Brian Perry: Blog

Time to reference one of my favorite authors again, Marianne Williamson.
 
I had the distinct honor of seeing her speak last fall. I was in what one may call a difficult transition in my personal life (you know, if one was trying to make a gross understatement). One of the first things Ms. Williamson said is something to the extent of  “Let’s get this faith or no faith question out of the way right away. Everyone has faith. The only question is in what?”
 
Everyone.  Has.  Faith.  The only question is in what?
 
Is your faith in the illness or the cure? The fear or the hope? The joy or the struggle? The purpose or the pointless? And, yes, a God or not? Turns out – as in darn near everything else – there is a choice being made. A perception being chosen and with that perception a reality of life being claimed.
 
In the last couple of days, I’ve found myself telling the story about myself that I’m taking a bit [...]

It’s that time of year again for all of us TV fans. The time of cliff-hangers, heart breaks, loves made, fond farewells and sometimes gritting our teeth and growling at networks for cutting the shows we love. I’m not ashamed to admit it: the characters on these shows are real people in my world. What would the world be without Hawkeye, Jed Bartlett, or Ross & Rachel for that matter? Anyway, I digress in the midst of my digression.
 
I got to thinkin’ this week about 2 shows in particular and why I watch them. I mean really why – what do I get out of it? What’s the payoff? The first is called “Flashforward” and has sadly been cancelled without a proper finale. The basic premise was that the whole world “blacked-out” and while out glimpsed their future or, more specifically, their personal point of view of the very same moment in the future some six months ahead.
 
Some saw nothing at all – causing them to believe they [...]

"Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they're yours."
 
So writes Richard Bach in his book Illusions.
 
Over coffee, at dinner, in the break-room or teacher’s lounge, on the phone or computer - how often do you find yourself telling the same story about something annoying or awful that happened, something ugly in our world or your life? Traffic, politics, pollen; over and over this is so often how we connect and bond. You ask someone "How was your day?" You expect a sigh, shrug, and story of weary and woe. If someone replies with joy and excitement, we look at them as if they’re a bit strange and not being "real."
 
I don't know, maybe it's just me. I'm about to release a new record, hit the road, and launch a new business venture all in the same month. This trifecta has made me very aware of the importance of the stories I tell myself about myself. Am I the hero or the victim in my own narrative?
 
“Forget about what was and what will be see [...]

There is an old movie called “It Should Happen to You” (1954) with Jack Lemmon and Judy Holiday. In this movie a woman named Gladys Glover (Ms. Holiday) is an aspiring model who decides to take her fame into her own hands by renting a huge billboard on Columbus Circle in NYC and putting her name on it in gynormous letters. Hyjinks ensue, of course.
 
When I was going through my life coach training, one of the questions they posed to us was “If you could have a billboard anywhere in the city/town where you live where would it be and what would it say?” A fair number of hyjinks ensued there as well.
 
I love Ms. Glover’s boldness and I love this coaching question. At the heart of it, to me, is a question of impact.  What impact do you want to have – or more to the heart again – to BE on the world?
 
I thought of several things I might put on a billboard that would likely be along the interstate in New Orleans. Just thinking of [...]

Tuesday night I had the joy of participating in a night of improv sketch comedy. It was the culmination of an improv class offered by Lesly Fredman. Anyway, so it turns out improv is not about being funny. What it’s about is being present and releasing judgment of yourself. Cool, huh?
 
For example, Lesly says, “Okay Brian and Mike, you are a pair of diamond earings. Go.” Part of my brain starts launching into judgment and criticism of everything I might do and/or think to do. I mean who among us doesn’t leave a conversation, meeting, date, or party going “I can’t believe I said/did that. That was so lame. Ugh.” Another part stands up tall, hands at my sides kind of curtseys a bit says wistfully and with loud enthusiasm “Sparkle!” turning to face different parts of the room as I repeatedly do so. I don’t know if that’s funny or not on its merits. What I do know is it is precisely what came to me in the moment and that [...]