We all want friends and admirers, right? I guess the question is, as we’re busily putting our puzzle pieces together for all to see, what are we willing to do to get these friends and more? Lie? Steal? Cheat? Misinform? As much as we hate to admit it, going through the various stages of life, the answer is more than likely yes. As young kids we might have tried to stretched the truth in order to get a friend or to fit in with a particular group. Maybe we did it to catch the eye of somebody we wanted to go out with. Later, maybe a truth or two (or three) was breached in order to get that job we wanted. Right now in the United States Congress an elected Congressman, George Santos seems to have lied and misinformed (at the very least) in order to get that post. The hope is that in time, most of us will grow out of this kind of behavior. That’s the hope but sadly, not the reality. Almost all of us hide bits and pieces of ourselves in the dark and sometimes deep caves within us. Look, there will always be things that we want kept private and that is completely acceptable. What I’m talking about is purposely and blatantly putting up a facade for others to see that isn’t the truth. We have different reasons for doing this. Most of those reasons we end up justifying or even outright making up an alternate reality. In the end, we end up showing a false self to our friends, family, coworkers and even ourselves. Why is that so bad? Well, let’s say we end up making a friend after showing them our false self, a good friend. It turns out that your new friend isn’t really your new friend at all. They have become friends with a made up caricature that you’ve conjured up. In other words, they’re not really your friend, your lover, etc… they’re involved with someone else. They’re involved with a substitute you that you fooled them with. What’s the antidote for all of this? It’s pretty simple. Tell me who you are. Tell me who you really are. Don’t worry, you can still hold some things close, but tell me who the essence of you is. There’s an old saying that talks about how wonderful it would be if we could just see a person’s soul instead of a face when we looked at them. I guess that’s what I’m asking both myself and you to do. As you’re putting your puzzle pieces together, show me your soul and let the two of us decide how we should go forth instead of hiding who you really are. Tell me, show me who you are. Peace       …..Gregg P.S. We need to pay more attention. We need to be more aware of ourselves and of those around us. Do we care who we surround ourselves with? Do we care […]

This time of the year our attention turns from 2022 to 2023. Now I know how some of you feel about the term, “New Year’s resolutions,” so I thought instead of rattling off the same ole resolutions like losing weight or working out more I thought I’d suggest some Common Sense things to think about during the lead up to 2023 and maybe even the week or two after that! •Don’t make Resolutions.  Make promises or contracts :with yourself instead. If you want to make it real, write out a contract with yourself on paper and sign it. Now, leave that contract out where you’ll see it everyday! This makes your promise a bit more real and easier for you to believe it in the coming weeks. (Understand from the very top that you will fail at a few of your goals. And that is OK! We aren’t going to succeed at everything we do. So, when we fall short of what we wanted, remember that you’re closer to that goal than you were before you started. Don’t be afraid to adjust your goals and especially your expectations.) •Don’t be so concerned about getting rid of things you’re upset about or frustrated in your life(losing weight, being better at something, etc.) Instead, focus on what you can add in 2023 that  makes your life better. For instance, if you want to lose weight (don’t we all?) instead of promising to join a gym and get up at 4:30 am every day to exercise, which in 3 weeks, you’ll end up stopping, try focusing on addinghealthy things. Commit to eating more fruit or make a healthy fruit shake instead of that sugary soda. Find positive things you can add to your life and soon those negative things you were worried about will drop away. •Go Slow!!! Man, this is one important!!! Want to see some changes in your life? Baby Steps!Make a list and then edit it down. Let’s say you come up with 12 things you’d like to see happen in your life. Actually, schedule them each month. January – eat fruits, nuts and berries instead of candy. February – turn the electronic devices off during dinner. You get the idea. Don’t plan on sweeping changes. Trust me, baby steps become significant changes which turn out to be so much more important. •Begin writing a “To-Done List!”What is this? It’s a list where we sit down at some point during the week and write down our successes! What are the things we’ve done that went well, helped someone else, made us feel good, gave us some relaxation or peace? We are programmed to forget these moments. DON’T!!! Write them down and celebrate them. Then, at the end of each month, take a look at those 4 pieces of paper with your successes and congratulate yourself for the things you’ve accomplished that month! •Tell yourself the truth about what you want to change or accomplish this year. Are they things you really want to accomplish or are they things you “think” you should […]

The time at the end of the year is so very special. It allows, even encourages us to be busy yet take time to enjoy who and where we are. It allows us to focus on the past year while we’re also looking ahead. With that having been said, I’m planning to take some time away from social media over the holidays. It allows me to think. To think of friends past, present and future. To look within to see where I’ve been, where I’m at and where I’m going in 2023 and beyond. Most importantly, it seems to work as a check and balance to make sure I’m focusing on the right stuff. Before I do that though, I want to leave you with a couple of thoughts and wishes that you might consider while I’m away. Thanks for reading A Common Man’s Wisdom! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.✓ I’m not sure what the weather is like where you are, but in my area they’re calling for some extremely cold temperatures. There are so many men, women and children of all descriptions (including veterans) on the streets. Without help, many of them will die. So if you can do anything to help the organizations that are helping them, thank you in advance. In the same vein, please check in on any special needs, elderly or disabled folks you might know. Make sure their heat and stove is working. Make sure they’re OK. Make sure they know they’re loved. Lastly, in a barrage of advertising slogans, seemingly endless obligations, lots and lots of stress, please take at least 30 seconds everyday to just breathe and focus on Peace, Happiness, Love and Hope. How do they fit in in your life and how can you make each of them even more important to your life in 2023? I’m gonna throw another concept into the mix. Gratitude! The more you practice it, the more you’ll realize how vital it can be in your life and the more you recognize it, the more you’ll practice it. Enjoy the moments the next few days at the end of the year will present, even the ones filled with stress or frustration. If you find yourself doing that, it’s a slam dunk that 2023 will be an incredibly special time for you. Thank you for our time together. I’m honored that you’ve given your valuable time this year to allow us these get togethers. Peace      …..Gregg P.S. For no particular reason I wanted to share this painting from my favorite painter, Ricardo Chávez-méndez. His art makes me focus on beauty and wonder. Maybe it will do the same for you. If not, I wish you the fantastic journey of finding and focusing on something that will make you smile, without trying… © 2022 Gregg Masters