Monday, November 25, 2013

Author Jason Jack on 'Warm & Fuzzies'

Author Jason Jack, I feel nice and warm inside--what's that all about?
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The warm and fuzzies is a feeling, a positive sensation, and what better week to talk about good vibrations than Thanksgiving week :)

The W and Fs (The Warm and Fuzzies)

W&Fs make us feel comforted and reassured. It may make our stomach have the sought after butterfly feeling and give our faces smiles. We'll be more affectionate and friendly and just overall more positive than without them.

How do we get these wondrous feelings, you ask? They come quite naturally:

  • You'll feel them when you're sitting around the dinner table piled with Thanksgiving food, while you eat and share stories with your family.
  • You'll feel them the first time you lay eyes on your new born child, the wonder and amazement of the little joy in your hands.
  • They'll sneak up on you just a little bit every weekend, Friday after work, or Saturday morning because you know you can sleep in. Have a lazy day.
  • The moment you share a kiss with someone you are attracted to and then again when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with that person
  • You'll get them on Christmas morning and when you find something unexpected waiting for you--presents, gifts, and love
  • Those W&Fs will come when someone does a nice gesture or goes out of the way to make you feel important, needed, wanted. Especially if you're having a crummy day.
  • And you'll get them when you smell your favorite food, listen to your favorite band, and read your favorite book
  • But most importantly, we'll feel warm and fuzzy the moment we realize every second is a chance to be better, to do more, and to succeed even greater than a second before :) Life is opportunity.
As you can see, the W&Fs can come from anything that triggers a pleasant response inside of you. I feel warm and fuzzy after a long day of work, when my body is almost too weak and tired to move, and I jump into bed knowing I was productive during the day.

I feel good when it's cold but I'm curled up beneath the warm blankets all snug and cozy, when I'm reading a book in the Fall and I can hear the water pour outside of my window, and whenever an exciting movie, game, or book is released (that I have been waiting ages for) is in my hands.

So . . .

Live life with a positive mindset and truly appreciate all of the moments that make you warm and fuzzy inside. And try to make every second a tingly moment by understanding how amazing it is that we our here, alive, in a shared world--are existence is an amazing thing of hope and the chance to do better.

These good feelings are what helps us move forward and feel positive about life so it's only natural for us to strive to create more of them. Let's all be thankful for them :) I'm feeling warm and fuzzy right now just writing this!

For all of those celebrating Thanksgiving, and for those of you who aren't, I hope you'll all feel good inside and out this coming week. Because, what's life without a little bit of W&Fs?

Until next week, safe trips and travels!

--Author Jason Jack


Thursday, November 21, 2013

5 Ways To Have a Positive THANKSGIVING

Author Jason Jack here, interneters, with 5 ways for you to have a positive Thanksgiving! Just in time, too. Turkey Day looms ever closer.

1. Make sure you're Turkey isn't alive
If your Turkey's gobbling, there's a problem. You don't want to find out the frozen turkey you bought at the grocery store was really a cryogenically frozen one waiting for its moment of thawing. That'd screw up any Thanksgiving!

Now that that's out of the way, onto some real advice :)

2. Shop early, don't be a sucker
One sure fire way to enjoy Thanksgiving with a smile is to buy your food early. Like, this weekend. I can speak from experience, shopping the day before IS NOT fun. No rolls, no Turkey, limited gravy, no corn, and just a few boxes of stuffing lined the shelves of the grocery stores I visited. I felt like a sad vulture circling through empty aisles. Save yourself a headache and keep positive by buying early.

3. Plan, plan, plan!
You have family coming over in ten minutes and everything looks good except you find out you haven't started cooking the pies and your spouse forgot to cook the gravy and mashed potatoes. Doh!

A positive Thanksgiving is one that flows with as little fuss as possible. This weekend, plan out when you are going to wake, and who is going to do what, come next Thursday. Assign tasks and make a list of everything that needs to be cooked. A well thought out day is a happy day (with minimal errors, your family and stomach will thank you later!)


