This was one of those days that started with good intentions. I was going for five days in a row blogging. And here it is, almost 8:30pm, and I'm finally just sitting down and knocking something out. Well, that is not really a bad thing because the important thing is to write. So right or not, I write...like a rite of commitment. Seriously, so much of what we do is just showing up. So here I show up, sit down and share. It may not be much tonight, but it is something. And there you have. Just a reminder to me, and to whomever thinks about not showing up, show up. Its better than not showing up at at!
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6/3/2019 0 Comments What Do You Want Out of Life?So there I was, minding my own business, having wrestled with the idea that I hadn't thought about my vision (dream) for my life was, when out of the blue, on Twitter no less, a therapist friend of mine tweeted about this article: I truly belief that the Universe is always listening or in synchronicity or the "ask and you shall receive" prophecy. In any case, this article, although aimed at therapists envisioning their ideal life, it really asks the questions that need to be asked when you are trying to achieve your dream or just a happy life. What time do you want to get up in the morning? What time do you want to go to work? What time do you want to leave work? What time are you wanting to exercise? Times for breakfast, lunch dinner, and with whom? Who are your clients, and what are their problems? How do you want to feel? How much money do you want to have? How much free time do you want? Do you want to do volunteer work, when, for whom and how often? To answer these questions might just assist me, for instance, in discovering what it is I really do want out of life. Some barometers to help find the answers are thinking about when I'm most happy. When do I feel like I'm doing what I want to do? Who's priority am I getting in line with? Interesting. What do you think? So I have been thinking, which is always dangerous as it can lead to action...or inaction, and both possibilities are fraught with consequences. Some consequences are intended or desired, like success, fame, fortune, satifaction. Other consequences are not intended such as failure, disillusionment, alternative unexpected success, love, pain and on ad infinitum. Anyway, all this thinking has led me to wonder how one makes their dreams come true. Well, first, I suppose, is to have a dream. What is a dream? Its a desirable outcome, result or realization that brings happiness and satisfaction to your life. At least that is what I understand it to be. And the best way to make dreams come true is to wake up. But what if you have trouble figuring out what your dream is? I've struggled with this my whole life. I am not sure I have ever had a clearly defined, well thought out dream (vision) of what it is I want to be when I grow up. Funny thing, I grew up in spite of that. And now here I am, 67 years later, still trying to figure it out. So now I understand. To have a dream come true, you must first have a dream. That is so simple it is almost scary. Yet now I can tell you how not to have a dream come true: don't have one. Argh. And so there you have it. Time to start dreaming. It's never, as they say, too late. "Life handed him a lemon, As Life sometimes will do. His friends looked on in pity, Assuming he was through. They came upon him later, Reclining in the shade In calm contentment, drinking A glass of lemonade." The above poetic rendition of the phrase entitled The Optimist appeared in a 1940 edition of The Rotarian: I'm no Pollyanna, but I truly do believe most negative events in our lives can have a surprising positive effect. Call me crazy, but even you calling me crazy might cause me to stop and think about what I'm doing in a different light. Maybe looking on the bright side of life isn't always possible as they sing in Monty Python's Life of Brian. But I would like to think every cloud really does has a silver lining. (The sun is up there no matter what). Anyway, it is the first of the new month. As with every new month, I always think now is the time to start new things, clean out closets, work on establishing new habits. Of late I have been thinking I really should review my subscriptions and auto payments taken from my debit card. But of course I procrastinated. I would do it one day soon, just not today. Well, the Universe was listening and decided to take matters into its own hands. At 3am this morning a mysterious debit was attempted to a strange "customer service" organization in Boca Raton Florida. $44.14. Odd amount. Odd charge. I was concerned...and so was my credit union. Today being Saturday, I was surprised to hear from them at 9am. A recorded voice asked about that charge: Do you recognize it? No. Okay, we will block your card from further charges. You will need to come to the branch to get a new card issued. And so I did. It was the only strange charge thank goodness. New card. New PIN. Set to go. Then I realized I would need to review and update any regular withdrawals from my debit card. Aha! The Universe had forced me to do what I have been putting off. Lemonade from lemons. Cleaning up my accounts. Yay. But there is one thing in all of this that I have to wonder. When did the Universe move to Boca Raton? Isn't that where the Golden Girls lived? Okay then. June is off to a good start. First blog of this month, second in two days. Things are looking up. And as I am now canceling several unwanted/unneeded/unused subscriptions, I will save a bit of money to boot. Happy June! |
Rob McMurray,
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