Get out of the cave!
How many of us are running on auto-pilot or cruise control - Just going through the motions of everyday life, repeating the same mundane tasks over and over and accepting the status quo?
I think a lot of us are. I know I fall into that routine often enough. But, isn’t there more to life than just walking around with blinders on? – What about making a difference in the community, the world? – What about following your passions and achieving your dreams? – What about taking care of you? (Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically)
Everything starts at home, right? Well, when I say “home” – I mean within you. Get yourself in tune first and then you can take back that control you may have lost within your life.
I and perhaps you too, find myself thinking that I can’t make any real difference in the world. Well, that just isn’t so. People make a tangible difference every day.
What is it that fires you up?
– For me, a couple of big ones are: The abuse of animals and the FDA’s hypocrisy that caters to big pharmaceutical companies.
When I look at these two “big” things, I think that while I would like to help make a change, I feel overwhelmed and unarmed with the tools to do so.
I realize that I am not going to go to DC to lobby against the FDA and Big Pharma. – But, I have signed many a petition to rally against the issues and I have joined in the consumer boycott of using their drugs.
And as far as animal rights…I know that I’m not going to be a major player in the protection of all animals. – But, when I lived in MN I adopted two little Huskies and tried very hard to find their parents, got them scanned, ran ads in the papers, contacted all the right groups, took them to the vet and got all of their shots, cared for them for months, and finally found them two adoptive homes. Did I make a difference in changing the fact that people abandon their animals? No. Did I make a difference in the lives of those particular puppies? Yes!
So, you see when you feel like the issues are too large – remind yourself that even the small things really do make a difference and never stop being a part of the resolution.
Another place “auto-pilot” landed me is a slowly progressing weight gain. It did not happen overnight, but, I sort of just realized it overnight. I should not have let it get this far, but I did. Now, I need to take back the control and do something about it. I know there are a lot of women out there with a long road ahead of them as far as reaching their fitness goals and I wish them much success, for me I need to lose about 30 pounds, still no laughing matter. The most disconcerting is the fading level of strength and endurance that has accompanied the weight gain.
Shifting out of cruise control and into drive is the first step. Life is too precious to simply exist and not be a part of the larger picture.
Take care of yourself first and then get involved in what motivates you. Follow those passions that have been buried for way too long. Dust yourself off and drive into your future consciously with both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, headlights on, and shift from first all the way to fifth. – Where you can make great strides, progressing your life in a direction that you have chosen.
No more sleepwalking through life. We can all make a difference, if we choose to.
Look at this Sea Lion in Cabo San Lucas. Do you have any idea how hard it was for him to get on top of that rock?
I took several pictures of him, but I like this one the best. His head is turned all the way back almost like he is laughing at himself for ever having doubted that he could do anything he set his mind to. He wanted on that rock so he just did it.
He could have sat with the others (see below) on the smaller more surmountable rock, but he made a choice to go after what he wanted and he should be proud.
