August 01, 2010

When asked if she would continue to perform even after retirement, Beverly Sills was reported to have responded, "No. I've done that already."

So many times we complacently stay within the boundaries of our comfort zones. Predictable outcomes spring from predictable behaviors, and set the tone for the remainder of our life. Job seekers find themselves locked into typecasting deadlocks when work history on a black and white resume indicates a pattern of inertia. Upon spiritually breaking free of the banal routine, the awakened employee finds difficulty in convincing a new employer of capabilities other than his history denotes. Yet, the sense of freedom earned from realizing we are more than our occupation proves addictive and life-changing. Giving ourselves "permission" to be extraordinary, to step away from the limited viewpoints of our past, brings us to fresh experiences and with it, a more fulfilling future.

Do something you never did before
This morning at breakfast a friend shared photographs of a cave in southern Arizona. Peppersauce cave spans 7000 feet and includes 3 large lakes. A few years ago, divers explored one lake and found ancient ladders left there by native people, indicating a rise in water level. After reaching a depth of 300 feet, the divers still did not reach the bottom. While I've never entertained the idea of spelunking, the photographs intrigued me enough to imagine crawling, climbing and creeping through a natural playground.

Cave exploration on a figurative level takes us within the hidden crevices of essence and to the depths of psyche. Taking the risk to crawl around inside of who you are requires no special equipment or preparation. It harbors little danger and offers great rewards. Poke around in the hidden rooms of your spirit. Take a look at the stalactites of old attitudes and conditions, hanging on tightly to your inner barrier. Move around the obstacles of stalagmites of "I can't" and find the path to your true self.

Not Yet
When approaching the only means of escape in the film the Matrix, Neo asks Trinity "Do you know how to fly this thing?" Looking at the helicopter undaunted, she responds, "Not yet."

So often we approach life within the limitation of what we think we already know. When we dare to speak loudly that we possess all the tools we need for success, the Universe rewards our self-confidence and assuredness with results – sometimes way beyond our expectations. Remember that simply because you haven’t done something in your past, you are not restricted to staying there. So what if you've never done something before? Is that it for the rest of your life? Who made the rule that you can't learn or do anything new? You did! Break free from self-imposed limitations and dare, try, and expand your possibilities. The willingness to learn something new compliments our nature with such positive sunshine that our spirit grows into a lush garden of self-expression. Whatever the results, know that the true importance and the true lesson learned appeared when you made the decision to try something new today!

Been there, done that
Ho-Hum. Sometimes we marvel at how boring life appears. Same old, same old. Same stuff, different day. Stuff happens. Another day, another dollar. We humans profess to detest the status quo, yet seldom do anything to break free from it. We'd much rather whine and complain and suffer that life has "done me wrong." Wait a minute? Who's living YOUR life for you?

You hold all the choices, all the options all the opportunities you need to change your life. The next five years doesn't have to look like the last five years. Really, it doesn't. You don't have to take a vacation in the same place every year – even if you own a timeshare. When he’d take a different route home, my Daddy used to say, “When you take a new road, you open up a whole new world.” Explore what's out there – the world awaits you. When you reach the end of your life with your checklist smudged, crinkled and barely legible, then you can rest in the joy of knowing you really did go there, and do that and be your authentic self!

Belief in oneself, knowing you possess everything you need to not only make your life work, but to succeed and experience fulfillment brings you happiness. As far as I know, we're never going to be done learning. Life is a continuum of problem-resolution lessons. Daily we face new challenges for which we hold no experience. As best you can, without judgment, examine your hesitations and doubts and then set them aside. Your spirit already knows your capability and your greatness, and it waits for you to set it free. Of course you can do it – you simply haven’t done it YET!



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