I have a friend who literally takes life as it is delivered to her. She is the ultimate in Gypsy lifestyle and flying by the seat of her pants. Friends come and go. Places to stay for the night come and go.
I can't seem to wrap my head around if I like that lifestyle or not. I both envy and abhor the idea of letting life hit you full force.
There are several things that I have been able to do just because the timing was right or it sounded like fun for the moment. I never veered very far from the "norm" for me. I never did anything that was on the edge of being unlawful or anything like that - just deciding to go to a party with someone I didn't know or going to an event...Some of which would be an absolute no-no to my "perfect" sister. Who married, had 2.5 kids, dog and virtually a white-picket fence life.
But this morning, while I was in the shower (I do my best thinking/meditating in the shower). I was struck by the idea that my mom always worried about the peer groups my sister and I aligned ourselves with - to make sure they were good and "going somewhere in their lives." I recall the motto of the boyscouts (although not being a boy - I was never in. Nor was a good girlscout for the whole 2 months I was in that), "Be Prepared."
Which led me (in thought) to my friend. What I think exhilarates me about her life is that she does not let an opportunity pass. She is willing to take crazy risks. But she is no more in a spot of happiness than she was 5 minutes ago. Nor does she have a plan of any sort. She has been unemployed for a very long time and really exhibits no desire to actually get and/or keep a job - thinking that she has been doing fine scraping by as she has been for over a year now.
I realized that the real me is one closer to the boy scouts, to my mom's need to align myself with people who have a plan and a goal (although not so completely that I'm boxed in like my sister). So with that being said, I am making a goal for myself and putting the blinders on and the work in. I will find a great mentor who has made it in the company I am working for (it is 100% commission) I will pick his/her brain. I will find other great business mentors who have made a success of themselves.
I will drop those friends/people who do not lead to me being a better or happier person. If they aggravate me - there is reason for them NOT to be in my life and I need to cut them out. Done. If they desire to have the save drive and ambition. Come along for my ride. I have room in the car.
I'm no longer flying by the seat of my pants. But with a path in front of me - I'll still be flying.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Travel from the Living Room
It is snowing outside today in Denver. My kids and I are making the best of it - but not going out. This is something I virtually NEVER do. I would prefer to walk to the park, take a hike, go snowboarding, go to the store, visit friends. It is not that I don't like my house. I do. I just have this "thing" about staying in.
My mom says I come by this most naturally. My Grandfather purposefully forgot things at the store to ensure that he would "get" to go somewhere later or the next day. My mom is the same - I can recall the checkers at Albertson's near our house counting one day that my mom, dad or either me or my sister were dispatched to the store for one other item (why we couldn't just write a list to include everything I'm not certain).
Today though, I have spent a lot of time watching the Travel Channel (one of my faves) and perusing my newest copy of Travel+Leisure Magazine to transport me to another place. I have even discovered Pinterest. But then I started thinking about the one thing that I have not been able to find that was touched on in the magazine.
This month the magazine is titled "The Food Issue" where they tout 100 places to eat like a local. Which is great. I like to eat. And I had recently been asked for suggestions on where to eat in Denver that is really unique to Denver. (I have more than a few suggestions). It talked about how integral eating is to travel. Indeed this is true.
But what I don't often find is the local customs. I'm looking for something of a cliff-notes version of customs of the daily people in places I want to visit. Things like, Happy Hour in Denver, Colorado is typically something that would be held from 4-7p on a Friday night. On a typical Happy Hour, you will see drink specials (most often 1/2 price on wine, well & draft) and discounts on the appetizers. When a local does happy hour - they don't necessarily eat dinner. OR when in Paris, France don't expect to eat dinner at 7 p.m. and be in and out of the restaurant in an hour. That you will likely sit with others.
I love the idea that we are not really all that different from those across the world - but let's be honest! We are! We are different and we should embrace that. Even in our own neighborhoods we are different. We don't eat the same time as our neighbors - or even the same foods. I don't even eat the same thing as my parents anymore.
How are you different? How are we the same? Would you know your signature dish or your food customs?
My mom says I come by this most naturally. My Grandfather purposefully forgot things at the store to ensure that he would "get" to go somewhere later or the next day. My mom is the same - I can recall the checkers at Albertson's near our house counting one day that my mom, dad or either me or my sister were dispatched to the store for one other item (why we couldn't just write a list to include everything I'm not certain).