4. Sleep is for our well being
Sleep. Don't underestimate this powerful five letter word. Get a good nights rest Wednesday, do some breathing exercises if you have to, and clear your mind. Thank of all of the food, the family, and the happiness that is about to come your way.

There is nothing to worry about. You planned ahead, you shopped ahead, tasks have been assigned, and so on. All you have to do is close your eyes and count sheep. You'll be well rested for the big day and have a cheery demeanor to go along with all of your energy.

5. Eeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaat! 
You can't be positive on Thanksgiving without splurging on the food you worked tirelessly to make, so you might as well enjoy it. Stock that plate with rolls, gravy, corn, sweet potatoes, sweet pickles, veggies, cranberry sauce, pie, ham perhaps, and of course Turkey! There's nothing more satisfying than seeing your friends and family do the same. Don't forget to unwind and enjoy yourself.

I hope these five things will help you enjoy your Thanksgiving much more :)

So . . .

What are you going to do for Thanksgiving? Staying local or traveling? And how about that Black Friday, huh? Now that it has officially oozed its way into Thanksgiving, what's it going to be? Shop, eat, or both?

Until next time, have a safe and positive weekend!

--Author Jason Jack

Monday, November 18, 2013

Author Jason Jack on 'Over Reliance/Waiting For Others'

Author Jason Jack, what do you think about waiting for help/over-relying on others?
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Have you ever heard someone say that they don't know how to do something because they haven't been shown? Like, set a clock or get a car wash at a gas station?
As if it's the responsibility of others to show them which sets themselves up for failure when no one comes along to provide assistance?

They're life just isn't as fulfilled because no one came along to show them how to do something. Known or not, they're effectively saying their lives are other people's responsibilities.

I hope we can all hold hands at this point (well, digitally hold hands) and agree that--for the most part--this way of thinking is cancerous to our well being, growth, and our mental states.

When we stop taking responsibility for our lives, we tend to stop caring and achieving. But there is a saying . . .

The Saying

"Don't expect anything from anyone".

My spouse told me this, and this simple five word sentence has changed my life for the better. I was never a die hard "waiting for others" type, but I did have expectations. And these expectations of others were beginning to negatively affect my positive mindset. But, when my better half told me not to expect any help or anything form other people, all of my worries and anxiety washed away.

Why?

My train of thought went something like this: 

  • If I stop waiting/expecting others to do something for me, I will no longer spend time thinking or "wallowing" in those negative emotions, doubts, and thoughts.

That is, if you get rid of the negative catalyst in your life, there's room for the positive. And it worked for me!

  • If I stop waiting/expecting others to do something for me, it would allow me to have better time management and be able to do more things.

That is, instead of waiting for others, you're using that wait time to actually learn what you need to learn, do what you need to do, and grow.

Waiting for others to help you is actually counter productive when you can use that time to help yourself!

  • If I stop waiting/expecting others to do something for me, I will become a harder working knowing my success and self growth is solely up to me.

That is, if you understand you're the only one responsible for your lot in life--and your goal is to achieve big, as I hope it is--you will work harder to achieve your goals. The other option is to do nothing and that isn't progress.

SO . . .

The goal here is to teach yourself what you need to know, be proactive and learn that skill that you need for your next obstacle in life, instead of waiting for others to come along to do it for you. We are all capable of this because we have the strength. We must believe it.

Be driven. That is your mantra for this week, and the next, and the next :)

Me Versus the World?

It is important to lower your expectations of others and to not wait on that mystery person to show you how to do things in life. You'll be of a better mindset, happier, and more productive. But that is not to say there won't be people that will help you. It is equally important to ask questions of others, network, and socialize.

People are important, and so are those closest to you, and you will find those you can count on, but everyone has their own lives to live. Even our parents and spouses won't be available every minute of every day to show us the way, so it's inevitably up to each of us to get up in the morning and take on the world with positive fervor.

We'll learn more by doing so. We'll be better people. And we'll no longer have to wait for it :)

Until next week, start doing!

