Since my own mini version of Eat, Pray, Love and its transformational effect on my life (see previous blogs), I have been considering what it means to ‘resume’ my life and if, in fact, I even want to.
Heraclites (Greek philosopher) pointed out that ‘ time is like a moving river” and ‘you can never step into the same river twice.” To pick up where you left off would be impossible. The only real constant is change- from the cellular level on up. Getting stuck and wallowing in the ‘same old, same old” is a disorder of perception and has a perceptual remedy. Once we start seeing things as perpetually new and resist laying our templates, beliefs, judgments and fears on ‘life’, we can sprinkle the dust usually reserved for vacations on our paths each day (including freeways, subways, elevators) and open ourselves up to experiencing things as though we’ve never seen them before. Think 50 first dates and then back up a lot.
If we really tuned into the nature of things, we’d be motion sick from the dizzying rate at which one-thing morphs into another, we move from place to place, and from the endless parade of thoughts that marches through our minds constantly.
Perhaps because change is the underlying constant we human being create structures and comfort zones and prisons that keep us ‘safe’. There is nothing like stepping out of our usual routines (think vacations) to provide ‘contrast’ – i.e. to help us get clearer about what makes us happy. I’ve been on plenty of vacations that were but distant memory a week or two after homecoming.
The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. Since I’m aiming for sanity this time around I am very aware of not wanting to pick up where I left off and of wanting to keep the sense of adventure, openness and excitement alive. I came back clearer about what I want in terms of life-style, relationships and my business.
I’m creating new space and cutting lose what is dragging me down and holding me back. I’m cleaning out my closets and taking inventory. Just as I am about to blame her, him, it… I realize that it’s me! I am the one who is holding me back and I am gifted with chances to clear and release and enjoy my new lighter/freer reflection in the world.
For quite a while now I have been carving my “real” life out of what looks like vacation material. Living in the tropics helps as does having a postcard worthy view. It’s a work in progress, and I’ve taken ‘do-overs’ many times. Slowly and surely, by leaps and bounds, I’m getting to the point where the boundaries are blurring and my “real” life is taking on a more and more free wheeling vacation-like appearance and feeling.
Imagine that you have just returned from a month long cruise. It was long enough for you to truly step out of your day-to- day habits and notice how great you can feel. You are now ‘returning’ to the prospect of a whole new year. There’s no ‘going back’. How will you make it different? What seeds do you want to plant and nurture? And most importantly, what would you like to be celebrating on December 31st 2011?
Whether you go it one step at a time or by LEAPING, I’m offering a limited number of NO COST 15-minute INTENSIVE LIFE COACHING ASSESSMENTS to help you end 2010 on a high note and get excited about your life in 2011. Send me a message with your email (as a comment) and I’ll get in touch asap to schedule your Intensive.
Get ready to WOW yourself in 2011. There are going to be lots of BEFORE and AFTER’s and I hope that you’ll be one of them.
That would be wonderful.
Hi Anne… would love to spend 15 minutes (at least) with you! john.t.holmberg@gmail.com