It's the trip, not the destination

Mountains, Meadows and Valleys

In the journey of life, we are never promised tomorrow.  

We are here today, we have a hope and a plan for the future.   We set a path, we make decisions and choices that meet our plans today and influence our tomorrow.

We have a destination in mind of where we would like to go in the future. Where we see ourselves in a year, five years, as adults, as employees, professionals, parents and far into the future of retirement.  

We have our personal expectations of how we want and what we envision our future to be.

Then, there is reality.   We get a job, we get married, have kids, get divorced, get rich, get poor, get injured or sick, look after family members who get injured or sick,  get stuck with debt and so it goes.

During these life moments, we have to alter or change course in order to continue to stay to the destination that we had in mind for our future.

Learning to make course corrections because of obstacles requires resiliency.   When lost in the valleys we have to use past experience, curiosity, the compass of our personal beliefs, strength and courage.

In the process of moving forward into uncharted territory that does not appear anywhere near to the life map that we had planned, it could be easy to feel sorry for ourselves, angry at the world or even give up and settle. 

Today, in the company of women, I was reminded of  the value of resiliency.

Each woman had Multiple Sclerosis.  Each had symptoms that were unique to themselves.   Each had personal experiences and stories of how the disease had presented in different  physical manifestations.  Yet there was a common thread, resiliency.

Not allowing themselves to be stuck in the valley of despair or pity, but, learning to deal with how the map they were given for their planned future didn't look like the trip they had planned.  

Listening to how each had learned to manage their disease, made course corrections or who's trip had been taken to a different destination was a good reminder...

"Life is series of experiences, of which we can plan to where we want to go, pack what we think we need.  However, we need to be open to the possibility of a change of course, even when presented as mountains to high to climb, or valleys to deep to cross.  We will arrive at a destination we can be proud of because of our resiliency".

Trying my hand at writing

There are many things we can do to be productive and active.   Sometimes it is actually moving, sometimes it is just moving your fingers and your brain.

I have always enjoyed spending time writing.  It helps me think.   It helps me work through thoughts and feelings that I have not spent time acknowledging. 

This process is at times a lost art in all of us.   We forget that our insides sometimes need to be outside and shared.   Shared that we are not the only ones that have these types of thoughts and feelings.

Sometimes we don't do this because we are afraid that we will be made fun of, that our thoughts and feelings are wrong and people would make fun of us if we actually said what we thought.

We can continue to be afraid of sharing our thoughts and feelings, but, what happens then?   The hamster wheel of emotions runs faster and we think of all the things that could happen, of the things we are doing wrong, of the things that we should have done better.  

The best thought I have is to be brave, say how you feel.   Write it down, sing it out, play it out on an instrument, talk to a friend, talk to yourself(that one actually sounds crazy, but, have a two way conversation with yourself and be your best devils' advocate.)

Be brave, be strong and try something new or pick it up from something you used to do.   Nothing will be gotten from not trying.

#discoveringyourpassion.

Moving down a path

Finding your passion

And so it has been said, 'Find your passion and you never have to work a day in your life."

Forest Growth

This may or may not be true.   However, if you spend all your time doing the things that make you feel full and alive, there is little room left for work.

This year has had its share of slow downs.   MS has a way of making you slow down.  You don't have the energy to spend in tasks that drain the energy you do have.

Thinking about the steps you have to take to complete a task requires energy.   More than we realize. 

Thinking about what I have to do, or doing the things
I have to do has provided me opportunity to consider the energy we spend in areas of our lives that do not meet the passion test.

What is passion?  Websters Dictionary defines it as, 'a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something'.

How many times in our days do we do something that creates this feeling in the tasks or activities we choose to take part in?   My gut tells me  - not enough.

Its food for thought.. What makes your creative juices flow, what is something that you do that seems like second nature to you, like breathing. 

Maybe that is where you could choose to spend some of your precious time when nothing is promised for tomorrow.

Enjoy the journey and listen to your inner passion.