I really wanted to write something at the end of last year, when my Facebook feed was littered with people wishing 2016 away. It actually happened the year before as well, but it wasn’t as predominant in my feed as it was at the end of last year, and it made me sad that people were just wishing days away or years for that matter.
Instead of wishing time away, how about taking time to stop and look at what lesson or message there was in the event/s that were so bad. Don’t go wishing time away, just wake up the next day and reset. Everyday is a new day and an opportunity to reset – if that’s what you feel you need. Take the opportunity to make sure when you reach the end of 2017 – no matter what has happened in your life, you will not need to wish a year away, but you will have some memories that you loved so you can be grateful to be ALIVE.
I have been catching up with a few friends lately and it seems that we and other people we know are in the same boat…. and where is that boat going you might ask?
Well that’s the interesting part, we’ve all been on an interesting change of life the last couple of years, where we have really just thrown caution to the wind and left jobs and careers that were no longer serving us.. Took a leap, and just trusted that if we just started doing what we ACTUALLY wanted to do, then it would all be fine… And you know what…. it has been.
It hasn’t been a magic carpet ride, and we have had to do odd jobs to get through, but because we have a purpose, those odd jobs are rewarding, and it just makes you appreciate everything you have in life so much more, the simple things…everything..
We haven’t ended up on the streets.. We’ve not only survived, we’ve thrived, and are happier than we’ve ever been. We are on this rollercoaster of life and we don’t know where it’s going or how long we are going to be on it, but we also aren’t projecting ourselves too far into the future either. Just one day at a time, one week at a time, and enjoying what each day brings. But because we have created this space in our lives, we are more open to the cues – rather than being on the groundhog day treadmill of life.
Like everyone, we have hope, goals and aspirations, but right now, in this moment, have no idea how we are going to get there… but you know what… It doesn’t matter.. If you live your life, and I don’t mean that in a cliché way. I mean LIVE IT, being grateful in each day and in every way and for everything you have, for the sun rising, for the food you eat, the friendships you have, it’s amazing how much joy you can create in one day.
The Sun in a powerful reminder – something we don’t do naturally – although it is the one thing we should, try simply smiling at the sun and being grateful that it has risen again – for you – when you see it in the morning and feel how good it feels. Yes – it sounds cliché – but can you just try it for a couple of days and see what happens and when you do go for that walk and I don’t mean with music going in your ears either, that’s just another distraction.
Listen to the sounds of nature as well. Actually listen. Nature puts on a show for you every day, and most people are missing it. It’s always trying to get your attention. If you start paying attention to nature instead of your mobile phone, you will find you will be more connected to yourself than you could possibly ever be from any connected device.
Once you start creating a bit of “space” in your life, whether it is a walk in nature, meditation or yoga, watching a sunrise or sunset, it will be easier to start to pay attention to the cues life gives you to move you in the direction of greater charm and happiness and keep you on track, and then you can make it to the end of the year without having to wish it away.
It’s actually that simple, it really is…..
In my research of those friends and acquaintances including myself who are on the rollercoaster of life right now- all have one common thread, we have been just living each day at a time, we have busy days and shitty days, we have great days, but we just accept it all for how it is and keep moving forward. We have a goal, how we get there hasn’t been revealed to us yet, it doesn’t matter, so we just keep moving forward, and know and trust that somehow, somewhere we are always being guided and if we trust that we deserve nothing but the best in this life, then that is what we will have, and what we do have.
There is going to be twists and turns but that’s OK – I look at them as course corrections, when we start to veer away from where we are suppose to go, course correction, and when we are heading in the right direction, it’s like we are in cruise control in a slip stream, and the fun part is trying to stay in the slip stream, and you do that, by creating space in your life, and paying attention to all the cues that nature is always giving you.
Try this – Go for a walk sometime this week and leave your phone at home and listen to nature, look at nature, and say hi to people as you walk past. I have noticed that since I don’t have headphones in my ears on my morning walks, people actually say “Good Morning” to the people who aren’t distracted or can actually hear them say good morning. And if you are walking in the morning and you see the sun. Say thank you for rising today and giving us life (or a simple knowing nod) – we take for granted that the sun will rise every day and how often do we ever say Thank You to the one thing that gives us life.
Food for thought…. Sometimes we all need reminding…. So come on…. Get on the boat…. Find your Slip Stream and Enjoy the ride..
I’ll leave you with one of my all time favourite quotes from Dr Wayne Dyer:
When you change the way you look at things, The things you look at change