Day 165: Our relationship

Just keep focusing on what feels good.

The things that create ease.

The things that delight.

The things that excite.

Dream so big it's scary.

The excitement is the foundation.

The fear is the true desire.

If we didn't want something, we wouldn't fear not having it.

It's a strange relationship, but a relationship nonetheless.

It's a relationship we can foster, grow and strengthen - 

and maybe one day even understand.

Our relationship with ourselves.

Day 164: Friday Foolery

 

Because if everything made sense life would be too boring...

Day 163: Curry

A cup of Curry gets put into the microwave to be heated up. 

- Darkness -

The microwave starts and the lights come on. The Curry eyes his surroundings suspiciously as a disgusted look slowly spreads across its face. 

". . I don't think I like dirty microwaves . . ," It says to itself.

The Curry becomes more and more aggravated with each passing second. The pieces of previous occupants stuck to the walls only add to the slow boil bubbling inside.

"Think you're gonna put me in a dirty microwave, huh?!"

The slow boil was now raging.

"Think you don't need to clean up for me, huh?!!"

"Think you do--" and then it was too late. 

The Curry exploded. 

Blew it's top. 

Hit the roof.  

It had reached its limit and there would be no coming back.

-------------------------

The microwave has never been cleaner.

Day 162: An Embrace

Yesterday at work my boss used the phrase "in the closet." 

It brought to mind a thought I had weeks ago at the Pride parade. 

Many people in front of me right now - members of a very marginalized community - are happier than a large number of the majority.

I've heard in passing skeptical beliefs, that one's sexual orientation is a choice. 

I don't believe that any human would intentionally choose a lifestyle laden with ridicule, prejudice and discrimination. 

It's not a choice.

But it is an embrace - of who a person really is.

What we fail to fully learn in our society is that the ultimate freedom in life is being true to oneself.

 

This means seeking out and focusing on the things that make us happy and light us up. 

This means saying yes to the deepest desires of our hearts.

This also means taking a real look at our pains and struggles and how we are addressing or avoiding them.

This embrace of self-truth is not reserved for minorities or marginalized people. It is for everyone.

Because once we embrace ourselves, we can more fully embrace others.

Day 161: One Courageous Act

This morning a thought popped into my head.

The most entertaining, funny, or engaging people appear as such, not because of a certain trait or skill they have, but rather because they are fully embracing who they are.

They are simply being. To the fullest extent possible.

No restrictions. 

No comparisons. 

Just being who they are. 

Focusing on what they enjoy and what lights them up.

That's the secret.

It's acknowledging your path - the one that calls out to you every so often - and actually taking it..

I'm beginning to do this and, boy, is it scary. The feeling/sensation of allowing yourself to even imagine the dream inside of you being reality is - hard to describe.

I start to feel nervous - my hands (or perhaps my whole body) start to shake. I feel energized with a sense of delight (along with some disbelief). 

 

And then it hits me. 

This isn't actually nervousness or fright - it's excitement.

I think in the idea of 'excitement' there's always some component of nervousness. None of us can see the future or know for sure how things will turn out. But to a much larger degree 'excitement' is the desire and longing of the heart, creating a vibration that hums so rapidly it can be unstoppable - if we're courageous enough to lean into it.

Happiness is available to all of us. A life of delight is one we can all have.

It starts inside of us. 

It starts with the thing that keeps coming back to our thoughts; the thing that keeps filling us with a sense of joy.

It starts with one very courageous act.

Saying 'Yes' to ourselves.

Day 160: Unexpected

Some things in life seem like they are completely fixed.
Like they will never change. 

And then they do.

The trueness that's been trapped inside of them for so long finally finds its way to the surface.
And then breaks it.

This fresh fault like can evoke a number of different responses and views.

The only thing that can be safely agreed upon in such situations is that the change is unexpected.

Just like the change I observed in my Mass Cane plant.

Things change in unexpected ways. 

Regardless of the specifics, growth is always present.

Choose to nurture unexpected changes with curiosity, kindness, and openness - then delight in what they blossom into.

Day 159: Silenced

I made this collage a few years ago - 2019, I think. 

At the time I wasn't completely aware of the exact meaning behind it. But boy, does it seem obvious today!

When viewing it from the lens of our present, a time of societal regression of women's rights (amongst many other things), it's quite easy to see the message of silencing and oppression carried out by others.

. . .  but what about the silencing and oppression we carry out against ourselves?

How about the times we beat up on ourselves because we aren't:
  "good enough"
  "strong enough"
  "smart enough"
  "funny enough"
  "attractive enough"
  "important enough"
  [insert your personal "______ enough" here] ?

Or the times we hold our tongues for fear of:
 -what others will think
 -rejection
 -embarrassment
 -hurting others
 -disappointment
 -[insert your personal fear of ________ here] ?

Decisions based on the (assumed) actions of others will always silence the message, will always restrict.

Decisions based on what makes a person feel their best, energized, and alive will send messages far and wide.

Last time I checked, being mean and unappreciative of myself has never made me feel my best, energized, or alive. 

So, perhaps, the airlines got it right. 

Maybe in all of life it's important to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first before helping others. Because if we are short of breath and/or emotionally depleted, how can we sound our own call?