This week on Poetic Resurrection we’re going to discuss expectations. Why do we expect? What do we expect? I believe it depends on the circumstances. If I pay a vendor for a service or a product, I expect it to work. I also expect that this vendor has more knowledge than I do. For example, I expected I would do an episode last week. Well, I also expected to have the internet I pay for but that was not the case. It took me three days to get back online.

It’s good to be aware of expectations. Are they realistic? Are we expecting someone to act in a certain way? Expecting others to act according to a preconceived notion then we might have can lead to discontentment? Is that a requirement you’d like others to have of you? Sometimes, when we know the other person well, we expect them to behave a certain way. But people change and they should be allowed to change. There are many expectations that we have, and as I mentioned the vendor. Let us discuss expectations of ourselves and others.

Many expectations are connected to our perceptions of how situations and events need to work out. At the same time, who’s to say we’re, correct? Questioning our perceptions and seeing how they relate to our expectations can enlighten us on what we find important in our lives.

“First, merely expecting something to happen will not make it happen. For many of us, it is difficult to let go of the idea that expecting something to happen will make it happen.” Psychology Today

I did this with affirmations. If I state it long enough and with conviction, I expect it would happen. I certainly would be thrilled about it.

“Second, human beings have a natural tendency to pin their hopes for happiness on fulfilled expectations.”  Psychology Today

My experience with this is perceptions. Our perceptions are if I move to a home, city, country, etc. Then I would be happy. It can be a new job, a new place, or a new relationship. I feel I had to ask myself: why am I wanting to do something different outside myself? Is it me? Am I running from something, someone, or myself? I’m going to go wherever the change is. Is this a pattern in my life?

“The problem of expectation occurs when we expect something to happen without good reasons for that expectation.

Expecting life to always turn out the way you want is guaranteed to lead to disappointment because life will not always turn out the way you want it to. And when those unfulfilled expectations involve the failure of other people to behave the way you expect them to, the disappointment also involves resentment.

Let go of expectations and find something to be grateful about, even when things do not turn out the way you hoped, and you will experience serenity rather than resentment.” Psychology Today

“I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values – and follow my own moral compass – then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own. Michelle Obama”

The poem for this week is Alliance from my upcoming book Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. You can also read it in my compilation book Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2.

Alliance

Sometimes my essence aches because of the many adventures and events others have had—without a mention and I wasn’t there. Is it me? Is the perception of what they sense I am—determining my behavior – thoughts? We spoke of holiday – two summers long—set for third. The third visit around the sun and asked—when are we going? I don’t know, was the answer. Facing the truth – social media—as I view the celebratory drink in hand with other. Visiting the places, of visual beauty of a distant land we planned. Why not explain—why falsehood? A sadness took over me—was it them? Was it me? Was it my perceptions of childhood memories which stood in the way of the truth? A truth that hasn’t existed in decades. A long ago feeling attached to a person whom I’ve surrendered my alliance. Taking responsibility for my emotions as I breath and let go. Let go of my ideas of the past. Do I blame them – no – I’m accountable for my beliefs. Would we plan again – No. Our characters unveiled the blinders I wore since childhood. Abandoning my memories and allowing myself permission to move on.

Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2 is available on Amazon

Listen to it on the PR Podcast page.

https://poeticresurrection.podbean.com/e/awakening-dreams-expectations/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cui-bono/201802/the-psychology-expectations

This week on Awakening Dreams our return guest is Evelyn Eccard from Bravo Leadership Int’l (BLI).  (Available on 6/6/22) In this episode, we discuss what is important to us when it comes to employment, leadership, and what makes us truly happy with ourselves and others. Mentorship and coaching are reviewed (see link below for the previous episode). We discussed the Great Resignation and how employment expectations have changed. Tune in to this informative episode. It might be that AHA moment that is needed in your life.

Evelyn Eccard is the founder of Bravo Leadership International. She named the company after listening to a friend yelling out “Bravo, Bravo” at a tennis tournament. When the player won, she purposely looked for that solo voice yelling “Bravo” and rewarded him by tossing him a tennis ball. She appreciated him and his encouragement throughout the game. That’s when Evelyn knew the name BRAVO was perfect for her business. Evelyn said “My intention is to up-level people’s mindsets through training and coaching and help them become a better version of themselves. I want to cheer them on.  Bravo!  Bravo!”

Throughout her career, she has chosen positions in which she has positively impacted the company’s culture by training and developing executives, management, and hourly employees.  She trained in everything, but her passion is leadership. She applied the leadership principles within her Sales team and saw first-hand, the positive impact (increase engagement, dedication, and productivity).   Soon after, her team was sought after by other departments as well as corporate headquarters.  They wanted leaders who had the experience of being on her team.

Evelyn had a vision of taking what she has learned in her 25+ year career and making it available to others.  She knows there are many managers out there struggling because leadership training isn’t a priority in many organizations. Companies would rather deal with constant problems that arise vs. training their managers to lead.  That thinking tends to cascade throughout the organization.

LEADERSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE

Bravo trains and coaches managers so they become LEADERS.  We teach leadership so that leaders can create the environment in which all of us can work to our natural best.  This produces trusting teams.

Evelyn’s goal is to train managers to become exceptional LEADERS.

Bravo consist of Evelyn Eccard and Stacey Aveling.  Both are certified John Maxwell Team member and passionate about leadership with over 20+ years of experience.  They specialized in leadership, communication, customer service and sales training.

Bravo believes in maintaining a positive mindset, creating long term partnerships with a purpose, developing all levels in an organization and always striving for significant outcomes. When working with Bravo, you should expect a collaboration with transparency and consistency.

Our goal is to up-level your thinking so you can be the BEST version of YOURSELF.

https://www.bli.life/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynlozadaeccard

https://poeticresurrection.podbean.com/e/perceptions-of-employment-mentoring-coaching/

https://poeticresurrection.podbean.com/e/awakening-dreams-evelyn-eccard/ 

This week on Poetic Resurrection Awakening Dreams we have attorney Mark A Pearson. This is a must listen and save episode covering copyright law. It’s so informative, we discuss copyright law for authors, artists, musicians, and other creatives. If you have a question about copyright, this episode is a must listen and should answer many of your questions.

Mark A Pearson is the principal counsel at ARC Law Group, a law firm focused on advising Creative, Talented, and Entrepreneurial clients in the areas of business, entertainment, sports, and technology law. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, but with clients in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Nashville, Mark is a former award-winning television producer who spent the past decade advising some of the hardest working acts in the music business, including international touring arts Con Brio, Front Country and DJ Mark Farina, as well as serving as production counsel for Academy Award nominee, Borrowed Time. Recently awarded the Governor’s Citation Medallion for his service to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Emmy® Award), Mark also advises leading entertainment companies Rock the Bells (LL Cool J), Twitch, TuneGo, Caffeine, and Fandor. You can reach Mark at his website: https://www.arclg.com/

Listen to Mark’s Episode available on our podcast page.

Poetic Resurrection Podcast episode website

In honor of Mental Health Month, we discuss memories. Why do we forget them? What causes us to forget? How do we comfort a loved one who has dementia?

The last couple of months have been challenging in that my mom isn’t well, but grateful that she is quickly recovering. Last year, we needed to move her into a nursing facility because of her dementia. It was heartbreaking. Seeing this vibrant outspoken woman’s life change prompted me to find a comparison between depression and dementia. I’ve noticed not only my mom but some others I have known who have suffered from depression are also going through some form of dementia. Can this be true? I looked for a spiritual correlation between the two and didn’t find one that dealt with spiritualism alone and did not have an organized religion association. What I was looking for was are we made to lose cognitive skills in order to forget our depression? Is it a form of letting go of the past? Lao Tzu quoted “If you are depressed, you’re living in the past. If you have anxiety, you’re living in the future. If you have peace, you’re living in the present”.

A study of the association between depression and dementia by HealthDay News reported on WebMD.

“Depression is a risk factor for dementia, researchers report, and people with more symptoms of depression tend to suffer a more rapid decline in thinking and memory skills. While the study found an association between the two, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.”

A Healthline article on vascular dementia

“Vascular dementia is caused by a narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels that provide blood to your brain. This reduced blood flow deprives your brain of much-needed oxygen, which can damage your brain very quickly.

Numerous conditions can cause this reduced blood flow to your brain, including:

• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• aneurysm or blood clot
• heart attack
• stroke

Of those, stroke is the most common cause of vascular dementia.

Vascular problems, such as stroke, high cholesterol, and hypertension, aren’t related to Alzheimer’s disease, as they are with vascular dementia. There is no known cause of Alzheimer’s, though your risk of developing it increases with age.”

I guess I’m trying to make sense of memory loss. I’m at the stage in my life where many of my friends and family are dealing with a loved one with dementia. It saddens me to see such beautiful people with beautiful lives lose their history.

The poem for this week is Memories—dedicated to my mom; from my upcoming book Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. This poem is also in my book Inspire Me Series Book 1 & 2 with excerpts from my upcoming book.

Memories

Today I go through my mom’s memories
I go through her pictures
I go through her life’s stories
I find her in the past
The memories she has forgotten
The ones from long ago
That linger in the glimpse of her life

Today I go through my mom’s memories
The ones she has tucked away
The ones her strokes cheated from her
The painful memories erased
What can I do to make your life easier?
What can I say to erase your traumas?
Do I ignore—when you forget?
Do I keep your sadness in my heart?

Today I go through my mom’s memories
The disappointments she kept close to her heart
The wanting to be loved yet feeling abandoned
The simple dreams she was deterred from
The disappointments fade
The abandonment fades
The sadness lingers

Today I go through my mom’s memories
And merge my memories with hers
Feeling the sadness, the disappointments
Wishing the sadness to fade

I love you, mom

Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2

AARP article on the Difference Between Dementia & Alzheimers

Symphony of Soul – Dementia a Spiritual Perspective

WebMD – Scientists Shed Light on the Link between Depression & Dementia