Wish we all came with these 'directions' attached, at a young age...If I had known this all as a child... The Awakening...
A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst
of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and
somewhere the voice inside your head cries out...Enough! Enough
fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child
quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to
look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to
change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over
the next horizon.
You realize that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale
endings, and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with
you... and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone
will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and
that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.
You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself... and in
the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did
to you - or didn't do for you - and you learn that the only thing you can
really count on is the unexpected.
You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they
say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that
everything isn't always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself... and
in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as
they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties... and
in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You
begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand
for.
You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to
discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have
bought into to begin with.
You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing
and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for
your next fix.
You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the
outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the
foundation upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the
world and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn that the only
cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get
burned at the stake.
Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they
really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does
not mean lonely.
You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn
to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of
setting boundaries and learning to say NO.
You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing
things over and ignoring your needs.
You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for
it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more
water, and take more time to exercise.
You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you
take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter
fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.
You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you
deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making
it happen.
More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need
direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can
do it all alone, and that it's OK to risk asking for help.
You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn
to step right into and through your fears because you know that
whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the
right to live life on your own terms.
You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a
cloud of impending doom.
You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you
think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting,
good people... and you learn not to always take it personally.
You learn that nobody's punishing you and everything isn't always
somebody's fault. It's just life happening. You learn to admit when you
are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment
must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you
and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple
things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the
earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a
soft warm bed, a long hot shower.
Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you
make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever
settle for less than your heart's desire.
You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open
to every wonderful possibility.
Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand, you take a deep
breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you
can.
If this has been posted before sorry, the search function is not working at this time.