--Author Jason Jack


Friday, November 15, 2013

You Gotta Learn Something! 5 Things I Wanted to Share 11/15

Author Jason Jack here with 5 things to share with you this week! Let's begin!

1. On Size Doesn't Fit All (what works for one thing won't work for everything)

It'll do us better--and humble us in some occasions--to remember that every situation is different, every person, place, and artistic expression is not the same, and requires a personal/unique approach to handle each one. Each situation needs to be treated independently for the best results. We can't keep trying to fix everything by stuffing the same rectangle block into different shaped holes.

2. Focus on what you have and not on what you don't

We are in control of our goals. We our in control of our actions. And we all have the same 24 hour day. It'll give us less headaches and stress if we focus on what we do have and what we can accomplish with it than what we don't. It'll also make us more productive (why waste time dwelling over things that don't matter/outside of our control?) Let's pour our energies in the places that need it the most!

3. Share your Dream

No matter what you're trying to achieve, it's going to take more than just you to make it a reality. Whether it's simply customers buying your product or your coworkers, family, and friend's daily support, other people are needed. So, we might as well share our dreams to the ones that truly support us and help lift them upward as we soar. Support them in their endeavors, offer help where you can, and promote them. When one succeeds in his or her dream, we all succeed!

4. MEDIA: Clever Ideas!

I just watched The Purge, a movie about a future America that hosts an annual event one time a year (The Purge) which legalizes and allows every act of crime for one night, 12 hours. It's a truly haunting idea. At least for me, the idea was more powerful than the movie and where I would have gone with it, but it had my creative mind turning.

I also started reading James Finn Garner's Politically Correct Fairy Tell and Bedtime Story series. A great idea about giving "logical" reasons and "politically correct" explanations to events in our beloved children tales. James does a good job at making his PC Fairy Tales flow like the ones of the past and has given me an idea for a similar, unique take on PC Fairy Tales :)

5. Be brave and try new things. You'll surprise yourself when you find something new that you like!

What did you learn or want to share this week? I hope all of you have a nice weekend, stay safe, and enjoy the remaining days of 2013!

Until next week.

--Author Jason Jack






Monday, November 11, 2013

Author Jason Jack on 'Accomplishing Goals'

Author Jason Jack, how can I accomplish my goals?
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A lot of people in this world have a hard time figuring out what they want to do with their lives (a topic for another day), and when they do, they tend to have an even harder time figuring out how to accomplish their goal. This may or may not be you, but perhaps you know a person or two who you could consider a "life long soul searcher".

I would like to present a question to help those continually searching, and the hopefully lost, on their paths to excellence. Ask yourself, then, "what do I want to accomplish?"

It starts with that. It's as simple as that.

But before we move on, I want to present the outline to 'Accomplishing Goals'. Here it is :)

  1. Ask Yourself, What do I want to accomplish?
  2. Answer the question
  3. Research and Practice
  4. Immerse Yourself
  5. Don't Give Up!

What do I want to accomplish? Well, what do you love to do?

There is no right or wrong answer to what you want to do or accomplish. You need to ask yourself what it is you would like to do. And saying "I don't know" is not an answer! If you like reading, there are careers out there for you. If you enjoy staying active, there is a wealth of careers available to you as well.

Make a list of what you like to do. Go ahead, do it. The list can be as long as you like. Include your hobbies, activities you do for fun, and things that make you happy.

You must start with a solid foundation of what you like and love to do. Then, we can move on to the next step.

Research Your Heart Out!

To reach your goal, you need to understand your goal. And that requires the fun that is research!

Let's say you love shopping and you also enjoy telling your friends the awesomeness of the new fashion line or electronic gadget. You are so in love with buying and telling, you decide you want to tell the world your opinion on products, and you want to create a YouTube series on product reviews.

You already found out what you want to accomplish, now you must research. Luckily, there is a near infinite amount of resources at your disposal.

