words about stuff

Category: Life lessons (Page 2 of 2)

#Fudzi161km

October 4, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Ir dienas, kad padoties ir aizliegts. /M. Zvīdriņš

Grāmata. Pasaka. Stāsts. Dzīve.

Es neizdzīvoju visu haipu par un ap. Tomēr dzīve man tika devusi norādes, lai kaut uz nelielu brīdi, bet dzirdētu daļu no šī stāsta dzīvē. Parunātos pāris minūtes. Uzdotu jautājumu, kuru vairs neatceros. Protams, neatceros arī atbildi. Tas bija pirms grāmatas. Tagad manā īpašumā ir 498. grāmata no 1. metiena 1000 eksemplāriem. Daļēji pilnais stāsts. Pasaka.

Ziedonis kādreiz teica – kad Jūs izlasāt, tad tie vairs nav mani vārdi. Tie ir jūsu vārdi, jūsu uztvere un sapratne. Tas ko es ar to domāju vairs nav svarīgi.

Paldies, Mārtiņ, par vārdiem.

Tad nu…

Šī ir pasaka par Mākoņkilometru tirgotāju. Visiem tiem, kuri ir aizmirsuši kā ir jāsapņo. Visiem tiem skilleriem, kuri ir aizmirsuši, ka dzīve dāvā daudz vairāk nekā entās stundas monotoni veicot vienu un to pašu darbību vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un vēlreiz un… vēlreiz. (Ja vien, tas netiek veikts kāda, hmm, interesantāka mērķa vārdā.) Tiem, kuri vēlas zināt, kas ir neatlaidība. Dzīvībai bīstama neatlaidība. Tiem, kurus aizrauj patiesi stāsti, drūmi stāsti un stāsti ar beigām. Stāsti ar pieturām. Tiem, kuriem nepietiek spēka. Tiem, kuriem pietiek spēka. Piedzīvojumu meklētājiem. Tiem, kuri dzīvo pēc kodeksa. Tiem, kuri ir zaudējuši. Tiem, kuri ir zuduši paši. Tiem, kuri ir atradušies.

Ha! Līdz vārda izlasīšanai grāmatā, es nezināju, kura spēle bija pakļāvusi Mārtiņu tik traki, ka no tās bija grūti tikt vaļā. Izlasot nosaukumu es sapratu. Tā ir to gadu, iespējams, populārākā MMO. Es arī biju tās varā, iespējams ilgāk, nekā pašam patiktu atzīt. Tā arī ir spēle, kas ir mainījusi dzīves uztveri un dzīvi ik vienam tās rubas spēlmanim, kuru es pazīstu. Iespējams, tieši tur pavadītās stundas iedzen ko tādu… kas paliek.

Grāmata ir interesants notikumu virknējums. Interesanti ir tas, ka interesantākās grāmatas, ko savā dzīvē esmu lasījis, ir tikušas rakstītas līdzīgi. Notikumi mētājas no viena uz otru, līdz saplūst vienotā stāstā un top skaidrs, ka katra mazākā nianse bija tur, kur tai bija jābūt. Sākums liekas neloģisks, beigas ģeniālas. Sākums ir lēns, bet jo vairāk lapu cilvēks pāršķir, jo ātrāks un aizraujošāks kļūst stāts. Tas ievelk sevī. Liek just līdzi.

Mans paziņa man deva padomu – pirms tu lasi grāmatu, uzzini ko vairāk par autoru. Tas var mainīt domas. Tās bija veiksmīgas sakritības, kas man atļāva paskatīties uz autoru un dzirdēt viņa balsi pirms grāmatas. Vērtību izpratni. Improvizācijas dotumus. Dzīves uztveri. Attieksmi. Stāju. Es nezinu, kam Mārtiņš rakstīja šo grāmatu. Es tikai zinu, ka pirmajā lapā ir vieta, kur uzrakstīt novēlējumu ik vienam eksemplāra īpašniekam. Šī nav grāmata visiem. Šī ir grāmata tam tūkstotim, kuri autoru jau ir iepazinuši.

Turklāt es nespētu sabojāt grāmatas lasītprieku ar spoileri, ja teiktu, ka grāmatas beigas ir grāmatas sākums. To sapratīs tikai tie, kuri izlasīs darbu no vāka līdz vākam. Meistarīgi, Mārtiņ, meistarīgi.

