Pull yourself together

Think of all the occasions when you felt forced to pull yourself together. What did it feel like? Have you ever felt embarrassed?  To write about these events may trigger memories of the awkwardness, the fear, the desire to put forth a facade, so people didn't know what you really thought or felt.  All of these things aren't that bizarre. Some people hide from reality quite regularly. Among some of recognizable characters and stories, you might remember when;

1) Mickey Mouse was going to marry Minnie Mouse and nearly changed his mind based on the sorts of qualms that appeared in the bubble above his head. If it was you, would you have backed out?

2) Clark Kent contemplated revealing his true identity of Superman to his love, reporter Lois Lane, but anxiety and fear caused him to decide against it.

3) Miss Piggy was trying to open herself up to Kermit the Frog and he wasn't on the same romantic wavelength. You'll recall her engaging in karate moves to take her mind off rejection and help her regain composure.

4) Gilligan made an effort to express his feelings to the movie star, Ginger Grant, on Gilligan's Island, but he managed to fall out of a palm tree and become a laughing stock instead of being taken seriously.

5) During the Star Wars trilogy, Luke Skywalker battled evil creatures to save the galaxy and finally gathered the courage to express his love to Princess Leah, only to discover that she was his long-lost, real sister.

6) During Shrek, Donkey had cold feet about mating with affectionate Dragon yet, he quickly got over it when wife gave birth to cross-species offspring. Were they quads or quintuplets? So as to keep tabs on the brood, he didn't have time to think. 

7)  James Bond always seemed suave about romancing a new dame, regardless of the dangerous villains chasing him down the road.  He somewhow made time for a martini and a sexy woman.

Be intuitive

If the time comes when you sense that you aren't happy with aspects of yourself, then you may choose to do something about it.  You make your own rules for personal changes.  When will you choose to follow your intuition? It’s your prerogative to decide the what, where, when and how you will make personal changes.  You can get a special kind of satisfaction out of making efforts to help yourself.  You’re in charge.  What will you do next?  It's ultimately up to you.

Increasing numbers of people experience benefits as they make regular, positive changes.  They learn to detect when their thoughts and behaviors aren't working, when efforts aren't yielding results they seek or, when interactions with people aren't as productive and engaging as they could be. How do you feel about your life?

So, if you were asked right now, what kinds of changes would you like to see in yourself? It’s never too late to rethink who you are, where you are and where you would like to be.  It’s certainly true that keeping in touch with yourself is the best way to know when you really want change.  How do you feel now? Be inutitive.  Learn to read into your senses. They tell all.

Heaven

Heaven is supposed to be a place of supreme happiness. Humans often dream its somewhere in the depths of the infinite, azure sky. They imagine a location that is invisible until the time is right for each person to sense it.

What if heaven wasn't such a far off, idyllic place at all, or even a time or something you might, with good behaviour, eventually see? What if instead, heaven was a state of mind or existence you could experience in mortal life, no matter who you are?

Guardian angels might whisper, "you aren't thousands of miles from heaven, but it’s precisely where you stand."  This kind of insight may cause you to think heaven isn't limited to where you encounter angels and spirits of the righteous after death. Reality may evolve with you, based on how you learn to fly in your own way.

Heaven could be a synonym for self-acceptance, another view of the glory you can open up your eyes to see. This would enable you to experience the celestial powers of Higher Forces, no matter how you might perceive them.

Each time you learn new things, you rise higher to a new level of understanding, to a new heights as you soar through the endless, upper air. You’ll discover the soul that has always lived within your person, and that emerges as you redefine your limits.

Heaven is an attitude where gladness is plenty and worries are few. It surrounds you as you realize you can touch heaven whenever you choose.  You sense perfect balance, reconciliation, love and inner peace. You’re never alone there. If ever you forget, your angel will remind you how you can go anywhere, based on what you think about. If you believe, the question is, have you arrived? If not, when will you go?

