47 Years
I’m smiling as I reflect back on the year. I turned 47 on November 29th and as I pen this on December 3rd - I can say without caveat that this has been the most trans-formative year of my life. Here is what has me say that:
1. I’m no longer interested in pushing people to be someone or something that they aren’t. I’ve done that for a long time and it only creates pain. If something works for me and my joy, great, if it doesn’t – that’s okay. It’s okay because I’ve embraced the idea that we can always accept, change, or leave any given situation and that is true freedom. These three inevitability make this adventure on earth more peaceful. So much more peaceful than living the illusion that we can force people or things into a different behavioral state. I’ve stopped trying to do this and it is making my life infinitely more serene.
2. I’m here by choice. I’m here to influence, learn, support, love, care, create, and not every day do I embrace all of these states of being, yet I accept them as truth, so embracing them and living with the choice I’ve made to be here, has me peaceful.
3. My kids, my wife, my friends, family, strangers, and everyone else…is on their own journey and path, so I’m respecting these paths and the behaviors of the people on them. I continue to work to retire emotions like anger, hostility, jealousy, judgement, or regret. Again – noting that we all have a journey, anything that would cause these negative emotions probably comes from believing something someone said or did as a personal attack on me, and that is no longer a belief system I’m interested in embracing. Compassion for everyone and that compassion, is freedom.
4. I love everyone. I love them in a way I know, a way that is quiet to some, loud to others, although it is always love.
5. I have accepted that fear exists in me, on this planet, and with each of you – I’ve simply decided to no longer agree with what it is telling me. Fear wanted me to leave the planet early, fear had me want to stop writing work like this, and fear had me believing that I wasn’t enough. I’m no longer interested in what fear has to say. I’ll pay attention when it rears its head, I just don’t believe its message, anymore. This practice has created so many new opportunities, growth moments, experiences, friendships, connections- and that is enough for me.
6. I am doing things that I love doing and I’m no longer labeling them in ways I used to: I don’t have to start a bakery to be a baker. I don’t have to launch a food truck business to enjoy cooking. I don’t have to publish another book to be a writer. I don’t have to starve myself to be healthy. I don’t have to gorge on whatever I choose because I miss a day at the gym. If you love to write, then I invite you to write. If you love to cook, then I invite you to cook. My work no longer is a separate piece of my life, I chose work that enjoys each of these parts of me, and so I invite you to find the same type of peace.
7. I’ve connected with God, Jesus, and so many other amazing souls through the Universe. I’m listening with them, to them, and this lost art, which all of us have access to, has been reignited through a dear friend and spiritual healer to whom I will be eternally grateful. Vibrations of energy, healing, health, transition, listening – these are all areas of my life that have been deeply solidified through my discussions with the souls in our universe who are ready to teach us as soon as we are ready to listen.
8. I have forgiven myself for the judgement I have placed on so many people. No judgement is needed. I believe that I have chosen to be with the people I encounter on a daily basis and if I respect their journey, then no judgement is needed AND…I forgive myself for imparting that judgement, because I am so very sorry for be judgmental in the first place.
9. I’m ready for more transition – I’m preparing each day to have as much fun and joy on this planet as I can. I’m preparing to become a student of listening to understand (something I have NOT been practicing for the bulk of my time on this planet) and through this listening I’m excited about what I’m going to learn and from who I will learn.
10. I share openly. I share in a way that is not intended to change the listener or the reader, instead…it is sharing as an invitation to embrace what I’ve been blessed to learn and if it can add value into someone’s life, they’ll choose it when ready.
11. I love myself. It sounds funny when I read it back. I love me, because I am love, we are all love, which is why I love you and I will be love long after this body has served its travel purpose on earth. I love all of you and I do look forward to a day and time when all of us embrace this same sentiment – life is so much more fun with lots o’ love.
These are the reasons that this year has been so powerful, for me. As everything grows and expands – I’m open arms and open soul for what growth and new experiences I’ll embrace in 2020.
If you enjoy these posts – you might enjoy a copy of my book, “Happiness is Over There” – which is a personal memoir detailing the stories, learnings, and exercises I used to shift my life from dark and chaotic to a life of light and productivity. Through Paperclip Thinking LLC, I also support group and individual coaching sessions as well as book talks for groups of 15-20. You can buy a signed copy at www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com to arrange book delivery or set up coaching and group talks/sessions.