My name is Anthony DeLuca and I'd like to share an update on my personal missions. I've learned so much since starting Rhapsodic Global February 3rd, 2014. I've seen many changes, experienced many challenges as well as successes. Recently I promoted the Great American Song Writing Competition, as promised my entry is at the top of this post. Before that I wrote about big changes being planned by the City of Arcata, my hometown. Before both of those stories I wrote about the passing of Trip, my doggo best friend who is beloved by all who were lucky enough to meet him.
Trip and I were together for five and a half years.. He's been gone for 7 months now. I miss him deeply, and unexpectedly some issues have come to my attention in his absence. What started as migraines less than five years ago has become something of a medical mystery involving pressure in my face and a slew of focus debilitating symptoms. It wasn't until I was alone with my pain that I realized how deeply in crisis I have been. All of this has been very difficult, but I continue to press on and do not intend to stop..
So what does any of this have to do with Starting a Business... ?
Life comes with many challenges and opportunities, and business is a philosophy of life albeit pretty flawed in practice. When I started Rhapsodic Global, it wasn't because I wanted to make a lot of money or become larger than life.. I started Rhapsodic Global when a few friends and I realized that social media sites were throttling our post and making it difficult to share our arts. I've been in love with writing for as long as I can remember, and I wanted to create a network that supports my passion.
I have a compulsion to write. If I don't exercise my chosen passion well, there's a quote that says a non-writing writer is a monster. Inaction causes me to overshare my thoughts and feelings, complicate my relationships, and confuse people around me with my intensity and inner conflicts. (Dramatized Statement) When we are blessed enough to discover our outlet, we owe it to ourselves and everyone else to exercise our crafts.. Losing Trip definitely exacerbated any issues I wasn't already facing, it's time to get back on the horse.
All my writing before starting this project...
Current writing below, songs only..
Writing has always helped me organize my thoughts and communicate my feelings, as a creative outlet it benefits my temperament to write. Naturally my outlet turned into a passion for song writing. Rhapsodic Global began so that my friends and I could promote our arts and services without being throttled in the news feed. It seems so silly, but back then you had to pay to get your 'like page' seen and Facebook was basically it next to Twitter. Now there are several alternative sites for artists and entrepreneurs to build up their communities.
Now I share music journaling playlist for commercial free listening, promote my connections and our communities, and build my professional portfolio all right here on RhapsodicGlobal.org. I knew in college that I wanted to see advertising that helped people get their life together, but I never thought I'd be the person creating that space. In our first blog post ever, "Why Would Anyone Want to Start a Business?" I listed some reasons someone might want to start a business.
Among those reasons, one was that we may feel called to a specific passion or purpose. That's what this is to me, it's been a journey and I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. There's still so much more to do before this project is really operating close to it's potential, I'm committed. I will always support creative outlets and productive interests. But I'm not very happy recently, largely because of my chronic pain but also maybe because it's so unnatural to spend ones life working as much as it takes to start a business.
Trip wanted to live in the mountains where he was from, and so did I...
This commitment has come with many challenges, none have shaken my intent quite like the past 7 months. Once Trip passed, I realized how much my chronic illness is actually ruining my focus daily, diminishing my effectiveness and lowering the value I hold for my own life. It appears that one of my wisdom teeth has grown into my sinus, and it's causing air to become pressurized in my face until it forces it's way out of my teeth and inner cheek. This pressure is making it very difficult to focus, as well as breathe and swallow at times..
See upper right wisdom tooth (your left)..
As of right now, I have had such a hard time getting proper care that I began to see giving up as an option. It's so unlike myself to consider such a terrible thing, and that's what's at risk here. I set out to turn my ideas into reality and I'm certainly being tested on many different levels. Today I discussed the issue with my referral agent, and thankfully they agreed that I need an advanced specialist because of how abnormal my issue is. Anyone who knows me knows that is not abnormal for me to experience abnormality.
It's pretty crazy to think about how when Trip and I met, Rhapsodic Global was still a pipe dream and I was broke. Trip and I spent many great years together, and losing him really hurt more than anything that's happened probably in my entire life. I never believed I would have a dog before him, but fate brought us together. And it was my dedication to Rhapsodic Global that brought me to Trip. Life has a way of reflecting back at us, it's quite magical really, and we may only get one life to make the most out of it.
It's been nine years since I set out to start a business. The lessons learned are beyond valuable as they lead to growth and experience. What I'm learning is that everyone fights a personal battle. If we determine ourselves we can transform our battles into victories. For me it's creating a space to support productive interests, and exercising my own. Remembering that this is who I am, that it's important to live and to write. With that I'll share a list of personal lessons gained through starting a business..
A few things I've learned from Starting a Business...
A life of service is the only life that is free, when we can choose who and what causes we serve that is freedom.
If you ever find yourself with some extra money, make sure to use a portion of it wisely for the purpose of growing more money.
Money is not the root of all evil, it is a magic wand creating our reality as a tool for measurement/exchange, though money can be used to exploit the vulnerable.
Do not be afraid to take risks, growth only happens when uncomfortable so we must determine ourselves to take the next step even when it seems uncomfortable.
The secret to creating anything we want in life is two pronged, and fulfilled with many principles. Read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill for more insight into this.
Persistence was a theme in the first starting a business blog, and so it is still true now.
Good and bad people exists in every idealism and organization on the planet, and most people believe we're doing what's best.
Everyone will encounter a personal struggle, which means each of us also holds the key to ending someone else's suffering with what we learn from facing our own.
To be concise is almost always better than detailed communications.
I must practice what I preach, nobody will understand or believe in Rhapsodic Global unless I bring my productive interests into the spotlight.
Discipline is about responsibility and habit forming; our habits are catalyst for creating our lifestyle experience and reality.
You never know who is going to benefit from your story unless you open up and share.
People may try to copy your idea, but if you provide a better rendition it won't matter.
Perhaps most importantly, we must have faith in something in order to commit to action, nothing works without faith.
An honest person is an effective person, our word is our bond and sacred virtue.
The resolutions I'll have to keep sharing with every project post and promotion, as it is appropriate to stay quiet until there is something worth sharing!
Life is precious, we all die, love fully because we never know when our time is up.
My Amazon Wishlist for anyone that wants to play Santa Clause:
This Thoughts & Blogs post was written by Anthony DeLuca of AnthonyJosephDeLuca.com, and donated to be shared on RhapsodicGlobal.org!
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