Tag: Oscars

Napoleon Hill, Lord of the Flies, King Richard, Headspace, and a Buddhist Saying

Napoleon Hill, Lord of the Flies, King Richard, Headspace, and a Buddhist Saying

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on February 20, 2022

Sunday Supplement #41 (February 20th, 2022)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.”

– Napoleon Hill

Book of the Week:

Lord of the Flies – William Golding

Lord of the Flies is a brilliant story about a stranded group of schoolboys. On the brink of the next world war, a plane crashes, leaving the boys unsupervised on an uncharted island. The boys celebrate their freedom and attempt to build their own society.

Ultimately, their attempts to come together fail, and the fractions of kids that form begin to fight for power. Their society quickly falls into chaos, and the consequences of their actions are a harrowing reflection of the world they left behind.

William Golding’s book is often on reading lists at middle and high schools, but it is an interesting read regardless of age.

Time magazine listed the book as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1293 to 2005. It also put the book in its 100 Best Young-Adult Books of All Time list.

The novel’s themes of influence, mob mentality, and civilization are excellently explored through the well-written characters and prose. It might not be an uplifting, happy read, but it’s a good book worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

King Richard

King Richard tells the story of the Williams sisters and the early years on their way to becoming tennis superstars. Venus and Serena were first trained by their father, Richard, and went on to be the best tennis players in the sport’s history.

Will Smith plays Richard, and Aunjanue Ellis plays Richard’s wife, Oracene. Both Oracene and Richard train and raise their kids with a plan for them to succeed. At times, Richard takes the mission to extreme lengths and is checked by Oracene and questioned by many.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Smith and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Ellis. The Oscars have yet to be awarded, but King Richard will likely take home at least one or two.

One of the most powerful scenes in the movie comes when Richard intervenes in an interview set up for Venus when the reporter questions her confidence. This scene reminded me how vital it is to lift people up and not put negativity or doubts around them.

There is much to appreciate in King Richard. If you haven’t seen it yet, put it on your list.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTqforiHL7Q

Headspace | Setting an Intention – (video won’t embed on this page)

Headspace is a content provider that teaches about meditation and has guided meditations for multiple purposes based on eight different techniques. They have over 70 million subscribers to their app and hundreds of hours of content.

This video goes over the benefits of setting intentions and provides a short guided meditation for setting an intention for the coming week.

When you make an intention, it should be something in your control, something you can commit to, and something practical. The clearer your intention is, the more likely it will happen and the more likely you are to experience the benefits.

Intention setting is something I’ve done off and on, and I came across this video at a perfect time to remind me of how much it worked for me.

I’ve done it for specific situations, like when I got out in a social setting. I’m not always the most extroverted, but when I set the intention to have a good time and connect with others before going out, it’s worked.

Intention setting is something I’ve come across in many different self-improvement/spiritual books. I’m glad I found this video because my goal moving forward is to set intentions each day.

Give this video a watch and see if intention setting is something you’d enjoy!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Mind your thoughts, as they become your words. Mind your words, as they become your actions. Mind your actions, as they become you.”

– Buddhist Saying

This Buddhist saying reminds me of how powerful our thoughts can be. When we experience emotions, we often react and attach a narrative to the situation to explain and justify how we feel. Often, we don’t take the time to process or decide how we want to view the world.

When I think of minding my thoughts and how they become words, I realize how I have a say in what I put out into the world. Do I choose to focus on the negative, or can I find the positive and move forward from there?

This saying can be reversed engineered to reveal that most of our actions have seeds in our thoughts. When we aren’t conscious of our thoughts and just react to our experiences, we can lose control of our actions and whom we want to be.

I believe control over our thoughts and choosing the narratives we tell ourselves is a helpful tool to create our lives. Sayings like these are excellent reminders of our power over our experiences.

Set good intentions for the coming days, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Bruce Lee, Can’t Hurt Me, Amadeus, The Power of Letting Go, and Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:159

Bruce Lee, Can’t Hurt Me, Amadeus, The Power of Letting Go, and Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:159

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on February 13, 2022

Sunday Supplement #40 (February 13th, 2022)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.”

