Replacing "How and Why" with "Now and Wow!"
May 25th 2008 04:36
On a spiritual forum someone recently shared that they had a life long passion to fly planes. It was one of those dreams, that like so many of us he had put aside while life happened. Now at the age of 36 with the desire still bubbling he finally created the opportunity for it to happen. That in itself is pretty awesome. To get ready he joined an online forum for people who fly or are interested in it. He began to read about how many of these people had begun lessons in their teens, how they had volunteered at airfields to be as involved as they could and drink up any opportunity they could. All of a sudden Mr36 went from the elation of finally following his passion to questioning why he had not pursued it sooner. That's when he came back to the spiritual forum to share.
Not surprisingly he was responded to with a whole string of similar stories including my own. There are endless tales of people pushing aside their dreams for a list of reasons, from family expectations through to the fear of losing financial security. As teens it is so easy to step into social structures as we have to answer to parents and teachers but what about when we turn 18. By then it seems we are so entrenched in our beliefs to fit in that we think our dreams are lost or can wait.
Well this is kind of what happened with me. I was so good at playing the game that I convinced myself my passion was to be a chiropractor and got distracted by five years at university. But when university was over and the grind of practice set it suddenly my dreams came back with a vengeance. It happened quite suddenly one day I was looking ahead, getting my "plan" solid. OK..I pay off my business loan, then I save a deposit for a home and/or the actual building in which I practised, a new car, maybe I could fit in marriage and some kids. I saw ahead to myself at 40....and I hated her. A month later I had sold my practice and have never returned to chiropractic.
Fast forward to now... I have self-published one small spiritual book and am just completing my first novel, which has always been my ultimate dream and passion.
Do I regret how I did anything? Absolutely.
Do I offer myself compassion for how I chose to do things? Absolutely.
Ok some days that second one is a bit hard.
As Mr36 pondered on what had happened in his life someone offered the most wonderful insight. She said the "How and Why" don't matter and I love this. I could sit back now and blame my father for not pursuing writing any sooner but that is over. Regrets are just anchors in the past. Regrets let us wallow and churn and this serves no one. It seperates us from the now and as soon we are anywhere but here and now then we seperate from our truth.
Not surprisingly he was responded to with a whole string of similar stories including my own. There are endless tales of people pushing aside their dreams for a list of reasons, from family expectations through to the fear of losing financial security. As teens it is so easy to step into social structures as we have to answer to parents and teachers but what about when we turn 18. By then it seems we are so entrenched in our beliefs to fit in that we think our dreams are lost or can wait.
Well this is kind of what happened with me. I was so good at playing the game that I convinced myself my passion was to be a chiropractor and got distracted by five years at university. But when university was over and the grind of practice set it suddenly my dreams came back with a vengeance. It happened quite suddenly one day I was looking ahead, getting my "plan" solid. OK..I pay off my business loan, then I save a deposit for a home and/or the actual building in which I practised, a new car, maybe I could fit in marriage and some kids. I saw ahead to myself at 40....and I hated her. A month later I had sold my practice and have never returned to chiropractic.
Fast forward to now... I have self-published one small spiritual book and am just completing my first novel, which has always been my ultimate dream and passion.
Do I regret how I did anything? Absolutely.
Do I offer myself compassion for how I chose to do things? Absolutely.
Ok some days that second one is a bit hard.
As Mr36 pondered on what had happened in his life someone offered the most wonderful insight. She said the "How and Why" don't matter and I love this. I could sit back now and blame my father for not pursuing writing any sooner but that is over. Regrets are just anchors in the past. Regrets let us wallow and churn and this serves no one. It seperates us from the now and as soon we are anywhere but here and now then we seperate from our truth.
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