There Are No Life Lessons

By Glenn C. Breslauer

While many theorists believe that the only way to find peace is through the practice of organized religion, and others believe it can only be found by self sacrifice, it is my belief that mindful exploration and thoughtful discussion can unlock your own key to peace. When your expectations of your life are aligned with your perceptions of it, you will begin to realize the peace you have been searching for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329123403

Book preview

There Are No Life Lessons

There Are No

Life Lessons



It's called life and it's all one big lesson




Glenn C. Breslauer

Copyright © 2015 by Glenn C. Breslauer

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-329-12340-3

This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher or author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher or the author.

Dedication

To my three beautiful children, Macy, Peyton & Avery. Through the years the questions you have asked, and the insights you have shown, have been my inspiration for writing this book. I will always cherish the wonderful moments we have spent teaching each other the lessons of life.

To my beautiful wife Lisa, thank you for all your continued love and support. Your friendship has meant more to me than you will ever know. With you by my side, all things are as beautiful as a warm summer evening under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

About the Author

Glenn C. Breslauer is a Marketing professional with over 25 years of Marketing, Copywriting, Information Technology and Design experience in various industries including Medical Practice Management, Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, and Consumer Product Design. 

In 1997, Glenn helped create the award winning cosmetic product, French Mist® which won Best Product in the State of New Jersey on the shopping network QVC. Another product of note, The Pro’s Choice Grip Enhancer, was featured in Golf Magazine and sold nationally in Golfsmith stores.

In 2014, Glenn started a marketing consulting business called Par 5 Consulting. www.par5consulting.com

A Note To The Reader

Read about the development of human beings long enough, and you will surely find more than one commonality. Recent studies and research suggest that a persons main objective in life, their true desire, is to be happy. Although I do strongly agree with this research, more than happiness, I am interested in the exploration of peace. While many theorists believe that the only way to find it is through the practice of organized religion, and others believe it can only be found by self sacrifice, it is my belief that mindful exploration and thoughtful discussion can unlock your own key to peace.

To clarify further, my hope is to open ones mind to a few ideas that they may not have pondered before. One thing I am quite certain of; that in and around the noise in ones head, is a clear understanding of their life's purpose. The hints are there...we just might need to pay closer attention if we hope to someday feel it, smell it, taste it, and truly understand it. Who knows, perhaps by being open to listening to your own life's noise you can find an inner peace that you did not even know existed.

So you may be asking if this is supposed to be a self help book. That's for you to decide after you've read it. Think about this though; every single book you've ever read could've been considered a self help book. It depends upon what you got out of it. If a romance novel made you realize just how beautiful your relationship is, or if that reference manual at work helped you complete the task more efficiently...guess what? That’s self help.

Perhaps what is most important is our expectation for ourselves and the world around us, and our perceptions of them. Maybe it's the combination of the two. The expectation and the perception.

Like a Venn diagram perhaps...a Venn diagram for our lives.

1

Measurement

1.   Trying is Doing 

2.   Willpower

3.   The Moment Within Every Moment

4.   You’re Never Sorry You Were Kind

5.   I’ve Found My Perfection In You

6.   Remain True To You…Always

7.   Early Ideas Need Little Facts

Trying Is Doing

Think back to when you were young.  Teachers in your life, whether they were your parents, or those in a classroom, probably spent a decent amount of time explaining the concept of trying to you.  They may have discussed this idea that if you try your best, then that is all you could ask for.  Some of us have surely heard that our best effort would always pay dividends.  Well, this is true, but for deeper reasons than we can see on the surface.

See, when we try to do something, we are actually doing it.  We may or may not be doing it well, but we are certainly doing it. In the quintessential science fiction movie Star Wars, the writer George Lucas introduces us to a character named Yoda.  Yoda, a great old sage modeled after Buddha, is wise beyond human comprehension. When he speaks to the main character Luke Skywalker using his all too familiar 'object-subject-verb' word order syntax, he simply states Do or do not. There is no try. A compelling angle. I believe that what Yoda was basically saying to Luke is, once you decide to try something, the minute you put action in motion, you are no longer trying, but rather doing.

Thinking about this concept a little further, it would make sense then that trying is thinking about something, doing is acting upon it.

But, isn't attempting to do something, and then deciding not to continue, actually trying?

Not really, because the effort had begun, which initiated the doing part of the equation. Therefore, all that would follow would be considered part of the action. If you quit, if you failed, if you half heartedly gave it a shot, you were actually doing for a period of time. 

Success, or lack of it, does not change the fact that there is no trying...only doing.

Willpower

You are only as lazy or lacking in willpower as you think you are. - Ken Christian

There is a belief about willpower that goes something like this.

Willpower keeps you strong enough to resist the temptation of the item that you feel weak about.

The thing is, that is not quite what willpower is. There is a bit of expectation involved.

Let's say you really like chocolate chip cookies. Obsessively. Love them right out of a bag, or hot out of the oven. Does it really mean much if you decide that having willpower about the cookies, is measured by your avoiding them altogether?  Is that what you expect of yourself? Out of sight, out of mind?

Perhaps a true test of willpower would be one that has you actually making homemade chocolate chip cookies for someone, and while mixing all the deliciously wonderful ingredients, you resist the temptation to even lick the spoon. The act of putting yourself in position to face your weakness head on, and not failing, is true willpower. Think about it, you could've purchased store bought cookies, and most people would still believe that it must've been difficult. But, now that you've accomplished this feat, and flexed your new willpower muscles, you have a different expectation of yourself. You've grown. And only you know just how difficult it can be when you actually have to get your hands dirty in the process. You could've licked the cookie dough off the spoon while no one was watching, and certainly justified this action as just cleaning the utensils.

Isn't that what willpower is all about though?

Having the experience, knowing how much you desire something, and being able to control your actions nonetheless. Of course, this isn't just about cookies. Your willpower will be tested time and time again in your life. How will you measure your success?

The Moment within

Every Moment

I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is. - Alan Watts

Thinking about a moment, any moment, we all experience so much more than our current thought. Sure, we are probably thinking about something we are working on, and thinking about something that we are struggling with, but there are most likely several other things we subconsciously experience  as well.

Perhaps you are planning a speech or an surprise birthday party. Maybe you are giving a toast at a wedding. Whatever the case may be, there is a moment within every moment that is the real moment.

Let me explain. Let's use the wedding toast as an example.

While delivering that toast, when you pause to look around the room you will see faces hanging on your last word, waiting for