– Bruce Lee

Book of the Week:

Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins

I featured David Goggins in the brainfood section of Sunday Supplement #35. In that post, I gave a brief summary of Goggins’s history for the United States Armed Forces and his subsequent journey as one of the world’s top endurance athletes.

The accompanying video in that Supplement is an interview with Goggins on The Rich Roll Podcast. Check out the video, and if you like it, check out this book.

Can’t Hurt Me is a mixture between a self-help/personal development book and an autobiography. Goggins uses stories of his past to show how one can overcome obstacles to create the person one wants to be.

Goggins grew up with poverty, abuse, and racism. He failed at various points in different areas but decided to turn his life around. He went from being overweight and depressed to becoming the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller.

This book is an excellent insight into how much control we have over our minds and bodies. You don’t have to become an ultra-endurance athlete after reading it, but there is much to take away and learn from.

Movie of the Week:

Amadeus

The 1984 film Amadeus won eight Oscars and is considered one of the best movies in Cinema history.

The film tells a fictional story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through the eyes of a rival composer, Antonio Salieri. The bitter rival reflects on the career of the genius composer and claims that he was the one who murdered him.

Amadeus was adapted from the stage play of the same name by screenwriter Peter Shaffer. Miloš Forman directed the film, and F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce starred as Salieri and Mozart.

Every name above won their respective Oscar, except for Hulce because he was nominated in the same category as Abraham. The film also won Best Picture.

Amadeus currently sits at #82 on IMDB’s Top Rated Movies list and boasts above a 90% in both critics and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Add this movie to your list if you’re looking for an excellent (lengthy) biopic/period piece. It’s one of my favorite films and has an epic soundtrack.

Brainfood of the Week:

Einzelgänger | Taoism – The Power of Letting Go

In Sunday Supplement #20, I featured an Einzelgänger video as the brainfood of the week. The channel creates videos that explore different people and ideas of history with the aim of making content that inspires, resonates, and entertains.

In this video, Einzelgänger discusses the idea of control in our modern society. He then offers an insight into Taoism and its philosophy of letting go.

The first way of Taoism Einzelgänger highlights is the art of non-doing. He breaks it down to knowing when to act and when not to. Control can be what combats effortless action or a flow state. And while control isn’t always a bad thing, like self-control, too much suffocates growth.

Embracing change is the next topic in the video. “The Living are soft and yielding; the dead are rigid and stiff. Living plants are flexible and tender; the dead are brittle and dry.” —Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, 11.

Not focussing on outcomes is one of the last areas Einzelgänger goes over. When we focus too much on the future, we tend to paralyze ourselves in the present with anxiety.

Einzelgänger goes into greater depth with these philosophies, and the beautiful video is well worth checking out. I provide the above to give a glimpse at what the video offers, but give it a watch and see if you take anything away from it.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“It is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle to them, and had you been harsh and hard-hearted, surely they would have scattered from around you. So excuse them, and plead for forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affairs, and once you are resolved, put your trust in Allah.”

– Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:159

In this passage from the Quran, I’m reminded of the power of forgiveness. The two statements show the possibility of alienation if you’re too harsh and the power of resolution if you seek to forgive.

I believe that forgiveness can be for yourself as well as others. If we are too hard on ourselves or repress any negative feelings around ourselves or others, we lose the opportunity for catharsis.

For me, the most important thing is to see and acknowledge what is happening with an open mind. Look to resolve the situation and trust that everything will be okay.

I believe, if you approach situations with others of yourself in this way, regardless of if you believe in God or not, you can find peace and move forward.

Forgive yourself and someone else, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Alphonse Karr, Discipline Equals Freedom, Flight, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Alphonse Karr, Discipline Equals Freedom, Flight, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on February 6, 2022

Sunday Supplement #39 (February 6th, 2022)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”

– Alphonse Karr

Book of the Week:

Discipline Equals Freedom – Jocko Willink

Jocko Willink is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, host of a top-rated podcast, and co-founder of a multimillion-dollar leadership and management company.

