One Step At A Time

Last week I finished reading one of the best books ever written The Four Agreements  by author Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements is one of his most acclaimed books which teaches the principles of the Toltec traditions as it relates to personal freedom. It was really an eyeopener  learning how imprisoned we can be  both spiritually and intellectually in our dysfunctional and unhealthy beliefs that society has created for us. In today's society everything has been predestined and we humans must just live according  to this huge book of laws which continue to prevent us from enjoying our own freedom and allowing ourselves to live stress free lives.

The Four Agreements allows one to understand how one's past experiences no longer matter in the long run. We aren't discounting nor are we discrediting any of our life experiences needless to say however, the past is by no means an indicator for the future but a lesson learned for all of us to move forward. The key to self fulfillment  I have learned is  that its all about time. When you think of time in itself, it feels as though it either goes by too fast or too slowly for us. When we are dealing with obstacles that hinder us from achieving our goals, it feels like a lifetime that we are stuck with a feeling of hopelessness. Time feels like a death sentence. In times like this we need to always remember our goal and never lose sight of our focus no matter what. If we fill out lives with positivity and practice self motivation, making these baby steps become a whole lot easier. Constantly remind yourself of what your desired outcome is and visualize it happening. The law of attraction is all about attracting what we want in life therefore if we continue along this path we can be certain that we will get what we want out of life.

The old saying  "time heals" speaks to each one of us at some point in our lives. This saying is all about baby steps as well as with each day that progresses we are unconsciously  moving forward with our lives. We are evolving and changing every day. We are growing and developing in all aspects of our lives. The universe will allow our success to happen when it is due. Given human nature we are all control freaks. We want exact dates and timelines. We learn after years of creating our own misery that we must let life unfold as it is meant to be. As long as we are living we are making progress, for every day is a step closer to our future- the ones we have so desperately been planning and the ones we are so afraid to embrace. The one thing that keeps us going is time, be it friend or foe we must move with its rhythm and flow and let everything else go!

Leaps of faith

"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the the one that is waiting for us"-Joseph Campbell

If there are any words that could describe what taking a leap of faith is all about  these would say it best. Most of our life is certainly planned and structured. We must get to work for a fixed schedule, graduate within a certain time, have kids before we're a certain age and the list goes on. We get so accustomed to planning every aspect of our lives that when the time comes to actually enjoy something sporadic and out of the blue we become scared to embrace it. Uncertainty can surely be a very scary thing as it forces  us to take risks. For many whose lives are like a jigsaw puzzle, with each piece fitting perfectly this can seem like a nightmare. Wait but this isn't supposed to happen. Of course not right, because we know exactly how things are going to work out and we can predict the future. Life is about taking leaps, many of which will be ones that we may be afraid to take for fear of failure.

 My own leap of faith that I've taken over the  past two years has gotten me to  a completely different place that I never imagined. Very much a planner and organizer of sorts I thought I had my life mapped out just waiting for me to take the journey. I was terribly wrong. Everything I planned happened to turn out the exact opposite and I was forced to take some leaps of faith into the unknown. These leaps of faith have taught me that it isn't so bad to venture into the unknown  and uncertain world but rather these challenges are what really allows you to see what life has in store for you. You may be so completely bent on one thing that you fail to see the marvelous possibilities that exist around you.

Planning isn't bad  in fact it's helpful to have a plan as it allows you to set goals that you want to achieve. What one must remember when planning is that the outcome may be different from your initial expectations. To embrace change is to accept that there is something to be learned from every experience that is unexpected.  Keep in mind that  you can plan out entire life and in a second it can be changed forever. There is no warranty on life, we don't get a refund when things go bad. Instead we must learn to exchange it for something better, something that will help us to create new opportunities and thrive in all our endeavors. Don't be afraid to be brave bold and steadfast in whatever you do. Perseverance never goes unnoticed!

Today is Your Day Reclaim It

You don't have to wake up feeling miserably ill to realize that everyday is a  chance to make 'our' day. Sure thing I woke up with an upset stomach and lamented if only it weren't raining and I felt well today day could have been my day indeed.

Moments like these make you realize  how unfortunate it is that many times when we have 'wonderful' days we just  let them pass us by without really utilizing them towards making our lives more fulfilling. The truth is, no day is ever going to be perfect. The weather may mess things up, your partner may upset you, the trains may be all messed up and the list goes on and on. The great thing I love about New Yorkers are the fact that they are completely unfazed by the weather and everything else around them.

A perfect example would be a typical snow storm. Mere hours into the storm my facebook feed alerts me with  updates from at least five friends that are either at a baby shower, engagement, birthday party or just hanging out at the bar while I lay snuggling under my blanket in my fleece PJs! Now if you compared my dull outlook to theirs, which of us are reclaiming the day? You can definitely bet your bottom dollar that it's not me.

 These everyday examples make you realize that you aren't really  taking advantage of every day that you have. We have the gift of time and more importantly the gift of life. Our destiny is unwritten, we are ink that fill the immaculate blank pages with memories that make help us create our own destiny. I'm certain that I'm not the only one sharing these sentiments, but if I were to be filling the pages with memories I'd want them to be incredible. There is no stopping either one of us from creating our own'bestseller' memoirs. The earth is spinning, the clock is ticking. Are you going to let life pass you by?