Wow. Getting better, trying to take care of myself and taking it easy. Been exploring and working on self-improvement and healing. I believe that are improving myself and healing are parts of my purpose in life. In the process, I have been doing some reading, listening, and coursework. I have to recommend a free course in tapping that is available online now through March 8th @ www.thetappingsolution.com/2018event It is amazing, it is a kind of energy approach, like acupuncture or transdermal nerve stimulation but without the needles or electricity. It utilizes positive affirmations and exploring barriers to change. It is used for various applications, such as for pain relief, stress reduction, PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc . (I do not know what all). It does seem helpful so far and has helped me look at some of my own problems, but have only tried it for 2 days so far.
One of the guests I listened to was Cheryl Richardson, an author, most recently wrote “Waking Up in Winter: In Search of What Really Matters at Midlife” who was talking about life stages. Her take was that she related life stages to the seasons of one’s life, spring, summer, autumn, winter. WOW. Talk about relating. Choosing to focus on our lives at this point is like – if not now, when, this is our last chance to do what our heart speaks to us in our core.
Part of what happens to most of us as we get older is that we start facing our own mortality, I know that I have been blessed to have survived this far; not all of us get to be 64. I am no longer into working as much as I can (hence retirement) or being famous, rich or whatever, that are outside accolades that one may acquire over a lifetime.
Life is short, none of us knows how long we have and therefore I want to make the most of it. Now, I don’t mean grand plans. I mean what is important to me: family, health, happiness. For instance, I want to spend quality time with my husband. My husband is 17 years older than I, and part of the reason I retired a bit early is to be able to enjoy some time together traveling or just being together while we are both mobile, physically able enough to enjoy ourselves.
Still listening to Cheryl talk about these things reinforced my own beliefs about retirement. It is important to simplify, focus on what is important, accomplish what needs to be finished.
It is important to do get rid of the extra garbage in our lives. Many of us are trying to get rid of our excess baggage, simplify our lives, distill down to what is important. Minimize, downsize. Clearing out a lot of my clutter is one of my goals, clear my space, clear my mind. I have difficulty letting go, and my husband, a child of the depression, feels like he cannot have too much of whatever he thinks we need. When my in-laws died it took us 2 years to finish off their soup collection. I have my work cut out for me.
Focus on what is important for me means finding one’s purpose. I do not think there is necessarily one purpose for each of us. I rather believe that most of us have many purposes to fulfill in our lives. Some we may never realize, as we are undertaking for others so they can learn and do what is in their life’s plan. Not all purposes have to be huge or have to any meaning to anyone else, like reading a particular book. For me, I am choosing several areas to explore and improve myself as part of my life purpose, such as writing this blog, learning about tapping (which I did not know about 2 weeks ago), learning another language, photography, improving my nutrition, exercising as able (I am slightly disabled), working on improving our country by participating in our democracy as a precinct chairperson, spending time with family and friends. These are the things that are important to me and that I want to spend time doing, to improve myself and my life
I know that I have a limited time left on this planet and I want to make it count, I want to leave with the earth being better off for my having been here. I want to feel ready when my time is up, but I still do not want that to be anytime soon. I wish to minimize any regrets. I want to be able to enjoy myself and feel comfortable with being me. How about you?
Each day can be one of triumph If you keep up your interests.
George Matthew Adams