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    In the Spirit of the Season

    Being Frank
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    In the spirit of the season is a fairly trafficked expression used this time of year. It traditionally applies to promoting the basic concepts of goodwill, kindness, gratitude, and cooperation. It’s a phrase that reminds us of those basic yet intangible qualities we all aspire to practice. Yet for some reason, we still feel the need to tie them in with a given time of year or season in order to keep them from being forgotten or fading away altogether.

    So in the spirit of this season, I wanted to pass on a list of 25 general observations in honor of the incoming new year. It’s my fervent hope that one or two of these may find their way onto your list of New Year’s resolutions in order to help keep the spirit of the season relevant throughout the year. What this list may lack in substance it makes up for in value; value in a way that means nothing to your wallet but may be priceless for the heart and mind.

    May you find the new year to be one of peace, understanding, patience, resilience, health, and perspective.

    • Don’t allow your anxiety to turn your life into the greatest story never told.
    • Add more quality to your humanity this coming year by spreading happiness and comfort to people whom you’ll never have a chance to meet.
    • Try to focus more on direction and less on distance.
    • Keep moving forward. You’ll never be too late to achieve; only too late to dream.
    • Make sure that your mind never finds out that you’re aging.
    • Stop confusing money with value.
    • Make more time to give thanks; not for what you’ve received, but for the power within you to give.
    • To ensure success, treat people like professionals unless they prove to be inept or ineffective, and not the other way around.
    • Try to find experiences or opportunities in the new year that provide the greatest joy for the most amount of people, and in the least complicated manner possible.
    • Never be fearful of speaking your mind; be fearful of the consequences for not doing so.
    • Try to be more of a blessing to others. Blessings are like stars – they never truly manifest themselves until the darkness settles in.
    • Keep in mind that the truth in your heart will always dress kindly for the fool in your head.
    • Stop mistrusting your instincts.
    • Be careful not to let information be your benchmark for wisdom, nor witty conversation your basis for intellect.
    • Don’t be a bully. A show of physical strength will almost always reveal a lack of common sense.
    • Treat life more like a race by always pacing yourself, keeping your focus on the right track and always being aware of what’s coming up from behind.
    • In your daily life, try to pursue more things that will feed your soul, ease your doubts, and reward your passions.
    • Whenever possible, don’t allow fear into your life. Fear motivates for all the wrong reasons, inspires all the wrong goals, and incites all the wrong emotions.
    • Be sure to dismiss the grumpy side of life, appreciate the simple side of life, and always let your better nature guide you to the considerate side of life.
    • This year, aim for doing the right thing rather than being the right person. Popularity only appeals to the lowest common denominator.
    • Don’t forget that there is no greater concern that is of less significance than the opinions of others.
    • Always try to show someone the light. If you can’t, then at least steer them away from the darkness.
    • Remember that money is the leading cause of blindness.
    • Try not to forget who you really are. For if you do, you may find yourself regretting what you’ve become.
    • Going forward, aim to be more like a shepherd; the world doesn’t need any more evangelists.

    7 responses to “In the Spirit of the Season”

    1. Anthony Ricciardi Avatar
      Anthony Ricciardi

      “Being Frank” is my all-time favorite family name. Thank you, Nina M., for sharing this blog. 

      I can appreciate the concept of focusing on direction rather than distance—it’s a powerful mindset for both long-term resolutions and for navigating the winding path of life.

      For my part, (‘Make sure your mind never finds our you’re aging’). I fully acknowledge my mortality. Especially as I witness the passing of time through anniversaries, milestones, and all changes around me; a reminder of how vital it is to reflect on my legacy. Perhaps mortality is the perfect entry points for the motivation for what our stories will become; our vision for our future. The intangible legacy impact we leave through experiencing & sharing art, relationships, stories, and lessons shared. Anthony