I included my go-to favorites (just exchange what you what to accomplish with "video creation" in the examples below):


  • Books: Buy books or go to the library to find books on making YouTube videos.
  • Internet: Search the web for anything that has to do with video creation
  • Videos: Watch video tutorials either online or on DVD concerning video creation
  • Podcast: Search the web for podcasts that talk about creating YouTube videos
  • People: search the phone book or online directory to find people near you that can help with video production
  • Social Networks: Scour Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. for valuable experts and peers that share your love for video creation. Be polite, but pick their minds!
  • Library: Visit the library to check out books on video creation; ask the librararins
  • Visit Institutions: And take trips to places that do video creation

The idea is to think of all the possible resources you have at your disposal and use them to their fullest.

Furthermore, immerse yourself in whatever it is you want to accomplish. Read about it, think about it, watch videos, listen to podcasts, talk to your peers, and compile all the information you can--eat, sleep, and poop what you love to do (but do not shirk your other responsibilities!).

And while you are doing this, it is important to start doing what it is you want to do.

-I repeat, start doing what you want to do!-

If you want to be a pro baseball player, go outside, grab a few buddies, and work on you batting skills. Do this as many times you can a day, a week, a month, and so on. If you want to make videos as I stated above, point that webcam/smartphone at your face and start recording. Now!

With the information that you're learning, along with your active experience of doing, you'll get better. You'll improve and begin actively stepping towards your main goal. Practice makes perfect, and practice bears results.

SO . . .

Just keep at it until you make it. Keep learning, keep practicing, and keep looking for new opportunists to attain knowledge and to apply yourself to your goals.

Always remember that people only fail when they stop trying or when they give up on themselves. But, that's not you. Don't give up, because you're on the road to success. The road may be one day or one mile, one year or ten miles, but as long as you keep slugging away, you'll accomplish what you set out to do.

You'll accomplish your goals. One step at a time.

Until next week.

--Author Jason Jack

Friday, November 8, 2013

You Gotta Learn Something! 5 Things To Share

Author Jason Jack here with 5 things I wanted to share with you this week!

1. Tomorrow really is a new day

I was thinking about how to be even more excited about the next day coming, and it hit me while I was watching a YouTube show: just think of tomorrow as a day with yet fulfilled promises. Tomorrow could be the day you succeed at the important goals in your life, make a new friend, be randomly selected to win a million bucks. Tomorrow is a chance to be and do better. And because what happens the next day is always a mystery, it's always exciting to see what comes.

2. BOOK: The Husband's Secret--what an awesome sounding plot!
A woman's husband left her a letter with his deepest darkest secret, a secret that will change her life forever, to be read after his death. The only bad part? She finds the letter while her husband is still alive! Duh-duh-duh! I don't think I do the synopsis justice, but I just found out about this book at my library and I can't wait to read it. Check out Amazon if you want to read the full synopsis. I wished I thought of this!

3. Embrace
It's important to show love to those that matter in our lives, including those that live thousands of miles away, who we don't see on a daily basis, or we don't interact with often. Send those that matter a text, an email, a funny picture, a hand written letter, or even a care package (those are fun to make, trust me!). Just remember to embrace those that matters in you life. It's important to foster those positive bonds that helped make you into the person you are today.

4. SHOWS: Excited for Marvel?
I love the Marvel cinematic universe (as the internet calls it). You know, Iron Man movies, The SHIELD television show, Thor movies, and the Avengers. And I was pleased to hear that Marvel is producing 4 new shows for Netflix, 13 episodes each, each based on a different character: Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones. If you are a Marvel fan, this is exciting. If not, check out Jessica Jones wiki entry. Its compelling stuff.

5. A situation is only as bad as you make it out to be . . . but there are exceptions
Life is hard, but we don't have to make it harder. You spill a glass of milk, clean it up instead of wasting your energy on sulking, yelling, being angry, heightening your anxiety levels and so on. Cleaning that spilled glass will save you more time and energy than reacting negatively to it. And I get it, there will be times you'll feel those not so good emotions pop up. That's when you analyze them, question them, take a deep breath, think of what matters in the moment/the consequences of your feelings, and move on. The more we know about ourselves, the better we can control our emotions and the less wasted energy and time we'll expend :)

Take care and be safe this weekend. I hope all of you learned something this week.