Before Willink moved onto these areas in his life, he spent the majority of his adulthood as a Navy SEAL. In Discipline Equals Freedom, he describes the mental and physical disciplines he learned that allowed him to create freedom in his life.

The self-help book is written in a field manual style with short essays on the obstacles of achieving ownership of your life and how to overcome those barriers.

I came across Jocko Willink in a Tim Ferriss podcast episode and didn’t enjoy it much. Years later, I saw him in another interview and heard him talk about how the lessons he learned in recent years and being a father changed many of his attitudes toward things. This reflection made me curious to check out some of his work.

Discipline Equals Freedom might not be for everyone. There are a few elements of the book that I won’t incorporate into my life. However, there were nuggets of wisdom that stuck out brilliantly.

One of the chapters emphasized the power of saying “good” to an initially perceived negative situation so that you can find the positive or the lesson hidden in it. I’m working on including that in my everyday life.

Check Willink out to see if he’s someone you can vibe with, and if so, give his books or his podcast a chance.

Movie of the Week:

Flight

Flight follows an alcoholic airline pilot who saves almost every passenger and crew member on a malfunctioning aircraft destined to crash. A subsequent investigation into the accident beings to question if there was anything amiss with the state of the pilot.

Writer John Gatins worked on the script for ten years before it eventually got made. Denzel Washington starred as the pilot, and Robert Zemeckis expertly directed the movie with a surprisingly low budget of $31 million. Both Washington and Zemeckis took a massive pay cut to get the film made.

The movie received two Academy Award nominations, one for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Washington) and one for Best Writing – Original Screenplay (Gatins). Many good films came out in 2012, but Flight arguably should have received more Oscar recognition.

The film received some criticism for its portrayal of pilots and the physics of flying a plane, but it received many plaudits for its depiction of alcoholism.

Flight is rated R and has some intense scenes, but it tells a remarkable story in an extraordinary way.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z6WfKS_edY&list=WL&index=61

How Presence Helps You Face Life’s Challenges | Eckhart Tolle

This post marks the fourth time I’ve picked an Eckhart Tolle video for the week’s Sunday Supplement. Check out Sunday Supplement #7 if you want more background on Tolle and a recommendation for a long-form podcast interview with him.

The bestselling self-help author explains the exact benefit of being present when facing life’s challenges in this video.

Tolle discusses how external events can cause challenges, but a greater part of challenges are due to the unobserved mind. Your mind can create a narrative around external circumstances, and much unhappiness is caused by dysfunctional narratives.

When the unobserved mind takes over, you cannot separate what is actually happening from your interpretation of what is happening.

Tolle then discusses the awareness and alertness of being in situations and not judging them. You are just seeing what is happening and accepting it or deciding how you want to respond.

The video wraps up with some examples that show how everyday little challenges can help build your awareness.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Every misfortune is a blessing.”

– African Proverb

This African Proverb reminds me of the power of looking for different perspectives after experiencing situations that leave you disappointed, depressed, upset, or lost.

I don’t think emotions should be suppressed, but I believe after we’ve acknowledged our feelings and let them process, we can decide how we view what happened.

On one level, things will always be sad or cruel, but there is always a perspective where you can find a blessing in what happened.

Maybe after loss, it’s having an appreciation for those around you and forming closer bonds with those people. For anger, maybe it’s a chance for letting go. And with disappointment, it could be knowing you did your best the opportunity to try again or for something else.

I don’t always have the composure at the moment to find the blessing in misfortune, and sometimes it takes a while for me to pick myself up. However, quotes like these remind me of the opportunity to find the good in our lives.

Reframe something you perceived as unfavorable, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Pythagoras, The Four Agreements, Dead Poets Society, Jordan Peterson, and Lamentations 3:40

Pythagoras, The Four Agreements, Dead Poets Society, Jordan Peterson, and Lamentations 3:40

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 30, 2022

Sunday Supplement #38 (January 30th, 2022)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.”

