HURRY UP: Your Life is About to be Ruined

July 16, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 3 Comments

When I was in Paris, I missed out on the Musée d’Orsay Museum even though I spent an hour walking through the building. The Musée d’Orsay Museum is certainly one of the Top Art Museums in the world. It houses extraordinary works from all the most famous Impressionists and… it is constructed from a converted train station. Just the architecture is magnificent.

But I mostly missed it. Oh, I saw all of the paintings and took a cool photo from inside the edifice, but I didn’t really see anything.

I was in a hurry.
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Dreamers Should Never Be Tamed

July 9, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 1 Comments

I found this stand alone line (Dreamers should never be tamed) in Paulo Coehlo’s novel, Aleph. Like a sticker on a mirror there was no commentary, just the line and yet it haunted me for hours. In fact, I had to stop reading and start writing.

From early youth, you and I were taught to be dreamers. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Man, how many times were you asked that question with the expectation that you would give some special answer? But then when you became older your dreaming was discouraged and replaced with “be reasonable.”
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Why Goal-Setting Doesn’t Work

July 2, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Chances are good that you set some kind of goals in January 2015. New Year’s Resolutions are not so big anymore, but “Goal-Setting” has become huge, as has the number of “experts” who promise you will attain incredible goals if you just follow their “proven” formulas.

So, how are you doing with setting goals? Have you accomplished many? Are you on track? Or, do your 2015 Goals just sit stashed away in some unused folder on your computer?
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When the End Is a New Beginning

June 25, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Don’t “they” say, “All good things must come to an end?”

Who am I to argue with the most infamous “they,” but I must say that “they” are dead wrong. It is Wednesday June 24, 2015 and my last day in Amsterdam. My last day in Europe (for now). My 15 day trip ends tomorrow with a flight back to LA. So, my trip is over. Done. Finite. The End.

But is it? I don’t think so. It continues in my mind and imagination, influencing my creativity, my relationships with other people, and the way I think about life. I will never be the same Charlie I was before I began this trip.
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Trapped in the Wrong Body

June 4, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 3 Comments

I am a 35-year-old Millennial/GenXer trapped in the body of a 65-year-old Baby Boomer.

Since I was about 50, I’ve felt like an Outsider hanging out on the edge of an Insider’s world that I could just never really “get into.” I love almost anything new and unusual, the more unusual the better. I used to describe myself as a very average person—it’s just that I was average about two years before most of the population.

Then I read a post on Millennials by futurist, Peter Diamandes. That’s me! I’m blessed with the heart of a Millennial. Who cares about my age? In many ways I feel 30 years younger than my real age.
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When You Get Less Than You Expected

May 29, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Man, did Pam and I have a day last Saturday May 23, 2015! Our 22 year old son made his Dodger Stadium debut as the catcher for the San Diego Padres. He was “called up” two weeks ago. Unreal! We sat in the suite of his agent, Scott Boras, ate fabulous (and free) food and reveled with 8 family and friends.

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Making Friends with Your Demons

May 21, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 12 Comments

Caution: This post will require “Vulnerability”

There are times when I don’t embrace (and manage) my life as well as I would like. Surprised? Don’t be.

I believe that life is, in fact, unmanageable—except when you proactively and super-consciously make an “effort” to manage and embrace it. Sound contradictory? That’s because it is contradictory. You see I also believe in Paradox, Ambiguity, and the Mutual Co-Existence of Opposites.

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When “Yes” is Good and “No” Is Better

April 22, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

I was a “yes man” far too long. Ask me to be a member of a special committee. “Yes!” Need someone to manage a difficult project. “Hell yes. I’m your guy!” And then… if you didn’t ask, I’d probably volunteer.

The Insidious Need to Be Needed

It’s a sickness. A pathology. Some kind of insidious “need to be needed.” When I’d say, “I’m your guy” I really was your guy. Whatever I chose to do, I’d do well. Like really well.
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Just Be a Good One

April 16, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

I was watching an old documentary on B.B. King. I’ll never forget his comment when talking about up and coming blues guitar players, “I likes to tell ‘em, “Don’t try to be the best one, just be a good one.’”

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When You Don’t Have Time, “Make Time!”

April 9, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

So the older guy is relaxing in his recliner reading the morning newspaper when his wife asks him, “What are you going to do today?” to which he quickly responds, “Nothin.” “That’s what you did yesterday,” she harped. “Yea,” he replied, “but I didn’t finish.”

Unfortunately, that’s a pretty rare state of being in our gotta-be-busy lifestyles today, especially if you have kids and more especially if those kids are in sports or dance or cheer or whatever else is out there to keep them occupied.
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Life of Meaning

Caution: This post will require “Vulnerability”

The Insidious Need to Be Needed