We have been silent for a few months. Mainly because CinemaNow was launching version 6.0 of its website, we have been traveling so much and well life has a way of catching up with us.

Over the next few weeks it is my intention to refocus on a number of political, personal and business topics.

My first thoughts are somewhat introspective as I observe my father starting chemo again, my sister finalizing her divorce and the general observation of shipwrecked and/or struggling lives around me. I have developed five thoughts in regards to these observations.

Point One: "This too shall pass"

We should never take ANYTHING as being a big deal. Whenever I get stressed I look at Sir Winston Churchill and all he faced with Germany about to (so it appeared) invade England during WW2 and I remind myself my biggest issues are tiny. In all things in life we have a CHOICE to believe that either (a) this is a huge issue that could have a domino effect and destroy all that is good in my life or (b) realize this too shall pass (what all the statesmen in the USA and England reminded each other in WW2) and believe for the best.

The second point under this is that "courage is a choice" we choose a right path NOT knowing the end but because courage tells us that to choose this path is right.

Point Two: "I believe my friends love me"

This is a quote from Marcus Aurelius... the point being we as humans have a remarkable ability to find evidence to support any theory our mind may develop. If we allow ourselves to believe we are unloved, or unlovable we WILL find plenty of evidence to support this. If we choose to believe we are loved we will begin to find the evidence that we are loved and loveable. This changes what we equate as being love, changes how we value love, changes how we view our friends, family and loved ones.

We spend way too much time being anxious about our friends perception us rather than just enjoying their friendship.

My gentle suggestion to people is to look at all the evidence that people in our lives do love and care for us rather than any evidence that could suggest they don't (because such evidence is likely to be us deceiving ourselves).

Point Three: "your feelings can deceive you"

While one of my biggest problems in life has been I suppress my feelings which I now believe is wrong, I do still believe you have to manage your feelings and not let your feelings rule your life.

Many times people have told me "but I feel this way" ok, but what if your feelings are NOT an accurate representation of truth. What if you "feel" like a person doesn't love you any more when in reality they do. If you let your feelings control you, rather than the other way around of you managing your feelings you lose something great in your life that fact of knowing your loved.

Point Four: "being positive"

A lot of the movie "the secret" is very cheesy lowest common denominator stuff... but going behind that, I fundamentally believe now in the concept of having a positive out look on life. You HAVE to look at and be thankful for all the good things, you HAVE to believe good things can happen. If you focus on the negative you WILL create self fulfilling prophecies, if you focus on the positive (while still being real about dealing with everything) then you will find good things and begin to build your life around the positive things.

Point Five: "substances"

I believe even looking at my own life that drinking (and et al) is a magnifying glass. Not that we shouldn't drink (I mean Jesse and I could personally support the Jack Daniels empire) but if you are feeling negative drinking to numb the pain or to try to make you feel happy only gives you a fake happiness when you sober up reality bites... if you fundamentally have not changed your belief system drinking is bad not good for you.

Conclusion:

I called these short term conclusions because they are really specifically relevant for people who are going through significant trials. There are times in my life where I have or I have observed friends in tough times and such thoughts are both encouraging and practical. There are other times when all has gone well (which is the case for me personally right now) and such thoughts can appear to be whining and ridiculous – it all depends on the season ones life is in…