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 struggling to hold on.
And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, you shudder once
or twice; you blink back your tears and begin to realize it's time to
look at the world with 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 come galloping over the next horizon.
You come to terms with the fact that in the real world there aren't
always fairy tale endings. (Or beginnings for that matter) 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 opinions. And you learn the
importance of loving and championing yourself...and in the process a
sense of new found confidence is born in 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 it's not always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own and 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 are born of forgiveness.
You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around
you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk
you have been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how
much you should weigh, what you wear, and what you should do for a
living, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising
children, and what you owe your parents, family and friends.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You
learn the difference between wanting and needing and you discard what
you don't need. In the process you learn to go with your instincts. You
learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. You learn that
principles such as honesty and integrity are not 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 cannot teach a pig to sing...You learn to distinguish
between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting
boundaries and learning to say NO! And know when enough is enough! You
learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry.
Then you learn about love; How to love, how much to give in love, when
to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships
as they really are not as you would have them to be. You stop trying to
control people, situations and Outcomes. AND YOU LEARN THAT ALONE DOES
NOT MEAN LONELY.
You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside; smoothing
things over and ignoring your needs...You learn that feelings of
entitlement are perfectly OK! And that it is your right to need things
and to ask for things that you need...and that sometimes it is necessary
to make demands. You come to the realization that YOU DESERVE TO BE
TREATED WITH LOVE, KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY, AND RESPECT AND YOU WON'T
SETTLE FOR LESS!
And you learn that your body is really your temple. And you begin to
treat it with respect. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and
uncertainty and so you take more time to rest and eat right. And, just
as food fuels the body, laughter fuels the soul. So you take more time
to laugh and 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 from 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
the greatest robber baron of all: 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!
And you learn to fight for your life and not squander it living under a
cloud of impending doom. You learn life is not always fair. You don't
always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes bad things
happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to
personalize things. You learn that GOD isn't punishing you or failing to
answer your prayers. It's just life happening.
You learn to deal with evil in its most primal state--the ego-. 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 admit when you are
wrong, and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn the importance
of saying "I'm sorry."
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. Slowly, 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.
And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the
wind. And you walk slowly through a rain storm. And 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, and GOD by your side
you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the
life you want to live as best you can. And keep the faith and hope alive
for love to enter your heart.
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