Sifting through the muck to reach the prize

What seems to us as bitter trials
are often blessings in disguise. ~ Oscar Wilde

For the past couple of weeks I’ve wrestled with psychological and emotional baggage that’s over 30 years in the making (and not flattering), which has also triggered a nasty case of monkey mind (also not pretty—see ‘Revisiting…’). Then add in to the mix an extra dose of restlessness that stems from myriad [new] dreams I dared dream and laid the foundation for last year, which I hope to begin living out in 2017. And most of the areas I’m working on will not and cannot realize change overnight. After all, it’s impossible to rush something you hope to last forever… or at least as long as you’re breathing. Any type of growth takes time. Healing—physical, emotional, spiritual or mental—takes time, too. I just need to remind myself of this while I wade through each trial to discover my own personal blessing.

Do you count them as today’s trials or blessings?

Image courtesy of fantasista at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Recognize the strides

On the heels of my restlessness—see “Circumnavigating discontent”—I do recognize the strides I’ve achieved along the path toward self-discovery. I’m slow to anger and less hurried, fearful and guilt-ridden; more in tune with the present and accepting of my weaknesses; filled with greater appreciation for life in its myriad ups and downs, as well as a deeper understanding that change triggers more—and better—and that we all have something within our hearts spurring us on. For me, writing is the catalyst (view “Preparing for Extreme Weather on the Jobsite,” recently published in Construction Superintendent eNews). Finally, an observation that every person we meet can teach us something—about the world or about ourselves—and that we are separate parts of one whole. A girlfriend shared that ‘uni’ means one and ‘verse’ is song. Which translates into each of us contributing our one-of-a-kind music notes to the universe, a collective symphony of light and love. At least that’s my hope.

What strides have you taken lately?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

How to live the life of your dreams

[Image credit: Stuart Miles]

 

I tend to gravitate toward articles and advice on how to be happy, to get what I want—to be successful at life. Don’t misunderstand—I’ve experienced happiness. I’ve also obtained a few things I want out of life, as well as achieved modest success. But, there’s a part of me I describe as restless, a feeling of inner turmoil. The knowledge there is more. So I keep shopping around, trying on new ideas, mixing and matching until the perfect ensemble comes together and I’ll be living the life of my dreams Someday. Here are five simple and commonsense steps, paraphrased from mindbodygreen.com, to get started: 1) make it a goal to actively change whatever you don’t like about your life; 2) find a way to make your goal happen; 3) surround yourself with positive people; 4) practice gratitude today—look for things that are right in your life—while actively trying to change things and 5) don’t be lazy!

Are you living the life of your dreams?

Midlife what?!

[Image credit: Stuart Miles]

While chatting with another writer the other day, I mentioned my ever-present feeling of restlessness and suggested I was having a midlife crisis. She prefaced her response with the words, “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but …” After talking to several people, she concluded that, as writers, we constantly strive for more—for change, for adventure. Because we spend a large quantity of our time observing the world around us, this causes us to feel as if we’re missing out on something bigger than our little lives. And it becomes challenging to go about our daily routines because our inherent longing prevents us from truly living in the present—unable to release the past in our personal lives and constantly focused on our future dreams … our Someday. Well that’s encouraging. Not. But at least it’s not a midlife crisis. Just something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life.

Do you feel restless, like you’re missing out on something?