change your mind

Don't be afraid to change your mind. It happens a lot. This is life. We only pretend to have answers. But there are always questions and opportunities to learn. Those things teach us and widen our experience of life itself.

Those who cling to their faulty beliefs far after they've been given clues to move on are the foolish ones. Consistent, perhaps. But, they never grow in wisdom. They spend life defending instead of exploring. You don't want that.

it's a choice

Woman that hustles endlessly,

You need to know -- that way in which you live is a choice. The hustling to please. The stack of work that never ends. The failure to fully breathe. The scarfing down a sandwich forcefully. Your haste in life. It's a choice.

Some days it will seem far from one. Many times it will look as though there is no other route. But, you need to know, you do have a choice.

Entertain that possibility just for a moment. It may change your life.

The thing about the choice is -- it requires courage. Courage first to recognize it there. Courage second to act counter to what is status quo.

Others will look at you as if you're crazy. They aren't too far off. You sort of are. You're stepping into a reality they can't even imagine. In fact, it won't exist unless you choose to go there.

Go ahead, keep moving in that direction... even when they think you're crazy. There is where real change happens. For you. And for them.

Muster courage, fellow traveler, and lean into this thing called choice.

wisdom

Wisdom,
like an avalanche,
I find you here now.
I do not stop to question
where you've been -
I know that anyhow.

Wisdom,
in the stillness,
you pry doors so tightly shut -
ending the reign of stagnation
by whose hands
hope itself was cut.

Wisdom,
with such grace
you come cascading down -
stirring strength, bringing peace,
awakening life,
letting truth sound.

show

The day will rise and fall.

At it's close, you'll find yourself asking - what do I have to show for this day?

But, my dear, it isn't about what you have to show.

experiment

Life is an experiment. When you embrace that notion it becomes a lot more feasible to enjoy it.

As with a scientist, there may be some things you control. But then there have to be those aspects of which you can't fully predict what's to come. That's what makes it an experiment, after all.

It's easy to become obsessed with the controlling part, but don't dwell there. Bask in the experimenting. Instead of clinging to what is known or expected, dare to venture beyond. The venturing out oddly brings life to the controlled, routine aspects too.

It makes life, as a whole, way richer, more intriguing and just plain fun. Instead of simply going through the motions again and again, you move in a more spirited way. It lifts up, not just own your soul, but so too that of those around you.

Keep experimenting. Sometimes that requires resisting the need to know it all or be in control. At the end of the day, the freedom and fun found in experimenting is an invaluable reward.

[photo: aspen]

full

You will feel full...

when you...
accept the present
acknowledge that you are precisely where you need to be
commit to being in the here and now
choose to enjoy this moment
release the quest to do more, be more, have more

Easier said than done. Yes. Pursue that route anyhow.

all you see

You may fail to see them... all those things you are doing.

You may instead see the ways you don't measure up, the things you lack and all that's beyond your grasp.

It's essential that you don't stall there, though. It's imperative that you give attention to all the things you are doing.

Choose to be kind to yourself. Choose to celebrate. Choose to see the beauty in it all. You're meant to live life dancing in grace and joy.

the race

When you’re racing through life, you don’t always realize it.

I mean, you may feel the signs – a sense of overwhelm, inability to focus, insomnia… But, you may not realize fully what’s going on… or, you may fail to see that there’s another option. If you do see an alternate route, you’ll believe it lacks validity. You may dismiss it as lazy, crazy or something similar.

But, eventually, it all catches up. Eventually, it becomes loud and clear – your body has had it and doesn’t function like it should. Your emotions get out of control. Your mind can’t focus. You can hardly function under the weight of it all.

Why wait for that? Why fail to listen until it gets extreme?

This life… it isn’t a race, dear. Listen to the voice that reminds you of that. Listen, slow down and be present. That means you can’t be everything to everyone. That means you won’t be the most “successful” by many standards. But, that also means, you’ll have truly lived.

And that, my dear, is truly invaluable.

newport

refresh

Sometimes, we simply forget.
Forget that forever is an illusion.
Forget that everything need not last forever.
Forget that the release is essential.
Forget that it's healthy to let go.

But, it's time to remember the power of the refresh.