      Reply
      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Anthony – thank you so much for sharing your insights; I’m glad that Nina shared the link with you! I do agree that acknowledging our mortality can provide a way for us to assess what has been achieved to date and take stock on how our legacy’s intrinsic value has grown for those who will benefit from its experiential lessons (and we hope that there are many. ??) It’s like being on a long flight where you’ve used the time to work on some things you brought in your carry-on. As the flight begins its final descent, you want to make sure that you take stock of everything you’ve worked on and that everything gets put away and is easily accessible once you arrive at your destination. For me, ‘never letting your mind find out that you’re aging’ relates to the assumptions we tend to generate when we focus on certain milestones in our life. It’s not that I believe that we shouldn’t acknowledge growth or aging (as you noted, they can be great motivators for solidifying and securing our legacy.) It’s just that we should spend less time contemplating what aging implies and focus more on what our mind still has planned for the future. If we start to think or acknowledge that we’re old (at whatever age such thoughts start to pop up), we may run the risk of subliminally assuming the mantle of whatever the image or characteristics of ‘old’ means, instead of waiting for our body and mind – together – to determine when and where any such physical restrictions may come into play. Acting our age may certainly be wise and proper, but we don’t necessarily need our mind to act it out. ? Thanks again for taking the time to write! I hope to read more of your thoughts in the future!

        Reply
    2. Maria Potter Avatar
      Maria Potter


      Frank, thank you for such  a beautifully crafted reflection, filled with gentle reminders of the values that truly matter. It’s a gentle nudge to not let the calendar dictate when we embody these qualities but to make them a part of our daily rhythm. We need to slow down, and appreciate this life and all those around us that make it richer beyond measure. I try my best to live by that mantra, although sometimes I fall short. Again, thank you for sharing such a heartfelt reminder. A timeless guide for navigating not just the year ahead, but every moment we’re given. 

      Reply
      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Maria – thank you so much for your wonderful insights. As I read your comments, I found myself hearing the strains of Simon & Garfunkel’s song, “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)”. It was an anthem of sorts back in the 60’s for slowing down and appreciating the little things around us that made life wonderful. I think that we are all guilty of wanting to do so much more to appreciate the life we live, yet fall short due to the speed in which life is conducted these days. The fact that we try our best is all that we can hope for, so don’t be too hard on yourself. We just fall prey to our desires for wanting to take in more of that beautiful simplicity within a timeframe that just doesn’t have that kind of bandwidth. As worthy goals go, that ain’t a bad one at all; even when we fall short, we’re still going in the right direction. I’ll leave you with this little story: One of CeCe’s favorite songs was by the rock group, ToTo, called “Simple Life”. Part of the chorus said, “All I want, all I need is a simple life.” Whenever she was overwhelmed with work or worries, she would walk around the house or the barn singing that song. It helped her to relax; to rediscover the farm after losing sight of it due to those things that, in the end, were of no lasting importance. Here’s wishing for all of us to look for that simple life; it’s all that any of us really needs. Thanks again for writing; please feel better soon!!

        Reply
    3. sharongoodenow Avatar
      sharongoodenow


      I love “Try to find experiences or opportunities in the new year that provide the greatest joy for the most amount of people, and in the least complicated manner possible.”

      I’m finding that doing something for others, even if they don’t know about it or appreciate it, is so enriching to me (it almost seems selfish).

      Reply
      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Sharon – so good to hear from you; thank you for sharing your thoughts! I agree with you wholeheartedly. There’s a wonderful sense of emotional satisfaction when you share a kindness anonymously. IMHO, it shifts the recipient’s focus onto a greater awareness of positivity in the world, instead of limiting it to their perceptions of the person who shared the good deed or the reason(s) why. It’s why, for me at least, love and kindness are never sweeter than when they enter your life in total silence. Thanks again for writing! ??

        Reply
    4. sharongoodenow Avatar
      sharongoodenow


      I love “Try to find experiences or opportunities in the new year that provide the greatest joy for the most amount of people, and in the least complicated manner possible.”

      I’m finding that doing something for others, even if they don’t know about it or appreciate it, is so enriching to me (it almost seems selfish).

      Reply

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