The sleuth within

Each of us is a sleuth in our own right. We live our lives in order to collect information, which forms evidence meant to convince us of our dreams, the path to follow, a direction worthy of our attention. Why is it that some people choose to not accept the evidence they discover? What is it that compels certain people to rethink the point of everything?

As detective writers go, their typical approach is to start from the “who did it and why” and work backwards through development to reveal the build up.   Many readers simply assume it always works the other way around, which isn’t true. If you think about your own life, wouldn’t it seem logical to assume that you’re working backwards as well, uncovering clues about yourself, as you go, only to arrive at the identity you feel you should’ve known all along? Who is the real detective? Who is writing your story so your pages evolve into different chapters of your life?

So many mystery authors offer us companions to help us find ourselves while we're also given the chance to learn.  After all, what are the tools you think you need to get-to-know yourself? Georges Simenon created Inspector Maigret. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle devised Sherlock Holmes. Lynda LaPlante gave us Detective Jane Tennison. Agatha Christie offered Miss Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot. John Mortimer came up with Horace Rumpole (“Rumpole of the Bailey”). Dan Brown equipped us with symbology professor Robert Langdon. Mildred Wirt Benson invited us to meet Nancy Drew.  Which are your favorites? How many do you work with?

Ultimately, what we choose to do with our detective companions is completely up to us.  Your imagination is key.  Let your soul be your pilot.  Are you in training to become your own specialized sleuth, well, time and how you see yourself will tell...

Excitement of sabbaticals

I was recently contacted by a long lost friend, you know, the kind that doesn't seem like you were ever out-of-touch. She was excited about her process of preparing for a sabbatical year in Spain. Her husband will be a visiting professor at a university.  Among other things, she will have the tasks of helping her daughter discover and settle into kindergarten. My friend also aims to find a part-time Spanish pre-school for her son. This friend admits the prospect of the change appeals because of her sense of adventure. Not surprising, coming from a former, 'bush pilot.'

This story reminds me how people regularly stumble in life to seize unexpected opportunities and can be very happy about it. Why is it, do you think, that uncertainty about the next job or how to cope with change, can be so stimulating for some of us and so frightening for others? Why is it that some people would jump at the chance to experience a new work setting, perhaps even in a different country, while others would shun or fear the idea without a second thought?

To get right down to what matters, think of your priorities and how you would be apt to react. If someone offered you the chance to go on a sabbatical, such as working in your field in a different office or foreign workspace, your decision would be based very much on your personality and perception of change. Whether or not you sense this will work for you ro not would depend on many factors. 

1)  Would your old job be available upon your return?  You may have thoughts on job security. Depending on your seniority where you are, you will likely desire to know how a year away would impact the job and salary you have. It may be hard for a company to guarantee the exact same position. Yet, keep in mind that inter-state or international experience would build your portfolio, possibly lead to promotions, and strengthen your abilities to broaden your options.

2)  How would your family react?Its important to realize that a geographic move may not only have implications for you.  Consider your partner. What would they do where you're going? Would an office transfer be an option or would your partner be willing to do something esle? What about your kids? How would you go about uprooting them from school and find temporary new ones? Whether your family is supportive, decides to stay behind or even favors their own personal change, is key. You may feel change would be good for your family. Would they agree?

3) What are your underlying motives? Some people actively investigate sabbatical options because they desire change, escape from the mundane or, wish to undertake soul-searching. A year away from what you do now may enable you to write that book you've always wanted to write. It may enable you to collaborate on research with colleagues that would have mutual benefits. You may have obligations to your current workplace, such as publishing papers, making conference presentations or other 'results' to prove you've been productive while away. You may simply plan to do something completely different than before, like missionay work, crisi relief work or remote non-profit projects, so as to return to your life with new perspectives.

No matter what you choose to do while on sabbatical, you will evolve and see yourself and the world very different than when you left. I know one woman who gave up her former job after sabbatical and changed her whole life focus. All experience promotes self-development if you remain open to possibilities. Taking risks to explore the unknown can certainly be good for the soul.