Time

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi 

“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.” Seneca

Time is considered the most valuable commodity around. For the individual time is a precious resource. We are born and then we die. The time we have at our disposal is all that is in-between. The length of which remains undetermined.

There is time outside these parameters. We know of this. We are aware. We read history books of the past, examining the time before our existence. We know that for some period into the future time will carry on. Perhaps infinitely, as long as life and consciousness exist. (more…)

Our Greatest Joy is in Our Sorrow Unmasked

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi

Our greatest joy is in our sorrow unmasked… then there is silence. I sit still. Deep in contemplation. This statement brings me slight confusion, curiosity and delight.

“Our greatest joy is in our sorrow unmasked!”

To assess such things I usually find it beneficial to understand the intricacies of this statement. What is joy? What is sorrow? And why would we mask either, our joy or our sorrow?

Joy – a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. (more…)

12 Ways to Effectiveness

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi – Originally Published 11.11.2014

How many times have you got to the end of the day and while lying in bed before you nod off you wonder, “shit, what did I really achieve today?”

Is it a common occurrence? What about the successful, do you think they have days like these? We all do, don’t we?

In this article, I am going to share my tips for becoming more productive in everyday life. I am no guru, however, I believe one of my greatest strengths is my intense level of organisation and productivity and therefore I wish to share. (more…)

Keep Moving Forward

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi 

And then life happens…

The obstacles of life continue to challenge us. Just when we think we are having some positive forward momentum we fall, trip, stumble and sometimes we fail. If it, and usually it does, happen again, and again, and again, it can become difficult to keep moving forward.

Motivation wears thin. Energy is depleted. Emotions surge. Anxiety runs high. Dreams recede. Time slows down and yet the days pass quickly. We tell ourselves, “everything will be ok.” Others explain, “Life isn’t meant to be easy! Keep your chin up and head high.” We listen at first and then in time we tune out. This time we don’t feel like getting up. (more…)

The Common Grounds of Victimhood & Hate

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi 

Belongingness – a deep and fundamental human emotion.

• Why? Survival and reproduction.

Humans are animals and as with many animal groups belonging to social groups provide protection. Although this is not as relevant nowadays because we can survive pretty well without being a part of a tribe, we still do desire to belong to a group or groups. The social bonds and relationships we form in our networks have been proven to have profound benefits to our overall wellbeing.

People that are lonely or don’t meet this need to belong will have difficulty forming a level of self-identity. Who we are plays a critical role in how we think, the decisions we make and how we behave. If we lack a solid sense of identity – who are we, it brings our level of significance, relevance and meaning in life to a lower level. This is not a good thing. (more…)

The Art of Receiving (revised)

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi – Originally Published 7.11.2014

I got myself in more debt. I got myself more upset when more bills came rolling in. I got myself in a panic when I got myself fired and was not sure where the next paycheck would come from. How would I support my wife and kids? What would I do next? What would happen next?

What I asked for in life I received. It was how I reacted, not responded, that has taught me a heck of a lot in life. We all continue to learn as we experience life. It is what we do with these life lessons that count.

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Prosperity

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi

Recently I had a great conversation with Joan Sotkin in an interview on the topic of prosperity (check it out here). Having reflected on our discussion I felt it was a good opportunity to share my perspectives and open up a similar dialogue in your life. When you think of this word, prosperity, what are the first thoughts that come to mind?

Many of us, I believe, would immediately associate prosperity with wealth and material possessions. However, prosperity or to be prosperous in life is more than a measure of the dollars in your bank or the wealth accumulation you achieve. There are other elements that also indicate one’s prosperity including the likes of health and happiness. (more…)

There is nothing wrong with you!

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi

The world is in perfect order. Everyone else and everything else seems to be great. Then we look inwardly. “My life sucks!” We get that feeling of irrelevance. Our perspective becomes warped. We begin to believe there is truly something wrong with us.

I believe that is was Jordan Peterson who put it so beautifully in his book, 12 Rules For Life, “there is nothing wrong with you!”

Do you think there is something wrong with you, at times? I have certainly had these feelings. On occasions I still do. However, it couldn’t be further from the truth. We are perfectly brilliant and flawed just as we are.

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Escape Self-Absorption, Let Go of The Ego

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi

We can have everything we want in life by escaping our self-absorption. Everything! It is not that we should deny self-care or self-love. We shouldn’t seek to abandon our search and satisfaction of our primary human needs – food, shelter, belongingness, survival. Self-absorption is allowing the ego to rule and letting it obsess over fulfilling false needs.

The ego attaches itself to trivial matters. It cares not of others or even one’s personal well-being. It concerns itself with misleading ideas on how to protect one’s self-interests and uphold some kind of desirable identity. It does it in ways that are often inconsiderate, lacking compassion and of little long-term purpose. The ego is short-term focused. (more…)

Finding Happiness: Some Practical Advice

Written by Leigh Martinuzzi

The primary pursuit in life is happiness. Well, that is my belief and despite that, I also understand it’s not. I realise that in the deeper constructs of our human being there are more purposeful motivations in life. The fundamentals of life – love, connection, status, certainty, progress, reproduction, and survival, to name a few. Regardless, for many of us, happiness seems to occupy a decent level of focus in our lives.

The question I ask is what is it and how do we find it?

Our surface level motivations arise from our core human needs. On a daily basis, it is very unlikely that we make the connection between a surface level motivation and its fundamental source.

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