Ir jāiet!

 

~V.R.

Reaping and Sowing

August 20, 2017 / / 0 Comments

The (Universal) Law of Reaping and Sowing:

“Whatever you plant in your mind, you will eventually manifest in the outside World.”

You’ve probably heard (or read) a variation of this sentence many times before. I certainly have and there is a reason for that. It works. It is one of the many Laws of this Universe, of this World. Of course, as always I’ve tried this myself otherwise I wouldn’t write about it.

In the past Months I’ve been around – working, playing, learning, reading and for the most part – thinking. I’ve been generating ideas, writing them down and planting the best ones in my mind. Then nurturing them. I’m far from being optimal at growing them and keeping the best possible environment for them to grow, but I am also far from where I was one or two years ago.

You see, once you start to put your mind on ideas and take actions upon them (as we all know – Ideas only become reality if you act) – magic happens. For me it started slow and now has taken a steady pace. Once you start to conscientiously planting seeds in your mind after some time they grow and as they grow you also start to change physically – then, you start to see those plants to take over the World around you. They change your existence and your perception. Once you’ve started this process – new people come in your life, they bring new things and other ideas. It snowballs. You plant more and more, the more you plant – the more you manifest.

Be warned though – sometimes with all the new things comes also unwanted seeds. They produce weeds and these weeds try to bring down your new, beautiful garden. It has always been so. So be careful and be aware, keep your garden free from the weeds, sometimes it’s a hard job to get them out. Sometimes after doing so it hurts even. It is necessary. One cannot live in weeds. Many of us do. For too long.

As I am on my Quest to make people more aware, please, do me a favor – take a moment and think about what and who is your weeds in your mind. Get them out. Then take another moment and plant new seeds. With beautiful plants. With future. Make yourself better for yourself, your family, your friends, your community and this World. I promise, this works. I tried it.

What you sow, you shall reap.

~V.R.

 

The first Season.

April 4, 2017 / / 1 Comment

To be a leader, you must stand for something, or you will fall for anything. /Anthony Pagano

First season as a youth basketball Coach is behind, off-season is here and second season is peeking just around the corner. I was asked for a feedback and I thought – let’s share the experience. Let’s share some of the important lessons I learned in my first season as a youth basketball coach.

One of the first and most important things I learned by becoming a Coach is to be as organized as possible. (Special thanks to Kostas for pointing it out for me) Be organized and be simple. Nothing is as crucial in team effort as organization. It is the key. Even if the team is not as able physically and don’t yet possess required skills – organization will keep them floating while you can keep working on physique and skill sets. Organization should be put before everything else while managing a team, not just basketball – any type of team. This helped me throughout the whole season to minimize the losses and maximize the wins. As for simplicity – give orders in simple, understandable manner. (here special thanks goes to Kenan for teaching me this) Keep sentences short and precise. Deliver the message to players, so they can follow it and don’t get bored while receiving it. Especially applies to youth players as their attention tends to wear out fast.

It is UP TO YOU. Take responsibility. This should even be another article. As the Coach you are the leader. As a leader – it is your job (I would say duty even) to be responsible for everything that happens to the team. Good or bad, right or wrong – you are the leader, you are the Coach – you take the responsibility for everything. You have to come up with solutions, with plans and with strategies/explanations/examples to players. If something fails – you need to learn even more and find new ways to work with the team to make it better. If someone doesn’t understand or do something – you have to take on that task and find the way (or make one /Hannibal).

Gather experience from others. This is pretty straight forward – when someone else is speaking, shut up and listen. There is much to learn from everybody that are around. Especially when they have many years of experience behind them. Ask questions! Try to understand and learn good working methods. Sometimes I have problems with this myself. Nevertheless I fight with the urge of my ego to speak up. Main reasons are – I know listening goes a long way and I am also teaching this to my kids. Which leads us to the next point.

Lead by example. There is nothing more powerful than example of the master. I am not saying I am the master, long way from it, but I have many other coaches around me, with way more experience and one common factor I’ve found is this – leading by example. Players (no matter of what age, but especially kids) will adapt part of coaches philosophy, lessons and BEHAVIOUR! I can’t stress enough to work with myself everyday and set best example for my kids in team. They learn fast and adapt many things to themselves what they experience within practices and games. One question I like to ask myself to keep me on road is – would I follow me?

