Postcards from the Funny Farm

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“when you accept everything for what it is without labels you are outside of your ego”
-Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth

To me this is such an excellent thought. I’d say about 70-80% of ALL our anxiety is borne out of imagined conclusions. We could turn that imagination into creative thoughts to make our lives better. Did you know that most inventions I read about when I write my for biographical series “Amazing Visions” came about as a result of a person trying to make his/her life better? In some cases I’ve been reading about lately for celebrities, it can make the difference between contentment and adrug treatment center.

This house is ours. We move into it tomorrow. My mind would never have grasped we could own a house like this with a pool. It is a result of possibility thinking on the part of my wife and I and steady work toward a goal. This is my first home and I will be 39 years old next month. Those impossible dreams should turn into visions for all of us.

Do you know an example of a visionary? Maybe a famous person? Maybe your uncle Bill? Maybe you? You might want to blow us away and write about them for my Amazing Visions Writing Contest. It’s gonna be huge. Here’s a thought for today:

Let what is … BE. Down the road ahead, the only limitation is in your mind

I’ve written about many of my heroes here at the Funny Farm but none of them are quite as special to me as Dr. Seuss. Maybe it’s because he is a proponent of reading or maybe it’s because he is wacked out of his mind (like he’s from the funny farm here with us). Whatever the reason, I get inspired by Dr. Seuss and inspiration is the most valuable thing when you’re setting a goal for greatness. You are doing that aren’t you? Check out his life:

When Theodor Geisel was a young child, long before he would become Dr. Seuss, he used to mark in books. He had a set of books he had made his own by putting drawings and writings in. This should have been a clear indicator to his parents that one day his books would change the world. I am sure in their wildest dreams they never would have imagined what this young boy would one day do. Letting his imagination run wild was the first thing he did to set his dream in motion. These pictures made him happy. Following what made him happy would eventually make millions happy.

When Theodore got older and graduated college, he decided he wanted to write children’s books. He spent a lot of time and energy making his first book, an ABC book. No one published it. He felt rejected. He did not write another book for four years. This is identical to the experience of another great artist I have writ.... Neither gave up altogether though. Both rose to great acceptance after a major rejection. I think this is very important for us to note. Have you been rejected at something? How many years will you let pass you by before trying again. While we’re at it, can you imagine how cool it would be to have a copy of that ABC book that got rejected? Something to remember when people reject your work.

In 1936, Dr. Seuss was on a boat to Tudor. He heard the engines “talking to him” in the sounds they made. Standing there at the engine he “heard” the idea for another book attempt. This is probably one of the most quirky stories I have ever heard. That’s why I love it so much. I am like that. I hear my car creak and talk to me, I hear lots of strange sources of inspiration every day. I am also quirky. Are you? Don’t look at it as a bad thing. Being from the “funny farm” so-to-speak is a good thing. Just ask Dr. Seuss.

The quirky book that was borne out of the engine sounds was And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. Now 50 years later it is one of Dr. Seuss’ most favorited book by children all over the world. After that is time in a blender history. Dr. Seuss has published hundreds of books since then, as you likely already know.

Theodor Geisel had a goal: he wanted to write books that were easy to read. As he worked for that goal he brought millions of people happiness and taught millions to read: including me as a young child!

Currently set for release is Horton Hears a Who. A major motion picture created from another Dr. Seuss masterpiece. When millions watch it they will be seeing a product of a quirky writer who had a vision and kept at it. The message of this book is that even the smallest person can make a difference. What a message!!! We all wish he could have given us more. He is a lesson to me to never stop giving. No matter who tells you you aren’t good enough or smart enough or _____ enough, just remember Dr, Seuss and how the Funny Farm, or our quirky thoughts, can become the bank and do a lot of good on earth as well. March 6th is Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Read one of his books and start making your crazy dream happen!

Has the life of Dr. Seuss affected you?

To start my series on Possibility Thinking, I’d like to present you with some notable quotations:

“We are not here to ACCEPT a fate imposed upon us. Rather, we are here to CREATE our fate.”

“To make our lives living masterpieces, we need to move beyond acceptance, and even positive thinking, to the realm of possibility thinking.”

“Before we can slay Goliath, we must come to the realization that it is POSSIBLE to do so.”¹

I am a firm believer in self determinism and possibility thinking. Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller were a couple of my mentors in my 20’s.

“Possibility thinking is a heroic act because it allows the future to break with the past.”²

I have observed that if you aim your creative mind in the direction of success, you will get there. Possibility thinking takes discipline and work, but the rewards far surpass all effort.

In this first post of the series, I want you to think about the “NOW.”

What do you want today? Let’s start small with today and work outward towards the end of life. As you imagine your day laid out before you, what would you like to see happen? What would you like to get done? To achieve? To receive? This is the almighty “what” that you need to define to begin the process of possibility thinking. I recommend making a list. Why not open a notepad right now and type a list of 3 or more things. Then, use your imagination to free the possibilities! It will be the best few minutes you’ve spent in a long time. In fact you may find yourself spending more time at it as the possibilities begin to froth upward.

When you have your “what” visualized and your expectations set high, let possibilities into your mind. You will be amazed at how solve-able your wants, needs, and problems are. A possibility thinker will find a solution. If there are some on your list you can’t solve, just write “I’m open to anything” next to them. So, in a step-by-step summary:

1. Think of what you want.
2. Think of possibility solutions.
3. Act on your creative solutions.
4. Be open to acts of randomness, God, or other people as solutions.

Tomorrow I will take on what you want in the short-term future and how to see the possibilities through to realization. I encourage you to come back as I explore this exciting and rewarding mindset. Would you say you are a “possibility thinker?” If you are, chime in here in the comments . . . lets chat about it! If you’re not sure or if you’d like to become one . . . this series is for you too! Last but not least, If you are a positive thinker and interested in guest blogging in this series, contact me!

1. For authors’ attribution see this URI:link [↩]
2. For authors’ attribution see this URI:link [↩]