me experience the meaning of the phrase: “Just because you breathe, doesn’t mean you’re alive”. And so I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to wonder: am I really alive or mostly just busy breathing?
Who am I… or rather, what am I?
I guess you’re familiar with this sensation: one moment you feel great, and the next… well not so great. I sometimes feel like I’m nothing and sometimes I feel as though I’m everything. It’s a really fine line, much like it is with being crazy or brilliant. John Lennon had a nice way of putting it. He said: “Part of me suspects I’m a loser. The other part of me thinks I’m God Almighty”. I wrote a post about that one too. Anyway. A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon the “I, a universe of atoms…” quote by the American physicist Richard P. Feynman (1918 – 1988). And it’s stuck in my head ever since. Because to me his words are both mind blowing and heart warming. The thought of “I” being a tiny, stand alone atom – and an infinite, whole universe at the same time, blows my ego off it’s socks. Because “I” isn’t (only) the ‘earthly me’. “I” is a single atom and an entire universe, completing one another. Think about that when you’re looking at yourself in the mirror. So yes, it’s a quote I gratefully meditate on. It’s so simple and yet so deeply profound. It makes me feel humble and larger than life at the same time – it’s liberating. Look at us humans. Look at you, look at me. We are both nothing and everything. Again. That’s just… wow.
focusNjoy #122: Stop searching, start finding
Imagine you’re looking for something, but you can’t find it. Annoying. Yes. Very. But then, maybe you’re not supposed to find it. Or maybe you’re just looking in the wrong place. Or maybe… you already found it, but you don’t realize it yet. Whatever the reason is, you might want to stop searching. Why? Well think about it: as long as you’re busy searching – you’re not… finding!
A fresh start for focusNjoy
Dear friends, it’s been more than a year since my last post! Honestly, I needed the break but a lot of good things have happened to me in the meantime. Apart from a great time at Eyeworks Netherlands, where I worked as a Senior Creative with some great people at the Program Development Team, it were exciting times for me personally as well. Too much to tell you in one post. But I will share more in the coming months, because it’s been truly transformational.
I’m planning on a brand new start of focusNjoy at the end of April. And this time, I intend to actually make some money haha – because running an ad-free blog is great, but from a financial point of view it wasn’t a success and one of the reasons for me to get back to television. Later in 2014 I intend to finally start with my workshops in Amsterdam. I’m super excited about that but let’s see how things develop. Anway – I’m back and I’m feeling fresh. Hoping to hear from you – always feel free to send me an email and say hi!
