Filter What You Consume

Looks again at the TV.

18 - 34 - 37 - 45 - 51

Looks again at the lottery ticket.

18 - 34 - 37 - 45 - 51

Eyes close. Head down.

Voice softens. Hands tremble.

Everything changes.

Infinite opportunities appear.

What would you really do if you won the lottery?

Like, actual legit winning 50 bajilzion dollars.

After taxes ranging between 24 and 37% [depending on the prize amount and jurisdiction] and legal paperwork plus advisor fees, you would be left with approximately 31.5 bajilzion. That's enough to set you up for anything, for generations.

Would you tell anyone that you won or wait a year and then tell them?

Would you keep working or quit immediately, putting your head down, standing up from the table, and quietly exiting, thinking -

"I didn't need this anyway..."

American Financial Advisor Suzie Orman, modern day Buku-Bucks-Guru, says no decisions for a year. Choose one inexpensive treat [pay off bills] but do not spend a nanocent for a year.

Put the money away securely [and anonymously] and curate a list of opportunities and ideas that come your way over the next year. Do not live differently than you do now. Tell nobody [except those who did the mountain of legal paperwork for you].

After a year, take a second inexpensive treat and examine those opportunities.

Interesting advice.

Metaphorically speaking, many times in my life I felt like I won the good lottery... a win-win.

Meeting my family at the airport, my Number 1 win-win.

Earning a performance place in under the direction of Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel, former Commander of the United States Air Force Band.

Receiving a beautiful promise from Himself.

Feeling Earth in my hands and feet in Maldives. Italy. Iceland.

Becoming a seven-time educational grant winner

Owning a dog. A real Christmas Tree.

Landing my second International Teaching post.

Finding lifelong friends on the globe.

Breaking free from debts, including emotional and financial burdens.

But other times I've felt like I won a not so nice lottery... a loss-win.

Job change.

Job loss.

Betrayers.

Human Error.

Death.

If good things happen, then bad things will also happen, yet they both pass ... in time and with patience.

How does time pass and with whom and from where comes the inspiration for patience?

Check your inexpensive treat list, who you would tell if you won the bajilzions, and where you would go. There's your answers.

Remember that Primrose Everdeen won a lottery and remember who was willing to make a sacrifice for her sake. Remember how the rest of the Hunger Games story unfolded with the taking down of the Capitol and Katniss firing that final arrow? That wasn't what Katniss originally signed up to do.

She signed up to save her sister and her family. That was all.

"May her arrow signify the end of tyranny and the beginning of a new era."

Although she cultivated contempt in her heart, Katniss didn't intend that ending.

Her opportunities transformed over the years she served.

What are your lotteries, your treasured win-wins and the loss-wins which redirected you?

Filter and foster your time and see where the patience comes.

That's where you'll find your answers.

If you're lucky enough for a life then you're lucky enough for an adventure.

As my good friend Henley recently stated, "Life is about adventure and I believe I'll have a different one."

It's time for my different adventure too.

I'm safe. I'm ok. Everything will be fine. And I'm grateful for that.

Be brave. See you on the globe.

Casey's Note:

May I suggest these two books to help you get started on choosing your adventure! While fictional journeys, they're well laid out and uniquely designed storylines with real life applications so be careful if you find yourself in the Arby's in South LA.

Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather McElhatton.

Million little Mistakes by the author as well.