Do Something!

The name metamorphosis implies transition. Transition from one place to another, from one state to another, from one being into another. It has to start somewhere. I made a decision to get started after years of analysis paralysis. I was so worried about making the wrong decision that I never made one. Bad move.

Langston Hughe’s poem Dreams comes to mind:

Hold on to your dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold on to your dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Filled with snow.

After years of observing time pass me by, I decided that I had to do something, anything! I could no longer be that broken winged bird. It was time.I applied to a graduate school program and am ready to move towards my new goal. I recognize that my journey will not be easy as I have two children and a husband, but it will be rewarding and fulfilling.

Similar to the garden I tend to in my backyard, I am now sowing more seeds in my life and I look forward to the new life they will bring.

What do you really want?

This is the question I asked myself for a number of years. It seems as if the answer would be obvious, I want a family, a nice house, a nice car… However, it is not that simple. Many people have those things, but are not happy. I’ve realized over time, that happiness is a state of mind, a state of being. Not a checklist being filled. There are happy homeless people and unhappy rich people. Why? The homeless person might be happy that he/she has no responsibilities for anyone except themselves. The person who has everything might be a slave to the very belongings they have. They hate their career or business, but must continue in order to keep what they have.

To find that happy spot within a person, that person has to look at a number of things. Their life, their finances, spirituality, organization, childhood experiences, career, and personal fitness. Each one of those areas must be examined and the question “am I happy with my ______?”. If the answer is yes, think about what makes you happy with that part of your life. How can that which makes you feel great be transferred to the other parts of your life? If you have a family, can you incorporate it into your family life? At this point, the assumption is that whatever makes you happy or feel good is positive. What if your happiness stems from some type of negative interaction? For example, you cannot be happy unless you step on a frog everyday. Then what? You need to analyze that type of behavior and decide what about it makes you feel good, then figure out how it can be applied in a positive manner. In certain situations, a counselor might be needed to help you go through the process that is being described above. There is nothing wrong with that. Having a qualified professional help you get to a better place in your life is an investment well made.

Life is too short to live a costumed life. Authentic living sets you free to not only living having a happy life, but also enjoying who you are as a person.

 

 

Time for change

Tired of living the same life scenario day after day? Do you feel like you want to jump out of your skin, your need for something different is so great? I went through that. It became this internal battle between myself and my soul. I wanted something different, however something different could possibly impact my family in a negative way. Now, I realize that moving in the direction I want to move in will only have a wonderful impact on my family. My family will benefit from my happiness. They will have a role model and will know what moving towards a path of success looks like. If I don’t change what I don’t like about my life, I will be miserable and everyone around me will be able to see it.

Now, the problem is, how do you go about changing your situation? That is the hardest piece of the puzzle. You have to decide what you want. Sounds easy, but very difficult. Some people would say instantly, “I want an undepletable pile of cash!”  or ” I want to be filthy rich!!”. Two problems there. The first problem is that being rich is a condition. The means by which you earn money is the vehicle. What vehicle would you drive on that journey? The second problem is, do you really want to be filthy rich? Have you looked at the true lives of the filthy rich? Not just the appearance of how they live… Think about that. Look past the life they SEEM like they are having and analyze the life they TRULY have. For example, Bernie Madoff, he lived a wealthy life. Now, how did he come by that wealth? By means of other people’s blood, sweat, and tears. At the end of his career, now he lives an austere life in prison devoid of the luxuries he had grown accustomed to. His wife lives in shame and seclusion, when once she was a social paragon and lived what was thought to be a dream. This is not a post about Bernie, he simply symbolizes that being wealthy is only part of the picture. If you research the lives of multi-millionaires and billionaires, you will find that many died penniless, loveless, and even in some cases homeless. Now, am I saying that being rich means you will be unhappy? Not at all. For example, Look at Walt Disney. He turned a lowly mouse into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. While doing so, he created an empire based on being happy and living a dream. Millions of children grew up listening to stories and watching Disney based movies. His legacy impacts millions on a positive way.

Living a fulfilling life will make you happy. If you become a billionaire while doing it, even better!!!  The first stop in living a life you love is to decide what that means to you. My next post will tackle the topic of figuring out exactly what you want in your life.

Happy Birthday!!

In life, we transition from one state to another. A constant state of metamorphosis. In the animal world, metamorphosis is used to indicate the change an animal undergoes as it transitions from it’s physical state at birth until it reaches it’s adult stage. People, similarly, undergo similar transitions physically, mentally, spiritually, financially… The list can go on and on. As a teacher, I encourage my students to transform their thinking beyond the realm of “right now” and prepare themselves for their future. It seems as if that message is a whisper in the wind. It exists for that moment, then it is gone.  Today, I plan to implement that message into my own life.  Make my life as fluid as I would like to have theirs be. Move towards becoming a better person as I live life.