– Pythagoras

Book of the Week:

The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz was born to parents who belonged to the Toltecs of Mexico. Rather than follows his family’s footsteps in the traditions of the Toltecs, Miguel chose to attend medical school and become a surgeon.

However, after a near-death experience, Ruiz devoted himself to the mastery of the ancient ancestral wisdom of the Toltecs and later on decided to pass on the knowledge he learned.

The Four Agreements has spent over a decade on The New York Times bestseller list.

Ruiz’s personal growth/self-help book is a wonderful journey that explores the highest principles in the Toltec teachings.

The book breaks down and discusses the four agreements: be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. Ruiz explains each agreement and has other chapters that help introduce and support the teachings and how to apply them to everyday life.

There are elements of spirituality in the book that might not align with everyone’s practices, but the roots of the lessons Ruiz writes about can apply to everyone. Each agreement shows the reader a helpful way of viewing themselves and the world around them.

The Four Agreements is a short read but a powerful one. It’s well worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Dead Poets Society

The 1989 film Dead Poets Society only won one Academy Award, but it is a movie that resonates beyond the year it came out.

The film follows maverick teacher John Keating, who takes the position of poetry teacher at an all-boys boarding school. The students at Welton Academy are expected to excel in their studies and become future lawyers and doctors. Keating encourages his students to pursue what fills them with joy, against the wishes of some parents and other faculty.

Robin Williams stars at John Keating. I’ve mentioned Williams’ work in Sunday Supplement #23 and Sunday Supplement #36, and a worthy movie list could include most of the late actor’s work.

In Dead Poets Society, Williams shines in one of his best roles. His improvisation skills are impeccable, and the film’s message is exemplified in his acting.

The film received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Acting in a Leading Role. It only won for Best Writing – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen but arguably should have won at least one more.

Check out the movie if it sounds like something you’d enjoy, and see what categories you think it should have won.

Brainfood of the Week:

Jordan Peterson’s interview on The Tim Ferriss Show

Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure in some circles, but his views on most subjects are worth a listen even if you end up not agreeing with him.

Peterson is a clinical psychologist, professor at the University of Toronto, and author of three bestselling self-help books and more than one hundred scientific papers that have transformed the modern understanding of personality.

I’ve highlighted five other Tim Ferriss interviews in the Sunday Supplements, and that is because I think he is one of the best hosts for the medium of interview podcasts.

Tim and Jordan discuss mythology, the Bible, mental health, and much more in this interview. One of my favorite parts of the interview is when Peterson challenges Ferriss’ views on psychedelics. This part of the interview raised valid points for both sides and exemplified a healthy way to debate.

There are many grains of wisdom in this interview, and with a grain of salt, there is a lot to learn from Jordan Peterson.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

– Lamentations 3:40

I didn’t have the healthiest exposure to Christianity as a kid (Catholic school), but I’m happy to find dissect and learn from the teachings in the Bible years later. The nuggets of wisdom in the religions and spiritual practices of the world are amazing.

I’m reminded of the necessity and usefulness of reflecting on our practices and beliefs in this passage. And for the second part of the passage, I believe it represents returning to love.

When I combine the two statements, I’m left with contemplating my actions and seeing if they align with love.

I think many religions and spiritual practices can be disfigured their interpretations, but when I find verses like this one, I’m reminded of how much wisdom is between the lines.

Some of the Bible’s passages are simple and profound. This one helps me remember to reflect and make sure I’m aligned with love.

Allow your actions to come from a place of love, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Brené Brown, The War of Art, Slumdog Millionaire, Weiyang Xie, and a Rig Veda Passage

Brené Brown, The War of Art, Slumdog Millionaire, Weiyang Xie, and a Rig Veda Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 23, 2022

Sunday Supplement #37 (January 23rd, 2022)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”

– Brené Brown

Book of the Week:

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield’s life story is incredible. He was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, while his father was stationed in the Navy in 1943. Pressfield graduated from Duke University and joined the Marine Corps afterward.