Today though, I have spent a lot of time watching the Travel Channel (one of my faves) and perusing my newest copy of Travel+Leisure Magazine to transport me to another place. I have even discovered Pinterest. But then I started thinking about the one thing that I have not been able to find that was touched on in the magazine.
This month the magazine is titled "The Food Issue" where they tout 100 places to eat like a local. Which is great. I like to eat. And I had recently been asked for suggestions on where to eat in Denver that is really unique to Denver. (I have more than a few suggestions). It talked about how integral eating is to travel. Indeed this is true.
But what I don't often find is the local customs. I'm looking for something of a cliff-notes version of customs of the daily people in places I want to visit. Things like, Happy Hour in Denver, Colorado is typically something that would be held from 4-7p on a Friday night. On a typical Happy Hour, you will see drink specials (most often 1/2 price on wine, well & draft) and discounts on the appetizers. When a local does happy hour - they don't necessarily eat dinner. OR when in Paris, France don't expect to eat dinner at 7 p.m. and be in and out of the restaurant in an hour. That you will likely sit with others.
I love the idea that we are not really all that different from those across the world - but let's be honest! We are! We are different and we should embrace that. Even in our own neighborhoods we are different. We don't eat the same time as our neighbors - or even the same foods. I don't even eat the same thing as my parents anymore.
How are you different? How are we the same? Would you know your signature dish or your food customs?
Sunday, March 17, 2013
What makes you better
What do you do to make yourself feel better, happier and healthier? I have been on a journey to discover what makes me a better me. Who I need to cull from my life and who I need to work very hard to keep. It is not just about people, but it is also about activities.
Is what you're currently doing causing pain vs. pleasure? What are you willing to change to make a change in your life? Why do you keep things that are not full pleasure? Why are we afraid of making that first step to add somethign new in our life to make myself better - or get rid of the things/people that are really tearing me apart?
So when I think about how I can feed my heart and my health I have to express that my life is one of a kind. I am an elite product made exactly who I am by God. He does not make mistakes - either in the life issues that I need to deal with or the people that have walked in and out of my life. When you think of or explain a challenge - I don't just think about the hardship but think about the benefit. I think about what it is that I am supposed to learn from it - or how I can do it better the next time.
As a team in the challenge of life, we need others to be on our team. But sometimes, you need to substitute the players. Sometimes, you get a new coach and sometimes you may even get traded to another team. Ultimately, for me I have to decide who will be on my team - when I build that roster. I only have intent to win to help those around me to win. To encourage and to continue to build up those around me - but hold those around me accountable for their actions as well. I have to be a leader in my own life. How will you?
Is what you're currently doing causing pain vs. pleasure? What are you willing to change to make a change in your life? Why do you keep things that are not full pleasure? Why are we afraid of making that first step to add somethign new in our life to make myself better - or get rid of the things/people that are really tearing me apart?
So when I think about how I can feed my heart and my health I have to express that my life is one of a kind. I am an elite product made exactly who I am by God. He does not make mistakes - either in the life issues that I need to deal with or the people that have walked in and out of my life. When you think of or explain a challenge - I don't just think about the hardship but think about the benefit. I think about what it is that I am supposed to learn from it - or how I can do it better the next time.
As a team in the challenge of life, we need others to be on our team. But sometimes, you need to substitute the players. Sometimes, you get a new coach and sometimes you may even get traded to another team. Ultimately, for me I have to decide who will be on my team - when I build that roster. I only have intent to win to help those around me to win. To encourage and to continue to build up those around me - but hold those around me accountable for their actions as well. I have to be a leader in my own life. How will you?
Believe
What make you believe in the things that you do? What makes you believe certain thoughts of yourself?
I have recently been watching the show Downton Abbey. It is a great show about an aristocratic family in England. It takes the viewers through the lives of not only the Ladies (and Lords) but also that of the servants.
Which makes me do a lot of thinking. About how there really was division in how to act, react, who we are to communicate with and how that communication is to be done. In the show there are times I can see some of my family members as part of that upper class. And others - that I can see in the servants and the hard day to day work.
