Monday, September 6, 2010

Today, a friend asked why I feel compelled to push myself so hard in all that I do. This came up when I mentioned how I hadn’t written a blog for Friday. He asked if I felt guilty, and I was surprised by my answer, which was, no. Then I went on to explain that I’d missed writing it due to all the fun I was having while with my sister.

That led into a discussion about what I do on an average day. How I feel driven to write a daily blog. Write my books on a fast track. Respond to everyone that writes to me. Keep up with writing my articles. Maintaining my E-zine. Work out faithfully, etc, etc, etc.

When I was done, my friend just sat there, staring at me, incredulous by the amount of pressure I put myself under, while at the same time enormously impressed by how I manage to pull it all off while maintaining a sunny disposition.

Talking with him further, I realized I was doing the opposite of what I blog about often. Instead of seeing to my needs, I’m utterly devoted to ensuring that I serve the needs of everyone else, ultimately depleting my own tanks.

Then he looked at me and remarked on the statement that I hadn’t yet written today’s blog. He said, “I think you should cut back.”

My immediate thought was no way! Then I took a step back and rethought, coming to the conclusion that he was right. That perhaps only generating a blog three to four times a week would be a good idea.

And so I adopted that concept…for about an hour and a half. In the end, however, I realized something paramount about myself. I don’t just write my daily blogs for all of you. I scribe them as a form of processing through my own life. Thoughts. Philosophies. And when I came to that conclusion, I knew that creating a daily blog was serving my needs and thus something I was unwilling to give up. As such, here is today’s blog, as usual, full of my own thoughts and evolving process of self-discovery.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I was looking at a fortune today. You know, one of those little tabs of paper that come out of a cookie. Some of them are goofy, but a good many have profound philosophies and thoughts interwoven in their seemingly simplistic words. My fortune said, “Be prepared to receive something special.”

How nice! I do like special things.

But then I got to thinking. How does one go about preparing to receive something special? Doesn’t it just happen? Or does one need to prepare themselves mentally, spiritually and possibly even physically?

As I pondered the concept more, I began to lean towards the need for one to actually make a conscious effort to receive something special. I mean think about it. If a person is in a foul mood or has adopted a doom-and-gloom attitude, are they in the best place to even recognize if something good comes their way? Or are they so focused on negativity that anything positive simply passes them by utterly unnoticed?

I seem to have stumbled onto something. Perhaps it’s even profound. (See, this is why one should read the fortune before eating the cookie. That way, they’ll have the cookie to offer them sustenance to thoroughly digest the words of the fortune.) Anyhow, I’m digressing. Back to the subject.

It would make sense that if one is walking around with a dark cloud of despair looming over their head, everything they come in contact with will end up with a dark edge to it. But, if on the other hand, they have adopted a sunnier disposition, one where they’re willing to seek out the positive in things, they will be more in tune with recognizing the snippets of good that come their way.

So let’s go back to the tab of paper in my fortune cookie that said, “Be prepared to receive something special.” If what I’ve surmised is accurate, then my positive attitude will serve me in being aware when something special comes my way.

Excellent!