Is your current perception of “the way things work” truly an accurate picture of reality?
Or is it really just a default assumption of “the way things work” based on “the way you’ve worked things”?
one way to get unstuck
Most of us would agree that change is a good thing – positive change, that is. And yet, for all that we complain of feeling “stuck”, what’s keeping us from the change we want?
One potential reason: We refuse to accept our immediate reality. Now I’m not speaking here of “accepting” it as good or bad, right or wrong, etc. I’m talking about acceptance as a non-judgmental realization of what actually is; not what we think we’re thinking, but what we are actually doing.
The value of honest acceptance is extreme: If you even moderately defy the facts of your present reality – your actual “doing” patterns – then you are effectively holding yourself hostage to those patterns, and you will remain powerless to change your conditions.
On the other hand, if you can find the courage, strength, or whatever else you need to accept your present reality as-is, then it immediately becomes entirely within your power to make changes to it or preserve it – as you wish. The choice is within your capabilities right now.
dare to dream big
Big Dreams. At one time or another we’ve all had them.
Unfortunately, as we accumulate experiences in the Real World (such as it is) over the years, our Big Dreams have a tendency to fade into unmet needs &/or wishful thinking. Or sometimes they end up as Goals – tempered by some notion of what is “realistic” – that are really just shadows of what we truly want out of Life.
So what’s the answer to this conundrum?
Dunno. I will however offer the following words of tepid comfort:
Dreams, by their very nature, are unattainable. But I think that unattainability is where their real value to us lies. The older & more “experienced” we get, the more we need the impetus to stretch ourselves to become our best, and our Big Dreams fit the bill quite nicely indeed.
So dare to dream, and when you do, Dream Big – it’s good for ya!
there’s great power in being deliberate
It’s tough – and maybe even a little scary – to choose a “direction” to head in. It all seems so irrevocable, so naturally you want to avoid making the “wrong” choice.
The danger here is that it is all too easy to find yourself refusing to choose any direction at all. And when you refuse to choose, you are in effect choosing to stand still, which goes against the laws of nature, man and the universe. So you end up with the worst choice possible.
While there is no definitive answer as to what direction is best for you, it might help to keep in mind the words of the immortal bard:
“Be not afraid of growing slowy, be afraid only of standing still.”
And if you don’t care all that much for Shakespeare, here’s my personal opinion:
Live each day deliberately, and you’ll live well!
a note on wisdom
There is no wisdom so deep as that which always questions.
do you truly inquire or just lament?
A question is truly a question only when you truly expect that there is a concrete answer to it within your reach.
Unfortunately, from time to time we find ourselves asking questions – especially of ourselves – that we don’t really believe have a reachable answer. This usually happens when we feel angry or frustrated or anxious about something, and so we often end up feeling dissatisfied, weak or even powerless just from asking.
The upshot is that these “questions” often sound & feel like lamentation or whining; this is so because that is precisely what they are.
Consider this thoroughly, and find yourself well-prepared the next time you ask yourself “Why?”.
how to combat zealotry
See the truth in moving water; the falsehood in stone.