So I am drawn to the question of - when did the lines become so muddled? While I love my jeans - I like to dress up and I wonder if I am teaching my kids a proper way...but then where is the place to do proper in today's society? Does it matter?
Good manners are always in fashion right? Good and proper dress is in fashion right? When did the rules go out the window - or did they and I'm just hanging around with a different crowd?
I have recently been watching the show Downton Abbey. It is a great show about an aristocratic family in England. It takes the viewers through the lives of not only the Ladies (and Lords) but also that of the servants.
Which makes me do a lot of thinking. About how there really was division in how to act, react, who we are to communicate with and how that communication is to be done. In the show there are times I can see some of my family members as part of that upper class. And others - that I can see in the servants and the hard day to day work.
So I am drawn to the question of - when did the lines become so muddled? While I love my jeans - I like to dress up and I wonder if I am teaching my kids a proper way...but then where is the place to do proper in today's society? Does it matter?
Good manners are always in fashion right? Good and proper dress is in fashion right? When did the rules go out the window - or did they and I'm just hanging around with a different crowd?
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Timing is everything
Some of my friends my know my propensity to claim that everythign happens for a reason. We meet certain people at a certain time in our lives. We go through certain heartaches and joys at a certain time. We have things happen that seem to be so unrelated to life that there must be a higher power orchestrating it.
I have had several odd things happen at amazing timing - that I am writing them down just to keep track of them. (And yesterday, my cousin indicated that I will win the voice over contest as good things have been happening to me in just right timing)...
Yesterday, we had paused before the last ski run of the day. My cousin had wanted to make the "4 o'clock run." The 4 o'clock run is basically when you are the last people on the slopes making that last run (therefore avoiding all the other people on the slopes). As we were waiting inside a lodge, the people that worked at the lodge were trying to clean up. They were moving the ski racks that were outside - that my board was leaning against. I noted they were moving them and hurried up and went outside. As we got outside, I realized that my board was gone. Just as I was leaning over the ledge, asking "where is my board?" a ski patrol man zoomed up on his snowmobile asking "is this your board." It was literally seconds after I had leaned over the ledge....he said it was way down the slope!
This morning, I had waited back at the condo with Sarah for just a bit before I was going to try to hit the road. We were cleaning. We had started the dishwasher. We sat for about another 1/2 hour when literally mid sentence, I decided to get up and say it is time for me to go. As I got to the doorway, I noticed a smell. For a few minutes we tried to figure out what it would be from. (It smelled like burning). We looked over just in time to see the dishwasher shooting black flames and we were able to put it out. Had I not decided just then to leave - would we have noticed the smell and/or the flames?
Although it escapes me now this is not the only two instances of things happening to me in incredible timing recently. I am certain that I am destined for great things coming my way. I am certain that I have angels watching over me and leading me to what is my true destiny.
I have had several odd things happen at amazing timing - that I am writing them down just to keep track of them. (And yesterday, my cousin indicated that I will win the voice over contest as good things have been happening to me in just right timing)...
Yesterday, we had paused before the last ski run of the day. My cousin had wanted to make the "4 o'clock run." The 4 o'clock run is basically when you are the last people on the slopes making that last run (therefore avoiding all the other people on the slopes). As we were waiting inside a lodge, the people that worked at the lodge were trying to clean up. They were moving the ski racks that were outside - that my board was leaning against. I noted they were moving them and hurried up and went outside. As we got outside, I realized that my board was gone. Just as I was leaning over the ledge, asking "where is my board?" a ski patrol man zoomed up on his snowmobile asking "is this your board." It was literally seconds after I had leaned over the ledge....he said it was way down the slope!
This morning, I had waited back at the condo with Sarah for just a bit before I was going to try to hit the road. We were cleaning. We had started the dishwasher. We sat for about another 1/2 hour when literally mid sentence, I decided to get up and say it is time for me to go. As I got to the doorway, I noticed a smell. For a few minutes we tried to figure out what it would be from. (It smelled like burning). We looked over just in time to see the dishwasher shooting black flames and we were able to put it out. Had I not decided just then to leave - would we have noticed the smell and/or the flames?
Although it escapes me now this is not the only two instances of things happening to me in incredible timing recently. I am certain that I am destined for great things coming my way. I am certain that I have angels watching over me and leading me to what is my true destiny.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)