“Lighten Up, Dude,” Mike Said to Himself!

I’m going to share my Morning Pages post, but it is fixed up a little. I have to squish it together to get that much on an Instagram post. If you didn’t see it, it’s the introduction to my ebook.

I’m working on a title for it. I want it to sound vital, intriguing, grabbing. You don’t know me, really, but if you did, you would know I love to laugh. However, I care deeply about people, and the ideas I write about reflect that care. Since those ideas deal with some serious questions about life, I come across as, let’s say, intense. I can’t hide that and I’m not sorry for it, but I just wanted you to know because I walk a fine line when it comes to lightening up my writing and work.

I enjoy it immensely because it’s what I’m supposed to be doing — my Purpose. I want others to know theirs, too. I want them to know themselves before they know me. I want them to be able to enjoy themselves and laugh about life on their own before they laugh with me. I want them to know how wonderful I think they are. Therefore, I write.

I wanted a short introduction for my ebook to be lighter leading into kind of weighty material — you know, like answering those questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Before I copy and paste that intro, I thought this evening I would share some titles I have messed around with. No decisions. If you read this and anything strikes your fancy, let me know.

I did want to mention something about the titles before I share them. In one of my undergrad writing classes long ago, I had a professor who wouldn’t even look at a rough draft until we had at least twenty-five possible titles. She believed that titles helped give form and set the tone for a piece of writing. It definitely helps me, even if I change it later, because it becomes an organizing thought or helps crystallize the way I’m thinking about a topic.

Having said that, here are some semi-stream of conscience ideas I shot out as I fellowshipped with my own Heart this morning: Understanding Life; Why Am I Here?; Sucking Up Oxygen; the Grand Unified Theory of Humanity; Why Am I Here, Whoever I Am?; Why You Breathe, Why I Breathe; Take a Deep Breath, Whoever You Are; The Two Big Questions of Life; What Is the Most Important Question in Life? (Only One Right Answer!); Do It! Discover Self and Purpose; Why Should You Care?; I’m a Psychic, so Let Me Tell You…; Who Cares about Philosophy? You Should!; Stop the Struggles; Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda — Be Gone!; Why You Matter — to Me; Why We Matter to the Universe: the Grand Unified Theory of Humanity.

Okay, I actually censored some of my really, really boring titles. Again, I’m not even settled on a working title right now, although that Grand Unified Theory of Humanity will be a subtitle — I think! I had fun with that. I had fun writing the short introduction, too.

At any rate, here is the slightly refined intro:

I have some questions for you. See how many you can answer correctly. Oh, don’t worry about my answer key. You can make your own. Will you score 100%? Let’s see!
1.Do you believe you matter to the Universe?
2. Do you believe you have a purpose within the Universe?
3. Do you believe you are personally known by the Universe, the great creator Spirit of all things?
4. Do you know you came here to be significant? to love and be loved? to make a difference?
5. Do you know while doing those things you are supposed to have so much fun you have to share it?
6. Do you know your existence here changes and creates the whole history of humanity?
Wow! These are some pretty big questions. Using my own scoring key, I made a 100%. How did you do with your key? Did you create the key as you decided on the answers?
See I happen to know all the answers are Yes. Every. Single. One. But those were easy, weren’t they? However, a slight shift in those questions would ensure I will score a 0%, a big fat goose egg.
Those changed questions would be ones that should never have anyone else’s answer key, only the key of your own Heart would count. In fact, it would be impossible to create a key because everyone’s answers would be different. Another fact is the new questions have no right or wrong answers. They aren’t test questions to be learned in a degree program.
Look at these, personalized:
1.How do I matter to the Universe?
2.What is my purpose in the Universe?
3.How am I personally known to the Spirit of all?
4.How can I be significant? How can I show and receive love? How can I make a difference? 5.How can I have fun and share that?
6.How do I create and change history?
Embedded in , inherent to, foundational to all of these are the two most important questions for every individual ever born:
Who am I, my true identity, my core Self with everything else stripped away?
Why am I on this planet, sucking up oxygen, and under the scrutiny of the rest of humanity?

That’s all! So thankful once again for the current situation at #StandingRock. Let’s not forget to continue sending positive energy.

​Blessings!