After his tour in the service, Pressfield bounced around between jobs like advertising copywriter, tractor-trailer driver, oilfield roustabout, and fruit picker. He finally found his calling as an author and screenwriter but experienced periods of homelessness and living out of the back of his car while pursuing his writing career.

In The War of Art, Pressfield details the obstacles he faced in his life and how they led him to find and follow his passion for writing. His book breaks down into three parts: Resistance, Combatting Resistance, and Beyond Resistance. In each section, he titles an example of how each topic can manifest and provides short blurbs of explanation.

The non-fiction/self-help book divides opinions for most readers, but it has a 3.98 rating out of 5 on Goodreads, with over 85,000 reviews. Pressfield is most famous for his novels The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire, a book about the Battle of Thermopylae studied at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy.

The War of Art might not be for everybody, but it is worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire narrates the story of an orphan Mumbai teenager who’s a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire as he gets accused of cheating after answering each question correctly.

While the teenager, Jamal, faces each question, he recalls portions of his life story that explain how he knew the answer.

The 2008 film won eight Oscars, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing for Boyle, and Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.

Leading man Dev Patel missed out on an Academy Award nomination for his performance, but moviegoers and film-lovers didn’t overlook his acting abilities. Patel has gone on to star in many acclaimed movies since his feature debut, including films like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Green Knight, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Lion.

Slumdog Millionaire shows the negativity, oppression, criticism, and bribery Patel faces in his stint on the famous show. The ultimate result of his perseverance is a reminder of the blessings of our life’s journeys and what they can teach us.

Brainfood of the Week:

TEDx Talks | Dare to Rewire Your Brain for Self-Compassion | Weiyang Xie

Weiyang Xie is a Staff Psychologist at the University Counseling Center at Notre Dame. When she first came to the US as an international student, she faced adjustment issues, self-doubt, and struggled with anxiety. These issues carried over to her professional life.

Xie’s negative self-talk took over and became overwhelming. She felt trapped in her anxiety and believed that she couldn’t reach her potential. Xie started to look into how this situation developed and found a common component in people’s anxiety being shame.

In this TEDx Talks, Xie discusses the causes and effects of shame in people’s lives and her journey of discovery in this field. She focuses on how neurobiological studies on shame revealed how neural pathways form from the repetition of habitual negative self-talk.

Xie then explains how we can resolve the emotional status quo. Research proves that being compassionate to yourself improves emotional resilience and psychological well-being. This practice helps reduce cortisol levels and lower the levels of depression and anxiety.

Beginning practices like noticing negative self-talk and combatting it with self-compassion can remove the previous mental programming and replace it with healthier thought habits. Motivating yourself through positive self-talk and embracing being a work in progress helps bring positivity for the future.

Xie closes the talk by stating that whatever you are saying to yourself, you listen. Developing positive self-talk is crucial for mental health and well-being.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The human body is the temple of God. One who kindles the light of awareness within gets true light. The sacred flame of your inner shrine is constantly bright. The experience of unity is the fulfillment of human endeavors. The mysteries of life are revealed.”

– A Rig Veda Passage

Many different religions and spiritual practices talk about the light within. For me, this passage from the Rig Veda exemplifies this notion and gives a roadmap for finding that brilliance.

The message starts with the acknowledgment of our bodies holding spiritual power. Whether you believe in God or not, or something else entirely, the body is a miraculous being.

The Rig Veda passage then reveals that listening to your heart and body allows for true light, true knowledge.

There are many ways to translate this passage or gain meaning from the words. It sparks recognition of following your heart and gut and doing your best. When I am in tune with these elements, I find myself happy and with no regrets.

Regardless of spiritual leanings, becoming attuned with your heart and body is something worth cultivating. This passage from the Rig Veda is a brilliant guide and reminder of this practice.

Listen to your heart, be kind to yourself, and have a blessed week ahead!

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