Regarding the first quote above from Anthony Pagano – set your priorities straight and don’t forget the bigger picture. For me it was clear from the day one:

  1. Teach the kids for life through game of basketball
  2. Follow the vision of the BC Hellenen

My understanding to teach for life is to give lessons of discipline, teamwork, communication, mutual respect, psychology, body development to the youth players. Teaching them lessons I received growing up  (and playing youth basketball myself) and think that are important to a human being. Also teaching the lessons I didn’t receive growing up and would like that someone was there to teach me those things, lessons. The truth is that only a handsome of youth players get to professional levels, meanwhile others can learn valuable lessons by playing in the youth team. For some – basketball will stick with them the whole life. Some will become coaches or somehow related to sports in other ways. Others will take the lessons taught and apply them in completely different fields. After all – some will stay friends for life, teammates for life. You can’t put a price on that.

Following the vision. As a coach you one must always remember what is the goal that Club/community is trying to achieve. What is the vision of the organization you are working in? What are you trying to achieve as a community? Those are the very important things. If you feel lost about the vision of organization – ask, speak with people in it. Understand why we are here. Humans are social animals, together we achieve more. It is crucial not only to take responsibility for your team, but also work with this team to achieve bigger goals of the community you are in. Communicate and work together with other teams in order to fulfil the vision. Make this World better for everybody.

Uniting Cultures – is the moto of BC Hellenen, I already wrote an article what it means to me here.

That’s about it. Those are the biggest lessons of the first season as a youth coach. Everything else is just a question of execution and learning curve.

~V.R.

Decide your attitude.

February 23, 2017 / / 0 Comments

If it feels like “you vs the World” it is most likely “you vs you”.

If there is something I have learnt from Eastern philosophies, that is the attitude towards what is happening to one self. There are moments in our life where we can’t choose or influence what is happening to us, but we can make a decision how we react to those things. Decision about our attitude is something we can always make! There are many uncertainties in life, because (of my understanding) that is the way of life – it’s ever changing. That is given, so when it comes to various circumstances in our daily lives – there are moments it just looks and feels like all the heavens and hell are against us. World hates us for no apparent reason. When you can’t influence events – make up your mind to flow with them. Save yourself a headache.

It is not the World. It is you. And the sooner one learns to make his decision about attitude regarding all the changing stuff that happens all around us – the more easy it will be to go through life. This is something I first learnt in communication and work with other people. I didn’t understand it fully till I read Dale Carnegie’s “How to win friends and influence people” (great read by the way!). “Only time when you can make someone to do it is – if he want’s to do it.” Amazing.

How this applies to decision making about attitude, though? Good question! As soon as I understood that the only way to get someone truly do something is because they have to want it, I understood also that initiator to every human action is wanting to do it. It takes enormous effort and in most of the cases also the time to change a persons mind. Through basketball I have learned one important lesson – referees never change their minds. What’s the point to argue? Bad call! So? He will never take that bad call back, so suck it up and keep playing! How many good players I have seen to get technical fouls and get fouled out of game (myself counting, in youth team games I made my mother blush), coaches get thrown out of facilities. All because – they weren’t able to make a decision to shut up and go with the flow. I learned to shut the fuck up and keep playing. Make the decision.

Next time the life challenges you with something you can’t directly influence – make a decision towards your attitude. Instead of being grumpy little scum, decide to overcome this matter in positive way! Become better! Make something good out of the situation, whatever it is. Let it be your lesson, take notes. Don’t allow the situation to make you, make the situation. Decide.

~V.R.

 

Uniting cultures.

November 28, 2016 / / 1 Comment

There are many things that happen while playing basketball. There are far many more things that happen while coaching a youth team. That’s when 1am, 2am thoughts happen, when comes the nights of no sleep. Mind is grinding constantly. Especially after games. I am not in this for anything, only thing why I am in this – to prepare the youth for what is coming. Basketball, well, for me it is the perfect game to do it, to teach. Game of intelligence, skill, ability, heart, respect, diversity, unity. BC Hellenen – the organization which stands for every single aspect of this beautiful game. Not only in court, also outside the court. Uniting cultures.

