sometimes you should: practice gratitude

(Image Source)

This past week I went to listen to a Reiki practitioner talk. Her lecture went over the basics of chakras and their applications to life. Many things she said were full of meaning, but at one point she told a little story that really struck me. She was talking about her three young daughters. At times when they're out of control, kids being kids, the moment gets the better of her. She finds herself being a mother that she doesn't want to be, and has to take a step back to remember how thankful she is to have them. They are the single most important thing in her life, and she has to take care of them being the best mom she can. 

How many times have you found yourself snapping when you don't mean to, just like this? You use a rude tone with your mother and regret it later. Maybe you get annoyed with your job, and don't act like the employee you want to be. Things like this happen because we forget to slow down and put what is occurring into perspective. How do you really feel about the person you just yelled at, would you ever want to treat them that way? Perhaps you should be thankful for the fact that they are in your life, and don't forget, you're one lucky motherfucker for even having a job these days. Look at things for what they are, and you will realize that you should be thankful for most of it.

Out of gratitude, grows spirit. By being thankful for the things and people around us, we find the comportment that we wish to have. Take the time to remember it. Move a bit slower, use control, stop yourself before you say something you don't mean to. Give your inner being the time to acknowledge and it will take care of reacting in a positive way.  The first step is remembering to be grateful. It may take some practice, but the best version of your spirit will grow from there.

sometimes you should: dare to dream a new dream

(Image Source)

As I grow up, the learning never ends. Things change, my point of view and understanding are affected by the knowledge I've acquired. What was once a sure thought, isn't always, and all the same it can be hard to let go of. 

The dreams that I dreamt seemed so real - and they were - but now I watch them melt away as out of life's learning, others take form. It's hard to think that I was once overly enamored with something that today, easily floats to the back of my mind. Am I just having a moment of confusion that will pass? Simple as it sounds to turn my back, road blocks stand in my way. A sense of comfort and a fear of banishing old loves, are not so easy to surpass. When you're on the path to what you wanted for over half your life, you feel as though a new dream better be 100% shaped in your mind before any leaps of faith are taken. You quiet those stirring thoughts because the idea of a new goal is intimidating and scary.The thought of starting at ground zero is overwhelming. But maybe life needs to be flipped on it's head sometimes. Perhaps there should be moments when you have no idea what you're doing.

It's almost as though you have to be ten times more sure of this new dream than the last. It has to be worth it one-million times over. At points I have faith that I'm now mature and developed enough to really understand what I want, but who's to say that in ten years I won't experience an all new change of heart? I supposed the conclusion that I've come to is that it's fine. It doesn't need to be such a grandiose problem. Let the dreams come, listen to them. Chase dream, after dream, after dream. Big or little, it will all be okay. 

Until you let yourself dream a different dream, you will be stuck. Stop fearing change, let yourself expand and evolve into whatever might come. Dreams will build inside of you over and over again. After all, that's what life is: having new things to chase, a re-evolving passion and desire to accomplish fetes, gain experiences, and build your life path. Dreams are what will power you through this world.

sometimes you should: move consciously

For the most part, human beings are roamers. Each day, over 4.3 billion people ride the subway in NYC alone. We travel from place to place driven by, what I believe, to be the same force as life itself. We're always on the move - but, where are we going? Do we even know?

I love riding the subway with this question in mind, and trying to figure out who people are. So much of a human's identity is built into the movements that they make, from gesture, to travel, to experience. We are all in motion, living out a life that no one else has. Our movements make us unique.

It gets you to thinking about your own: the things you do, the places you go, and the people you interact with. Together, they all form you and your life. There are so many possible scenarios for that life, and it comes down to choice. Options may be tough to see, but the fact is that they are there. You can choose your movements consciously, and this realization gives a new-found inner strength to accomplish dreams and goals. 

As you question where other people are going, try to have a firm understanding of where your headed yourself. Move with care whether to figure out what you want, or whether to move towards what you already know you want. 

sometimes you should: practice patience

My grandmother slapped her card down on the table, and cheered with victory at her extra point. To my left a finger wagged in my face, my brother and her teammate, "you weren't patient enough!" I had felt secure with our four-point lead, but there it was slipping away. I cowered into myself, that wagging finger hit a switch. It had a point.

I don't think he really meant to teach me a life lesson, but I flipped it that way and decided to make an attempt to apply less haste in my daily life. I've been taking deep breaths and putting up stop lights when I want to leap forward, opening my mouth a little less and listening more.

 I've found that a lot of mistakes occur just because we act too quickly. But we're products of our surroundings, and it is easy to get caught up in the speed of things these days. At times, it feels like it's all about how much you can pound out in one day, but instead we should focus on a job well-done, not quickly done. It's always better to work on something, and then revisit it later with fresh perspective. Gather all of the details, don't hit send right away, and try not to want everything all at once. Accept that some things will take forever! It only means that you'll be able to look upon your actions and results with more pride.