The King of Hearts

“Sharing and giving.” The hallmarks of Facebook. When this page called “Gusto” was born in the wee early morning hours on April 9th, 2010, it was an epiphany of sorts, a spontaneous “flash” of inspiration. Ironically,“Gusto” isn’t an imaginary word for merely clever effect. He’s REAL, a name given to him by his father as a young boy growing up on a small Midwest American farm. From the beginning, and for many months afterward, the baby surrounded himself with a few dozen of his closest friends and family members. A place where some of his most innermost thoughts, feelings, and emotions could be shared openly.

As the months have flown by, the baby has grown and evolved into full adulthood, ready to take a leap of faith into an exciting world of mentoring and coaching, harnessing all the knowledge stored inside a heart and soul comprised of 52 years of a lifetime of experiences, both good and bad, but mostly triumphant and inspiring. All of that knowledge is about to be spread in a variety of ways; writing first and foremost, the book entitled “Inspiration at the END…Finding a NEW Beginning” is a dream unfulfilled, yet sure to come to light very soon in mass publication, God willing. The mentoring and coaching is a natural by-product of that dream, one that I firmly believe in. Today, what was once just a few dozen has grown to over 3,000 souls consisting of good people from one end of this nation called the “United States” to the other, but also scattered around the WORLD, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, the Philippines, Mexico, Australia, Russia, and numerous others. The associated website, gustoramblings.com, from which you are reading these words, has welcomed visitors from nearly 60 countries around the globe, representing people from all walks of life, of different cultures, different languages, and different religions. Today, there’s been just short of 10 THOUSAND views and readings of “Ramblings” in just short of 18 months, and well over 1.5 MILLION views of “Gusto’s” Facebook posts. Where does it end?

There is no end. How many people are there in this world? A lofty and ambitious mission? Certainly. Unrealistic? Did Edison consider it “unrealistic” when he invented the light bulb? When the Wright brothers discovered and invented flying a human being in the air? Let’s be clear, I’m NOT out to fix the world. The fact is none of us can. But there’s nothing we can’t accomplish TOGETHER.

LIFE to me isn’t meant to be “shared” in any other way other than from the “HEART.” Staying true to oneself, BEING yourself, is the ONLY way you should live. There are those who use colorful words, flowing styles, words of platitudes, lacking in originality, devoid of form, content, or substance. They use those words as punch lines in an attempt to gain favor. Not yours truly. I’ll give it to you straight and though I too will often use what some might call “big” words, they’re entirely from the heart. What you see is what you get. No illusions. Everything you read and see, both here and on my Facebook page is REAL. I’m not offering this to you as a form of self-validation or to seek your approval. In short, I AM who I am; a man who has much to offer this world and to YOU. All bathed in a light of honor, respect, dignity, courage, sincerity, integrity, truth, grace, and above all that, stands the biggest…humility. I’ve been humbled by events during this journey, some tragic. Some I stand in humbled awe at their triumphant best.

Recently, I stepped out in a bold way on my Facebook page by offering something more than “sharing and giving.” The time has come friends for this baby called “Gusto”, the one born 18 months ago, the one who has rapidly evolved into a fully grown adult today, to stand on his own two feet by offering my expert advice, guidance, mentoring, and coaching in a professional way. I’m committed. Question is, are you willing to take it? Are you willing to make a commitment to yourself, an investment in your LIFE?

Here’s a glimpse of a philosophy, a way of living I’m suggesting for your thoughtful consideration. Consider our world since the dawn of the 21st century, and all that’s happened since; “9/11”, wars, global warming leading to weather catastrophes mankind has never seen before, political upheaval, and a global economic collapse that has been unprecedented in world history. There are no more fast and steady rules, no yardsticks by which we can measure the future of our world based on prior historical events. Every day it’s something new. As my 86 year-old Aunt said one day during an animated discussion I was having with her about these very same topics, as well as our instant-gratification society and the exponential growth of technology; “WE HAVE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH CONFUSION.”

I found that statement profound on many levels. That was several months ago. After letting it resonate further in my mind and reconciling it with my own beliefs, I’ve come to this conclusion. “IT’S TIME WE GOT BACK TO THE BASICS.”You “see” it, “hear” it, and “feel” it every day on my Gusto Facebook page, a steady drumbeat of simplifying things; life has become way more complicated than we can possibly fathom or make sense of . We’ve made it that way. We, EACH of us, can also reverse this process. WHEN, not if, we start living and conducting ourselves in an INDIVIDUALLY fundamental manner that is a shining example of respect, honor, integrity, sincerity, kindness, dignity, courage, grace, and humility, our world will change for the better. Permanently. No more words like fear, doubt, despair, hopelessness, frustration, anxiety, depression, resentment, pride, ego, or fear.

It’s SO easy that I find it baffling we can’t all see that! Life really IS that simple! Now back to the beginning of this chapter before I close it, and its title. I could have called it “The King of Hearts…. Simplification trumps Complication.” And no, this isn’t about cards. This is no game. This is LIFE. Everyone who knows me well, either in person, through visiting this website/blog, or my Facebook posts, knows I have a lot to give to this world. It’s time we re-shuffled the deck and start fresh with our lives, individually, one at a time, practicing the principles I’m preaching. I’m just one player in that deck of cards….the “King of Hearts.”

Recently, I made a bold move on my Facebook page with the announcement of a newsletter called “Go for the Gusto in LIFE.” That was a little over 2 weeks ago and, so far, 87 people have decided they too, want to “get back to the basics” as I’ve described above. It’s a forum by which people can gather to share freely, learn from one another, and of course, to receive my own words of wisdom, advice, tips, and guidance, and for those who wish to take it a step further; to participate in paid private or group workshops designed to help those who WANT a jumpstart to a new way of living and thinking. It’s a commitment I don’t take lightly. So if you treasure the same values as many of us do; values like ALL of those I’ve described in this article and wish to rid yourself of those that plague you, then I KNOW you’ll join us. Make a commitment, a commitment to yourself, to your family, to your friends, to your WORLD. Nothing in life is more important than that!! Click here:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/GustoRamblings?sk=app_123077107711598

Now, more than ever, I believe with all my heart and soul Margaret Mead’s famous words; “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the ONLY thing that ever has.”

“Gusto”