Unity:

  1. the state of being united or joined as a whole
  2. (mathematics) the number one

There is this thing about unity. Standing strong together. Leaving yourself behind for greater good to others. Many becoming one. Giving your best for others. Being there to learn, to grow and to teach. I always make goals to achieve and hammer out principles to follow through. I also did that when starting to coach U16-2. One of the principles I believed, but never fully experienced till today – “experience and lessons the youth have to understand has priority over winning games”. We lost today, to win tomorrow. To grow, to learn. To unite in downfall. I can’t say the outcome if I did something differently, but I know the outcome that became the reality. Team became stronger the same moment. Players grew mentally. This is why I love basketball, this is why I love to coach. Winning the game today wasn’t as important as me wanting youth to understand.

Yes, opponent bench was longer. Yes, we made mistakes. Yes, there were failures. Yes, we lost. That is just little pieces of life and basketball. There are pieces missing from a regular spectator’s point of view – growth of the team. One time loss, long time win. Love those kids.

Season is long and many lessons have to be learned. For life. It always amazes me how basketball is so close to real life. Maybe because it is life. Life is a game and you got to play it. Basketball is a game within the game of life, you choose to play it. In the end – they are similar. Things I have learned just through the game, through everything around the game. And all those things you can give further, teach others, participate in growth of this amazing culture. Culture of basketball. Culture, where many cultures come together and unite for the love of the game. Where you train your “I” just to go in field and throw it away – so many can become one. You train yourself to get to know your team mates and connect in the ways that are only possible on field. Five players, one heartbeat.

See you in court.

~V.R.

Be here, be happy.

October 8, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Future is not promised, past doesn’t matter. Only thing that is real – now and here. This moment. This is perhaps most valuable lesson I have learned in my life. Being here. One thing is to learn it, to acknowledge it, another to apply and practice it in everyday life.

It is not as simple as one might think. “Of course I am here and now, where could I else be if not here, silly?!” some might shout. Well, physically you are here, but where is your mind? Is your mind in this moment? Are you capable to describe everything that is going on right now in this instant? Your body inhales and exhales the air or you do it with your body? Your heart beats itself or do you beat your heart? What about your arms, legs and fingers? Do they move themselves or do you move them? Who is blinking your eyes? Can you make and feel them blink?

I will assume that you are sitting at laptop or in your bed and browsing through internet at this chilled autumn day. What are your surroundings? Close your eyes right now and imagine your surroundings in your head. Do it now. I will wait! Now, without looking around – make a list of everything that is around you. Some of the things you see everyday without even thinking about their existence or placement. Now think about them, but don’t look!

Now look. How precise is your image in your head? How precise is your list? Are you really now and here?

I found joy in being now and here. It amazed me how much it amazes other people if you posses knowledge about your surroundings and what is happening in that particular moment. People are used to be here with their bodies, but somewhere else in their minds. Always rushing, always thinking, never calming down and looking around. Confusing. We rush for the future which never comes, never will come. There will always be the next step, the next move, next, next, next…

Learn from cats. Or dogs. Cat can sit still for tens of minutes, for hours in middle of a meadow and observe it’s surroundings. Dogs might not be so focused, but you will see them to play whatever there is to play with. Branches, butterflies, birds, humans, balls. Whatever is around is interesting to them. Ha, it used to us too! When we were kids. If you happened to grow up at a countryside I bet you did spend hours looking at anthills, exploring one tree or a bush for days, observing different kind of rocks. For kids that is still interesting, fascinating even. When did we lose this ability to be in the moment?

Don’t rush. Stop for a moment and enjoy it. Next time you drink water – taste it. Next time when you eat – eat. Don’t think about work, think about that tasty flavour that is filling your mouth. When you drink tea – drink it slowly and with care, let the hot liquid fill your body with warm feelings.

Be here, be happy.

 

~V.R.

Change.

October 8, 2016 / / 0 Comments

“Before you try to change the World, go three times through your own house.” /Chinese Proverb

Change the World. It seems that is what we need. Despite the fact we are at very good point at the moment – what will future bring if we continue this way? The way of rush, money, needless stuff, spending more and more, producing more and more. One have to just stop for a moment to realize what we are doing as a society, as a civilization. Where do we start the change?

