90-to-40: Can you make change?

Day 42:

Do you embrace change? If we are honest with ourelves, "embrace" might be too strong of a word. I doubt anyone jumps for joy when everything suddenly becomes unfamiliar. It is unnerving and frustrating.

A better way to describe it might be that we understand the value of change because we have learned the good that comes from it. I've learned how to react to change with acceptance and anticipation,  rather than fear. It works out SO much better.

I firmly believe - from experience - that change is what makes me who I am....

Such as...

I change my attitude when I don't like how I feel. Even if I have to "fake it till I make it." I am sure some people may believe I am not being authentic by forcing a "brighter disposition" but if I want to change how I feel, then it's the most authentic thing I can do.

I change my environment constantly. I will work from different stations when I am at the office. I vary my work station at home too. I force myself to try new foods. I accept every opportunity to travel and experience different ways of life. 

I vary my exercise and change paths when I walk. I say "yes" to things that will put me in contact with people who are different from me.

Why do I do these things? Because I am prone to crawling inside my own little world where everything stays the same. I am addicted to comfort zones. Without forcing my own hand and proactively introducing change, I can get into quite a rut.

So... as I approach 40, there are a few things I want to change. That may involve trying things I've never tried. It may mean that I ask other people how they do things. It may even mean that I abandon some things that tend to trap me, all together.

By doing this, I will discover new things I like, different things I enjoy doing and new, interesting people. Or... not. I may like the old way better and stick with it.

Either way, I will learn more about who I am - and - who I can become. At the very least... my life will be interesting. 

I don't blame you if you want things to stay the same. I can't fault anyone for sticking to what they know. It is your life. But... I do worry a little that you may be missing out on something. I mourn the experiences you won't have - mostly when I can see that youwant to change, but dont.

You may even think I become too different from you. Or...I may think you are too much the same. However,  I will respect your choice - AND - I will continue to try and show you how change has made my life remarkable.

90-to-40: Watering the roots

Day 43:

This blog is very important to me. I feel like I'm approaching a very auspicious time in my life and it's important to work it out in words. I'm not sure what it is, but I believe something truly remarkable is about to happen in my life. All I know is that it involves my passion and talent for words.

Unfortunately, today I am struggling to find words powerful enough to express what is beneath the surface. And since the most powerful words I know have already been spoken, I decided to remind myself of some which have moved me, fed my spirit and brought me inspiration over the years. 

I'd like to share a few with you...
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In no particular order...

 "To live your life in your own way, to reach the goals you have set for yourself, to be the you, you want to be. That is success."  - Unknown

"Be kinder than necessary to everyone you meet, for everyone is fighting their own battle." - John Watson

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Life is not about the number of breaths you take. It's about the moments that take your breath away." - Unknown

"The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude." - Oprah Winfrey

"You should be ashamed to die without having made a remarkable difference in the world. Be a rainbow in someone's clouds." - Maya Angelou (heard live at a speaking engagement I attended a few years ago).

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost

"You could be the hope I need to stand again. Don't forget me when I fall." - Mark Smeby

"For as long as I shall live, I will testify to love." - Wynonna Judd

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions." - Proverbs 10:12

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:34-35

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Elanor Roosevelt

“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." - Unknown, The Serenity Prayer