Neuro Enhancement

By Jeff Schoener

As we approach the birthday of these United States of America, there is a current paradoxical divide.  Who are the patriots?  Are they conservative?  Are they liberal?  Are they stuck in the old, or are they progressive?  America has been referred to as the land of the free.  Freedom, be they rights or privileges.

When any politician speaks of the country moving forward, they assume that each American is facing in the same direction and wants to proceed with the same gait.  The strength of our Union is our individual sense of self, and when need be, we will set our own ego aside in order to give selflessly to our family and our community, either locally or world wide.  Men and women are willing to commit the ultimate sacrifice, lay down their lives for an ideal that was conceived in liberty where all men are created equal.

These documents, written at another time by our founding fathers with the support of our founding mothers, still hold certain inalienable rights for America’s citizens and all of those who aspire to be free.  They are specifically vague in order to allow us individual freedom of thought, action and personal responsibility.  Take some time to remember, between the beaches, the barbeques and the fireworks, everyone who serves this nation has taken an oath to preserve and defend the constitution.  Let us freely remind them of their responsibility to uphold that oath.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

By Jeff Schoener

Rights and privilege.   In today’s society people seem to use these phrases interchangeably.  Some people feel that they are so privileged that certainly they have the right to anything they desire, often without effort or sacrifice.  We live in a nation where there are many who have lost their balance.

The dictionary definition of privilege is “a grant of benefits or rights beyond the advantages of most”.  It is our right to strive for all we want, and there is a good reason to strive and not demand.  There is an ancient curse that says, ‘May you get everything you want’.  On the surface, this seems like a blessing.  Once we are granted more, we individually hold even greater responsibilities.  How often do we want the blessings without the responsibility?  Only through time, effort and sacrifice will we understand the value of what we gain and what the future brings to us.  The word ‘rights’ is often also confused with ‘liberty’ – being free from restriction or control.  This concept too comes with levels of responsibility.

Concepts of privileges and rights must be balanced by a proper measure in both gratitude for our ability in sacrifice, as well as our responsibility for the outcome.

It is with my deepest gratitude that I say ‘thank you’ for the ultimate sacrifice of all the brave men and women who have fought for my rights and my privileges on this Memorial Day.

By Jeff Schoener

Vince Lombardi, the inspirational Green Bay Packers coach has been credited as saying:

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” He also said, “The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.”

There are some motivational coaches who will wind their clients up emotionally and as if an arrow removed from a quiver, shoot them in a direction.

“I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where;For, so swiftly it flew, the sight could not follow it in its flight.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Vince Lombardi also said “The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”

This may work well for some.  Consider the approach we take towards success in any area of our lives.  Keep our eye-on-the-prize attitude is a simplistic metaphor.  I encourage you to add an additional one from boxing.  How many of us will immediately get back up and as soon as our eyes regain focus we seem to be knocked down again?

In incorporating metaphors, Vince Lombardi also said, “We didn’t lose the game; we just ran out of time.” Boxers are taught how to pay attention to the seconds between reengaging their opponent and taking a few extra moments.  If we take just a few extra seconds, we can refocus as well as readjust our strategies that will bring us closer to our goal.  This will also bring us a level of awareness of where our oppositions lay.  Take the time.

By Natalie Schoener

What is your current focus? Whatever is our focus is what we attract. Whatever is our focus is what we create.   Is it positive like infinite possibilities and opportunities for growth? Abundance?  Or is it hopelessness and lack?  Focus on what you want in your life, not only will you begin to see it around you, you will draw it to you. And–you will get to experience more and more of it. Shift perspectives in all situations and other things in your peripheral will become clear. The important point to remember is to be able to switch back to what is important and maintain that focus.  And while every moment brings with it endless possibilities, it is always necessary for every one of us to practice this awareness at first consciously until it becomes a skill, an automatic response and an unconscious effort in attracting life’s bounties.

“As humans, we feel a need to be a part of something.  Through scouting, religion, clubs, sports, hobbies or crafts, few of us really want to stand alone.  Privacy aside, our individual drive for companionship is at times overwhelming.  Some soften this need with pets.  Dogs and cats, while comforting, are poor substitutes for being with another person. What we long for and desire is a basic human connection.  Nobody truly wants to be alone, at least not for long.  Humans as social animals want to share anything from what we have accomplished today to the pain and frustration that life brings us. This need for companionship may be satisfied by merely sharing a simple meal with pleasant conversation.  Many seek the safety of a small circle of friends.  Others may engage in small-talk conversations with strangers or co-workers all to connect with another.  Much of what I have described is superficial connection.  This keeps us somewhat separated and some rarely delve deeper into aspects of true intimacy.

People go on dates, despite their dislike of having to put themselves “out there in the dating scene”.  Some seek appropriate mates through the personals classifieds sections, dating services or electronic dating via the Internet. Others will even seek mail-order brides.  Many even marry prison inmates where there is little hope of a conjugal visit and even less of a normal intimate loving relationship.  A phone call or a love letter will be the extent of their connection.  While we may laugh at a parody of this on Seinfeld, it reflects the real desperate levels we may sink to in order to be part of a couple. This is the perfect example of the tension between our human drive for companionship and intimacy fears.”

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