As the proverb suggests – go through your house three times… What does that mean? Simply put, get to know yourself before doing anything else. Chinese are not the only ones who has understood the importance of starting journey with oneself. Socrates before 2400(!) years put it in two words: “Know thyself.” So simple yet it seems that so few do it nowadays… Around some 100 years ago Gandhi started a movement using this approach: “Be the change you want to see in the World.” So, nothing new there… or? One I know for sure, I had to read a lot and speak with wiser and more experienced people to realize and learn importance of “knowing thyself”.

Now, stop at this very moment – take a blank piece of paper (or whatever writing space you prefer), a pen and write a letter to yourself. It will take a few minutes (maybe longer), but it will get you started. Write about your feelings, emotions, visions, experiences. Ask yourself questions. Write yourself out. Get creative. Try to “know thyself”. This is the key to growth.

Start with describing your childhood. What do you think about your parents (or guardians). How did they raise you? How do you feel about that? What did you like or didn’t like? How their parental style affected your development? How do you feel about teachers and mentors in your life? What do you think about your personal growth as a human being? How do you teach your kids (or how do you think you will teach them)? Who has the power over you? Over who do you have the power?

Go on, keep writing. Keep getting to know yourself. This is just a start of your new journey.

~V.R.

From in to out.

October 8, 2016 / / 0 Comments

“In order to control myself I must first accept myself by going with and not against my nature.” /Bruce Lee

Many want to alter the world and as many want to do it from outside – in. Things don’t happen that way. Flowers, trees grow from inside to outside, beings from eggs grow from inside out, humans grow from IN of a mother and come OUT in this World. How can you change World starting with outside?

Everything starts with realization that you must alter your inner-self in order to alter something outer. To alter your inner-self you must understand who you are. In this moment. Understand and ACCEPT that you are who you are because of what you did in the past. You are now here because of your mindset, viewpoint, temperament, surroundings. Taken this course of life because that is who you are naturally.

Once understanding takes place of ones nature – one can take oneself in control and start growing from inside to outside. Flow in the right direction. By flowing with nature of oneself and taking inner being in control – outer world will alter immediately. Change is inside every one of us.

~V.R.

No tomorrow.

October 8, 2016 / / 0 Comments

“Live like you were dying. Love because you are.” /Mark Green

It is funny sometimes – we think that everything will last. Despite the history of our World, our ancestors, us. Despite of all that is going on right next to us, around us. That is human nature I guess. Hope, belief and love keeps us going. And in period that is yet most peaceful of human history – get us sleepy. Recently I came to realization (which can vary in future, of course) that the most important drive becomes from love in our lives, if we realize that it can end at any moment. Once you find the strength in yourself to love, nothing seems impossible or too hard. It turns on a force that pulls you forward. No more pushing yourself, no more excuses, no more hardness in ones mind. Once you find the love for yourself, for people next to you and even your annoying neighbour… for the World – that is the moment one can realize how beautiful life can be. It opens oneself to new experiences and horizons. For me it comes with one more condition though – knowing that this love might as well be the only thing that is left after everything is done. Evil never lasts.

We ALL will die. Eventually. That is the unforgivable truth of our World, There can be speculations about us going to other dimensions, afterlife or even about rebirth, but no one knows it for sure. One is clear all the way – at some point of our life, sooner or later, we will leave our body behind. We will die. It seems that many people don’t realize that. They live like everything will last forever, but it won’t. They live like there is time, but there isn’t. They dream and postpone or even abandon their dreams because there will be that perfect moment in life where everyone can make their “dreams come true”, but there won’t be that perfect moment or time. We will die. With or without our dreams fulfilled – we will die. There is but one moment in this life to be lived. It is NOW and it is HERE together with people around you. There is but one person who can change yourself – take a look in the mirror. That is why these lines are being written. There might not be another time for that.

Stop fucking around. There is no tomorrow, There is no “sometime in the future” with rainbows and pretty butterflies shitting cookies all over the place. There is this moment and YOU with all your being in time and space and people around you. Find that love within yourself, Find that drive and make it happen. Not tomorrow, not one week from now. Make it happen this very moment. World is beautiful and unforgiving. Bring in this world the best of you. Love, feel, create, live. Otherwise it will be one more wasted lifetime.

~V.R.

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