Until next time, interneters!

--Author Jason Jack

Monday, November 4, 2013

Author Jason Jack on the "Importance of Positivity'

Author Jason Jack, what do you think about keeping a positive outlook?
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For new and old readers of my blog, I'm all about striving to keep a positive mindset. And with each new post, I try to keep that positivity going.

Thus, I believe remaining upbeat makes life so much easier!

Really, now, there is so much negativity in the world. People complaining, berating, judging, name calling, badgering, insulting . . . . the list of negative things we read in out news headlines and in our daily lives is mind boggling and is such a downer :(

That's why it is important--no, VITAL--that the supporters of staying positive champion the cause of spreading a happy mindset. Let's spread smiles like it's the new thing to do :)

Because, when you're happy, you're alleviated of stress, you're not debilitated by grim outlooks or the tenuous fear of tomorrow, and you're able to focus on the here and now. You're grateful for the moment, and you enjoy life. What could be better than a happy no stress life?

There's no need for insults when you're positive because you have no room for insecurity, hate. There's no room for anger because you want yourself and others to succeed in life. All life is productive and fulfilling. This is what we strive for, I hope. I know this is what I strive for.

And there are going to be days where we all feel like crap, that tomorrow's not another day to do better but to do worse. And on those days, we deal. We let ourselves feel that burden we create in our minds, then we conquer it and move on. It is important to understand those negative feelings in order to get stronger, to grow, to get past whatever it was that was holding you back. Once you have that understanding, positivity is on the other side of the door.

I do, however, think it's harder for some people to stay positive than others. For those people, find peace. Burden yourself with the task of delving into the deepest part of your anger, hate, dark emotions with the mindset of conquering them. You will not be held back in life because of a seeded hatred. You will over come it. You are strong.

For those who are positive, you know how good it feels to wake up and understand how lucky it is that we're even alive. You know how awesome it feels when someone laughs, smiles, the small joys in life. This world will be a much better place if we were all smiling. Or, at least trying :)

SO . . .

Let's strive for greatness, happiness, and an overall positive mindset. Let's give others the benefit of the doubt and not yell, be cautious but help those in need, and focus on the good instead of bathing in the bad. I won't stop until a headline article such as "child helps elderly couple across the street" isn't gawked at because it's a rare/niche occurrence, but until it is an everyday thing.

The world will be better for it. You will be better for it. At least, I think so. But hey, that's just me being positive :)

Until next time.

--Author Jason Jack

Friday, November 1, 2013

You Gotta Learn Something! (4 Things to Share This Week!)

Author Jason Jack here, interneters, with 4 things I wanted to share that I've experienced this week! Because, you gotta learn something!

1.Spend time with Nostalgia
It feels good to return to the activities, television shows, games, or other activities that put smiles on our faces from back in the day (or when we were younger--search YouTube for old commercials, music videos, and television show intros). When you're working for the future, don't forget to spend time with the past. You'll be happier for it!

2.Treat yourself every now and then
Just because today isn't "promotion/graduation" day doesn't mean you can't treat yourself. Have a candy bar after a long day of work and take a nap or a play a game after running errands for the day--stay happy with a treat, big or small, everyday; doing so will keep your happiness momentum going throughout the entire week.

3.Halloween's awesome!
Horror movies. Costumes. Halloween themed EVERYTHING on the internet. Candy, sweets, horror themed game content . . . parties, friends, family, movie marathons! For kids or adults, this is one great holiday. Because, who doesn't like to dress up as their favorite character and eat candy?

4.Failure Today Doesn't Mean Failure Tomorrow
If you haven't succeeded to the extent you wanted now doesn't mean you won't succeed the next day or a week from now. Learn from today's downfall, figure out how to avoid them in the future through intense research, hindsight, and experience. Honestly, with continued perseverance and determination, the ones who fail today only succeed tomorrow. Because failures make us smarter, better, stronger :)

Stay positive this weekend, and be safe!

Until next week.

--Author Jason Jack